Gulf Oil Sheen At BP's Deepwater Horizon Rig Disaster Site Remains A Mystery

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/gulf-oil-sheen-deepwater-horizon-rig_n_2325448.html

Gulf Oil Sheen At BP's Deepwater Horizon Rig Disaster Site Remains A Mystery
By By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Posted: 12/18/2012 5:36 pm EST | Updated: 12/19/2012 4:03 am EST

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Underwater inspections at the site of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig disaster have failed to identify the source of a persistent sheen on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, officials said Tuesday.

The Coast Guard and BP both said the recent inspections confirmed that the company's Macondo well, which blew out in April 2010 and spawned the nation's worst offshore oil spill, remains secure and isn't leaking oil. Relief wells that were drilled in 2010 to stop the gusher also were found to be secure during the four-day survey, BP said.

However, investigators collected samples of a white, cloudy substance that appeared to be coming from several areas on the overturned rig on the sea floor. Lab tests were planned on the samples of the substance, which isn't believed to be oil.

"No apparent source of the surface sheen has been discovered by this effort," Coast Guard Capt. Duke Walker said in a statement. "Next steps are being considered as we await the lab results of the surface and subsurface samples and more detailed analysis of the video shot during the mission."