Environmental analysis: BP dome fails to contain oil leak

The oil leak off the Gulf of Mexico has continued to spread after BP's containment dome failed to work.

Efforts to lift a 100-ton steel box onto the seabed last week to filter the oil away from the sea's surface have been unsuccessful after attempts to lower the container were prevented by a build up of hydrates.

A BP spokesperson said: "All of the techniques being attempted or evaluated to contain the flow of oil on the seabed involve significant uncertainties because they have not been tested in these conditions before."

Since the oil rig exploded on April 20th, over 210,000 tonnes of crude oil has been released each day.

Plans are now underway for a second, smaller containment dome to be lowered onto the seabed instead. BP hopes that it will be more successful as it can handle larger volumes of hydrate than the original 40 x 24 x 12 ft containment dome.

Other efforts to disperse the oil have involved using more than 275 vessels including tugs, barges and recovery crafts. These have already managed to recover 90,000 barrels of oily liquid from the sea.

BP expects it will take three months to complete the recovery work.


Posted by Joseph Hutton