BP’s next move to contain oil spill in Gulf involves much smaller containment system

‘Top hat’ oil containment device much smaller

ROBERT, La. — BP is saying that it wants to have a new, much smaller oil containment device at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the week.

BP PLC chief operating officer Doug Suttles also said Monday that it may be two weeks before the company can try what is being called a “junk shot.” The junk shot would pump golf balls and pieces of tire into the blowout preventer. If it plugs the well, crews will fill it with mud and then cement.

BP officials caution that these techniques have never been attempted at this depth. The leak is spewing oil about a mile below the Gulf’s surface.

Suttles says the 100-ton, four-story box that failed over the weekend is just sitting on the seafloor. The new containment system is about two tons.