BP: Sealed ocean well isn't source of Gulf sheen

(AP)—BP PLC says a sheen on the Gulf of Mexico appears to have come from oil seeping out of a piece of discarded equipment used to contain its massive 2010 oil spill and not from its sealed well.

On Thursday, the company said underwater surveys determined oil probably leaked from an 86-ton steel cofferdam the company lowered to the well to funnel oil to the surface. The cofferdam was one of several methods BP used in its months-long effort to contain its blown-out Macondo well.

A sheen appeared in September and was linked by laboratory tests to the well.

BP says that in the past three days, it sent remotely operated vehicles down to the wreck site and found that its blown-out well was secure.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Citation: BP: Sealed ocean well isn't source of Gulf sheen (2012, October 18) retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2012-10-bp-ocean-isnt-source-gulf.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Search is on for source of US Gulf of Mexico oil sheen

0 shares

Feedback to editors