The second suggests that a rod-like plug can block the hole by slipping across it sideways and stopping large ions from passing, rather like a drain cover stops leaves from entering the mouth of a pipe.

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While other attempts are planned to block the hole, it is probable that oil will continue to pour from it for another couple of months, until relief wells are drilled to intersect and reduce the pressure in the currently flowing well and cut-off the leakage of perhaps 50 million barrels of oil contained there by the injection of concrete deep into the seabed.

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In part, the decline was down to the collapse of trade with the Soviet block: new trade with China filled only part of the hole.

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