To drill the well, engineers have devised an ingenious system of hollow "riser pipes" that create a hermetic seal between the well opening on the sea floor and the ship swaying above.

FORBES: The delicate art of sucking up

The Helix Producer will form part of a new collection system involving a so-called floating riser and four vessels which will be able to disconnect and reconnect quickly, reducing the time lost when collection is halted because of rough seas.

BBC: Gulf oil spill reaches Texas as tar balls wash ashore