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BP has begun the long-awaited "static kill" procedure at its damaged oil well in the Gulf of Mexico - a manoeuvre that's aimed at plugging the well for good.

The static kill process followed an earlier "injectivity" test, which saw the well's defective blowout preventer being injected with an oil-like liquid to determine if it could handle the static kill process.

Positive results from that test led BP to go ahead with the static kill at 3 p.m. CT.

"The aim of these procedures is to assist with the strategy to kill and isolate the well, and will complement the upcoming relief well operation," a BP statement said.

The static kill manoeuvre involves pumping heavy mud and eventually cement down the well in an effort to push the oil back down. The whole process could take up to 61 hours, officials said.

Retired U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said Tuesday that even if the static kill is successful, the relief wells that BP has been drilling are still vital to plugging the well.

"This thing won't truly be sealed until those relief wells are done," Allen said.

BP said drilling for one of the two relief wells will resume Thursday. It could be finished later this month.

4.9 million barrels flowed out of BP well

Oiled marsh grass is seen in Barataria Bay on the coast of Louisiana on Saturday. (Patrick Semansky/Associated Press)

Meanwhile, U.S. officials said Monday that the latest estimates suggest roughly 4.9 million barrels, or 780 million litres, of oil poured out of the well before a temporary cap stemmed the flow on July 15.

"Not all of this oil and gas flowed into the ocean; containment activities conducted by BP under the administration's direction captured approximately 800,000 barrels of oil prior to the capping of the well," U.S. officials said in a statement.

Local and state politicians, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, are warning BP that its responsibilities won't end when the well is plugged.

"Their work is only done when all of the oil is gone from the coast and our water, their work is only done when our wetlands and our coastline are restored to their pre-spill status, so we can go back to our way of life," Jindal said.

BP and federal officials have managed to contain large parts of the spill through skimmers, oil-absorbent booms and chemical dispersants meant to break up the oil.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has been monitoring the environmental impact of the spill, conducted tests on the toxicity of chemical dispersants.

The agency released results Monday indicating that the "dispersant-oil mixtures are generally no more toxic to the aquatic test species than oil alone."

The EPA tested eight dispersants, and the tests confirmed that Corexit 9500A, the dispersant used in the Gulf of Mexico, is "generally no more or less toxic than the other available alternatives."

More than 30,000 people are currently involved in efforts to protect the shoreline and wildlife, U.S. officials said.

The spill began after an offshore drilling rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana on April 20, killing 11 workers. It is by far the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien appeared to be in good health during a meeting with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff in Shawinigan, Que., on July 22. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

The Jewish General Hospital said Chrétien underwent surgery Friday to treat a subdural hematoma. That's a buildup of blood between the skull and the brain. It's normally considered an emergency medical condition.

"Currently, he is doing extremely well," said Dr. Jeff Golan, who performed the operation.

The problem came to doctors' attention on Thursday, when Chrétien's daughter called to say her father was having difficulty walking. She was advised to have her father brought in.

A brain scan on Friday revealed a three-centimetre-wide hematoma that was pushing about 1.5 centimetres into his brain. Emergency surgery was then performed Friday afternoon. The operation took two hours.

At a news conference Saturday afternoon, doctors said they were shocked by the finding of such a large hematoma, since he didn't have any major symptoms.

Chrétien was "totally lucid, totally alert, and the only finding was a slight weakness of the left leg," said Dr. Marc Afilalo, head of emergency at the hospital.

Doctors said they didn't know what might have caused the hematoma, but noted that Chrétien had hit his head on the staircase of his basement in late June.

Prognosis 'excellent'

When asked about his prospects, Golan quickly pronounced them as "excellent," adding that Chrétien was telling him stories about his political life and making jokes.

However, Golan cautioned that Chrétien's "otherwise hectic lifestyle will have to wait for a few weeks."

The surgery Chrétien underwent is considered a major operation. The procedure involves opening the skull to a sufficient degree to allow access to the subdural cavity that's between the skull and the brain. The blood buildup is then drained out.

Chrétien, who is 76, is expected to be released from hospital in the next few days.

Best wishes pour in

Chretien's longtime aide, Bruce Hartley, said people have been quick to send along their best wishes.

"They're just starting to flood in now - from MPs, former staffers, senators, friends, colleagues," he said.

Chrétien's family members are with him at the hospital.

"I spoke to his wife and some of his assistants. They were telling me everything was great," said Liberal MP Denis Coderre.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement sending his best wishes to the former prime minister.

"Mr. Chrétien, I am sure, will emerge as he always has from every challenge, by winning," he said.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said he was "greatly concerned" by news of the surgery.

"It was just two weeks ago when he and I were in his hometown of Shawinigan and he was his usual self, with that spring in his stride of a man half his age and all the strength, vigor and sense of humour Canadians had come to see in him over the decade he served as one of our greatest prime ministers," he said in a statement.

Had heart bypass surgery in 2007

This wasn't Chrétien's first major health problem. In 2007, he had quadruple bypass surgery at the Montreal Heart Institute. The surgery was deemed a success.

Chrétien, who led the Liberal Party to three majority governments during his 10 years as prime minister, stepped down from the top post in 2003.

Following his retirement from politics, Chrétien returned to law with the prominent firm Heenan Blaikie and has toured the lecture circuit.