BP Plc has not been able to reduce the flow of oil in

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The statement, issued by the company Monday afternoon, refuted a claim made this morning by a company executive that the company had managed to reduce the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico by successfully shutting a set of hydraulic shears known as annular rams, helping to clamp the ruptured pipe and block the leaking oil.

"We've significantly cut the flow through the pipe," Jeff Childs said Monday morning at a meeting in Mobile hosted by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa. Childs is a deputy incident commander for BP.

The company stated in a release: "BP would like to clarify that, contrary to some media reports, the actions it has taken to date on the blow out preventer have not resulted in any observed reduction in the rate of flow of oil from the MC252 well."