BP oil spill 'likely to spread'

Water currents are likely to spread the vast oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico, an environmental researcher has said.

A marine biologist at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi has suggested that there are growing fears that the oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill on April 20th will reach as far as Europe.

"There is now a great deal of concern that oil is moving up and down the entire water column in and around important ecological areas," Paul Montagna told the World Socialist Web Site.

Some scientists believe the spill, which occurred 41 miles from Louisiana's coast, is likely to be picked up by a loop current which could take it to Florida and then across the Atlantic Ocean, according to the website.

Meanwhile, BP's efforts to contain the spill continue and it is estimated that through containment methods, they have collected over 158,000 barrels (6.6 million gallons) of oily liquid.

Posted by Claire Manning