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After an unsuccessful attempt to halt the leak, a ruptured seabed pipe in the Gulf of Mexico continues to spew some 5,000 barrels of oil a day into the ocean.

The oil is spurting upwards to the surface thousands of feet above, and is adding to the giant slick which is threatening the environment of the Gulf Coast.

The main hope to stem the flow was to put a specially constructed giant dome over the source of the leak and seal it off.

However the attempt was thwarted by natural gas crystallising in the dome, resulting from a combination of low temperatures and high pressure.

Mike Miller is head of Safety Boss, a Canadian oil and fire blowout company.

First broadcast 11 May 2010