NEW ORLEANS – BP says oil has stopped leaking into the Gulf for the first time since April.

BP has been slowly dialing down the flow as part of a test on a new cap. Engineers are now monitoring the pressure to see if the busted well holds.

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

NEW ORLEANS – BP engineers were back to the slow work of trying to choke the Gulf of Mexico oil gusher Thursday with an untested cap, slowly dialing down the flow.

The latest step — just like other developments in the monthslong environmental crisis will take several hours to complete. If it works, BP believes no oil will be leaking into the water for the first time.

Engineers got to work after replacing a leaky pipe. Kent Wells, a BP PLC vice president, said at a news briefing in Houston that the leak was found on the side of the towering, 75-ton capping stack and it was fixed by replacing the assembly, called a “choke line.”

The work sent the oil giant back to restarting preparations for testing whether the cap can stop the oil without blowing a new leak in the well. If it works, the cap will be a temporary fix until BP can drill into the gusher to plug it for good from underground, where the seal will hold better. (FULL STORY)