US President Barack Obama is to visit the Louisiana coast to view first-hand the damage wrought by what is said to be the largest oil spill in US history.
BP is continuing to pump heavy mud into the damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico as part of the high-risk "top kill" procedure to block the flow of oil. BP's chief executive Tony Hayward said the outcome would not be clear for another 48 hours.
BP said its response costs to the huge oil spill had risen to $930m (£640m).
Mr Hayward told US media that the "top kill" process - untested before at this depth of 5,000ft (1.5km) - was "going pretty well according to plan".
He said that BP engineers had successfully completed a second phase - pumping in debris known as a "junk shot" - which would next allow them to pump in more heavy-weight mud.
If the mud works in stopping the flow, BP can then pour cement to seal the well for good.
"Clearly I'm as anxious as everyone in America is to get this thing done," Mr Hayward said.
Responsibility Mr Obama's trip later on Friday will be his second to the Gulf since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on 20 April, killing 11 workers.
He will tour affected areas to try to reassure Americans he remains in charge of the clean-up operation, correspondents say.
The thick crude oil has already permeated more than 110km (70 miles) of Louisiana's coastline, threatening fragile wetlands and putting the vital fishing industry at risk.
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