page_title: Timeline of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (May 2010)
section_title: May 1–5
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (May 2010) / May / May 1–5
caption_attribution_description: English: The mobile offshore drilling unit Q4000 holds position directly over the damaged Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer as crews work to plug the wellhead using a technique known as "top kill,". The procedure was unsuccessful in its intention to stem the flow of oil and gas and ultimately kill the well by injecting heavy drilling fluids through the blow out preventer on the seabed down into the well. The en:Discoverer Enterprise is in the foreground.
context_page_description: Following is a Timeline of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill for May 2010.
context_section_description: May 1
  Two military C-130 Hercules aircraft were employed to spray oil dispersant.
  May 2
  Obama meets with fishermen and Coast Guard in Venice, Louisiana. Oil discovered in the South Pass.
  Transocean's Development Driller III started drilling a first relief well. High winds and rough waves rendered oil-catching booms largely ineffective.
  May 3
  BP says it will pay cleanup costs. Fishing areas remain closed.
  Shares of Nalco Holding Company jump 18% in one day after it is revealed its dispersant products are being use for cleanup.
  May 4
  BP proposes a containment dome.
  May 5
  BP announces that the smallest of three known leaks had been capped allowing the repair group to focus their efforts on the remaining leaks.
caption: Q4000 in back right and the Discoverer Enterprise in the foreground on May 26 during the failed top kill procedure. The Q4000 is directly over the blowout preventer.
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