By Joel Achenbach
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 8, 2010; 8:47 AM
The end may be near for the runaway gulf oil well, according to the most optimistic statement yet from a BP executive.
The long-anticipated “bottom kill” of the well — a massive dose of mud and cement shot through a relief well now being drilled in order to stop the gushing of oil from the well that exploded nearly three months ago — could take place before the end of July.
“In a perfect world with no interruptions, it’s possible to be ready to stop the well between July 20 and July 27,” BP managing director Bob Dudley said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.