国际英语新闻：BP confirms placing new cap over oil leak in Gulf of Mexico

HOUSTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- BP confirmed Monday that it has placed a new containment cap on its leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. media reported.

The cap was expected to completely contain oil that has been gushing into the Gulf since the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April, but tests are still needed to determine if the cap works, according to cnn.

Live underwater video provided on-line by BP showed a new cap was placed over the leaking well in the Gulf.

BP's chief operating officer Doug Suttles told a media briefing earlier in the day that the cap, a 150,000-pound (6.8 tons) metal stack, was very close to the well and crews would be attaching it later Monday. The work may continue throughout the day, he said.

BP removed the old cap on Saturday to make way for the installation of the new, larger one.

Suttles said it will take days to know whether the new cap can withstand the pressure of the gushing oil and siphon it through pipes to vessels on the Gulf's surface.