Ice crystals form inside oil box, cause problems
By NOAKI SCHWARTZ and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press
May 8, 2010 2:35 PM CDT
The containment vessel is lowered into the Gulf of Mexico at the site of the Deepwater Horizon rig collapse, Thursday, May 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)   (Associated Press)

A BP PLC is saying ice crystals formed inside of an oil containment box when it was placed over a massive oil leak and that crews have had to move the contraption away to study the problem.

Chief operating officer Doug Suttles said Saturday that he is not saying that the box has failed. But he did say what they tried Friday night did not work.

He says they picked the box up from the seafloor and set it over to the side to deal with this new challenge. Officials had cautioned that they would meet challenges during this unprecedented attempt to divert oil spewing into the waters.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO (AP) _ A BP PLC contractor is saying that the 100-ton containment box is still settling in the mud over a massive leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tracy Rodrigue, a BP contractor providing technical services to the company in Houston, said Saturday that the containment box is at a depth of 4,930 feet. He says the operation is still going smoothly and that they are still trying to position and stabilize the box.

Rodrigue is personally monitoring the robots undersea as they make an unprecedented attempt to divert oil leaking in the Gulf.

See 4 more photos