BP Plc has increased the amount of oil it is collecting through a containment cap fitted over its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well, and is working to improve on that rate, the U.S. national oil spill response commander said on Saturday.

U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen told reporters the containment effort was working “with caveats”, although it was still only collecting part of the leaking oil at this stage.

“In the first full 24-hour cycle yesterday … they were able to bring up … 6,000 barrels of oil from the well,” Allen said, speaking in Theodore, Alabama.