BP (NYSE:BP) to Start Deep Cleanup of Alabama Beaches

BP (NYSE:BP) spokesman Ray Melick said the oil giant is going to start deeper cleaning of the beaches in Alabama next week.

Melick said the company is waiting until after the weekend festivities, which include boat races and concerts in Baldwin County. They don't want to hurt the tourist money now coming into the region, so they're set to start next week.

Heavy equipment will be brought in to dig as deep as two feet below the surface to locate and clean the oil out.

Hopes are the cleanup of the beaches will be completed by January 1, 2011.

BP (NYSE:BP) Oil UPDATE: Static Kill Progress, Asset Sales

According to the soon to be CEO for BP (NYSE:BP), the company is planning on attempting the "static kill" operation on Tuesday. If successful it will seal the broken well. The the focus will turn to the relief well and permanently plugging it by the end of August.

The "static kill" process entails pumping heavy drilling mud followed by cement into the top of the Macondo well. The goal is to push a column of oil back into the reservoir almost three miles below the seafloor. Crews were installing a final pipe like casing into the well Thursday evening.

At a news conference in Mississippi, Dudley stated that BP is currently in the process of a $25 to $30 billion global asset sale. The Apace deal of $7 billion has also been agreed on. The sales are part of the company's plan to pay for the costs they've incurred from the massive oil leak that has spilled out over $200 million gallons of toxic crude.