As even Obama Administration flak Carol Browner now admits, the only real hope for stopping the oil flow of the biggest environmental disaster in history comes from the relief wells being drilled. But they can not be completed until sometime in August at best (hey, did you know hurricane season is on its way?), and BP has ceased work on one of the two relief wells.

The New York Times is reporting that BP suspended its “top kill” efforts late last night after it became apparent the effort to clog up the Blowout preventer with a “junk shot” was failing to keep mud from gushing out the BOP and riser pipe.

At a late afternoon news conference, Coast Guard and BP officials sought to put the best face on the fact BP had suspended its “top kill” mud injections since about midnight last night. They hope to restart the effort, possibly combined with a “junk shot,” later Thursday night.