BP has insisted in recent weeks that the damage arising from the Of Mexico oil spill will be contained as early as 2012. However, a new scientific study shows that oil from the spill continues to linger at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, killing marine life and contributing to the devastation of underwater ecosystems.
The results of the study were presented at a maritime conference in Washington over the weekend. Scientists in the study revisited areas that had been affected by the oil spill, expecting to find the residue of oil gone by then. However, they were surprised to find that much of the oil at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico does not seem to be degrading, and in fact, is having an adverse impact on marine life.
At the conference, scientists were shown pictures of the devastated marine life at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. These included dead crabs, stars and tube worms that had choked on oil. According to the scientists, the burning of the oil likely left soot on the seafloor.
BP, of course, pretends that all is well. Earlier in February, Kenneth Feinberg, who is in charge of the BP oil spill compensation fund, said that there are indications that the Gulf of Mexico will completely recover by the year 2012. Many scientists and maritime lawyers believe that is an absurd statement. According to them, there is no way that the bottom of the ocean in 2012 will look like how it was before the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
