China's Cnooc begins oil partner hunt in Mexico deep waters

Vessels gather near Transocean Ltd.'s Development Driller III, right, at the BP Plc Macondo well site in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, U.S., on Thursday, July 29, 2010. BP Plc may move up the schedule for a static kill attempt, which would involve pumping mud and cement to permanently plug its leaking Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. Thursday marked the 100th day of the largest oil spill in U.S. history, which began when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded on April 20. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg