Crews will replace the failed blowout preventer first to deal with any pressure that is caused when the relief well the oil giant has been drilling intersects the blown-out well.
BP is expected to use mud and cement to plug the blown-out well for good from the bottom once the intersections occur.
A temporary cap that was placed in mid-July, that stopped oil from gushing into the Gulf, was removed Thursday.
The rig explosion on April 20 killed 11 workers. Approximately 206 million gallons of oil spewed from BP's well.
Latest developments:
- BP says it has so far spent $8 billion responding to the disastrous oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.
- The company said Friday that the total included $399 million paid to settle 127,000 claims from businesses and other affected by the oil spill.
- The oil company said more than 28,000 people and 4,000 vessels are still engaged in responding to the spill. BP says no oil has flowed from the well since July 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
