Private foundation contemplates multimillion dollar prize in competition to fix BP oil spill

Got a fix for oil spill? It may be worth a prize

WASHINGTON — You might be able to get rich quick if you can fix the BP oil spill.

The X Prize Foundation wants to make fixing the BP oil spill a multimillion dollar competition. It has done the same for space, fuel efficient cars and gene-mapping.

Foundation Vice President Francis Beland (BE’-land) says his group is kicking around the idea. They’ve already received 35,000 unsolicited ideas for fixing the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Beland told a special oil spill conference Monday that his group is seeking advice from the public on how to handle such a competition. The foundation also has to raise money for a prize. X Prizes are usually $10 million or more.

Online:

www.xprize.org/x-prizes/overview