Once the cap is attached, the two vessels that are capturing oil from the leaking well will be shut down for crews to monitor the pressure and check the condition of the well, he said.

A third oil-recovery ship, the Helix Producer, was expected to start up on Sunday but Suttles said two minor technical glitches prevented that. He expected the ship to begin work Monday and reach full capacity within two days or so.

With the new cap and oil vessels, BP expects that all crude oil should be contained.

However, Suttles said, even the cap works as planned, BP will continue to finish its two relief wells so that heavy drilling fluid and fluid can be pumped in to permanently kill the leak.

The first relief well, started May 2, reached a measured depth of 17,810 feet (one foot equal to 0.305 meters) on July 11, and the well is intended to intercept the original well at approximately 18,000 feet. The second relief well is below 16,000 feet, according to a BP statement Monday.

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