BP tapping technology, expertise help to work on 5 possible solutions to Gulf oil leak

Teams working on a fix for the Gulf oil leak

HOUSTON — Teams are working simultaneously on five possible solutions to stop or at least minimize the flow at the well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Bob Fryar, senior VP of BP in Angola, said Sunday 389 people from BP PLC, the Coast Guard, the Pentagon and Energy Department reported to BP’s emergency center in Houston.

The five efforts include injecting dispersants at the sea floor to break up the oil. They’re also attempting to close the blowout preventer that for some unknown reason failed. Another effort is to deploy steel boxes atop the flows to contain oil and redirect it through pipes to a ship on the sea surface.

A fourth team is working on trying to install new pressure control equipment at the well. And the fifth effort is drilling of two relief wells.