Coast Guard Investigates, Reports No Leakage From Deepwater Horizon Well Head
The United States Coast Guard reports that two remotely operated vehicles deployed to the Macondo 252 well head in the Gulf of Mexico have confirmed there is no oil leaking from the well head.
According to the agency, as part of the investigation into recent reports of sheen observed in the vicinity of last year's BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, two ROVs were deployed to survey the well head. The ROVs conducted a full survey of the well head and vicinity, looking for evidence of leaking oil. Additionally, a zoom lens was used to examine both the well head and the base of the well head to look for smaller, less obvious signs of leakage. The ROV also visited the two relief well sites. No evidence of leaking oil was found.
Experts from the Coast Guard, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, BOEMRE, DOI, and representatives from BP, as well as the State On-Scene Coordinators for Louisiana and Mississippi, viewed the live feed from the ROVs and agreed that nothing shown from the ROVs indicated any sort of leak from the well head.
The video and data collected by the ROVs was to be verified for accuracy once the vehicles were retrieved.
The Deepwater Horizon, a massive offshore oil rig leased to BP PLC, was drilling southeast of Venice, La., in 5,000 feet of water when it exploded April 20, 2010, after a well blowout. While most of the 126-member crew were fortunate to escape from the burning oil rig before it sank into the Gulf of Mexico, eleven rig workers died and 30 others were seriously injured. The accident also resulted in the largest marine oil spill in United States history.
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