Coast Guard: "Unidentified substance" leaking from BP's Deepwater Horizon

Water above BP's Deepwater Horizon rig, where an explosion caused a massive oil spill in 2010.

An "unidentified substance inconsistent with oil" is emitting from several areas of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig wreckage, but no sources of leaking oil were identified. That's according to the Coast Guard, which oversaw BP's recent week-long mission to inspect the undersea wells and wreckage from the 2010 explosion.

The exact content of the leaking substance and how much is coming out is one mystery. But if it's not oil, then it means the source of recurring oil sheens that have recently been spotted around the Deepwater Horizon site remains unknown.

"No apparent source of the surface sheen has been discovered by this effort," said the Coast Guard's Capt. Duke Walker in a press release this afternoon. The Coast Guard did not say whether there are other parts of the Deepwater Horizon wreckage yet to be examined for leaks.

• Oil may be seeping from Deepwater Horizon site

BP's remotely operated vehicle collected samples of the mystery leaking substance for further lab analysis, and the surface oil sheen is being monitored by satellite surveillance.

"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," said Walker.

The Coast Guard said BP's main Macondo well was observed during the subsea operation and found to be secure. Two relief wells, the riser pipe and the previously leaking containment dome were also to be re-examined, but the press release made no mention of them and the Coast Guard declined to answer further questions.

The Coast Guard says video of the inspections will be posted at the government Web site, www.restorethegulf.gov. The Olympic Triton ship launched and controlled the remotely operated vehicles during the operation.

Could this substance be the side products from the desagregation and fermentation of bacterias, algae and othe species living far below the sea level, and that were killed (or continue to be killed) massively by oil, but more probably by the chemical dispersant products that were massively thrown over the oil to precipitate it down to the oceanic floor ?

Then this substance should be rich in nitrates (normally absorbed by algae microorganisms living above the oceanic floor, whose concentration would be increased, but now these organisms should be visible by satellite due to photosynthesis) and sulfurs (revealed by an acidification of sea water).

But what were the chemical products sent massively over oil.

This research tries to explain it by analyzing the surface waters, but the truth may be far below, on the oceanic floor. The most problematic product there is probably not the oil itself, but the chemical products that were used to precipitate this oil down, which now is infiltrating within the sands and natural organic deposits, where there are lots of bacterias living: these species are certainly those endangered, and if they die massively, their massive fermentation may eject these products in the water above it.

The chemical dispersants are then worse than the oil itself (which can be partly (but slowly) degraded by bacterias, without being dispersed everywhere, forming small rounded aggregates rolling on the floor of the sea and partly covered by sands and small organic elements.

Such things have happened in past oil desasters (e.g. in Britanny, France, after several wreckages of oil carriers in the 1970's and 1980's, notably after the Torrey Canyon: it was observed that places where dispersants have been used were the longest to recover and were the least diversified ; and other places where the wastes were the most visible on the coast are now very vivid, even if there remains small bullets of oil within the sand of beaches: nature has adapted).

In other words, it is safer for the long term to NOT treat the oil a long as it is in the ocean, and better to clean the coasts.

But in Louisiana this is different, because this coast is more fragile, made of sand maintained only by a mangrove. If the mangrove disappears, it is the ground that is exposed to rapid erosion, and this kills more life. The most important for Louisiana will be to restore this mangrove by plantations of new trees, mixed with giant algaes that will grow rappidly and will fix the ground needed for the trees to grow.

[Excuse my poor level of English to say that, it's not my native language]

[lillyhorton]

It can't take that long to figure out what the substance is.

[john92021]

it's fracking fluid pumped into the ground somewhere in Texas. Trust BP, they wouldn't do anything to harm the environment, they always leave a place better than they found it, just watch the ads.

[KansasCity-2012]

First, let's analyze the data. Two relief wells were drilled. Relief of what? Pressure? Ok, if pressure is relieved, then something is permitted to be released....what? Oil? Gas? is it supposed to vent out in the open? Is it supposed to feed a pipeline?

The Coast Guard can't provide answers. If they believe a pipeline is leaking, then declare it. If they don't, then it's quite deplorable for them to report something is leaking, then deny further comment.

I seriously doubt most people really know how the problem was solved. The chances are reasonably good that drilling of the same oil bearing cavern was permitted to extract the oil from another well in the same area close by.

Even a mind with simple "Acupuncture" analogy can understand that more wells were drilled around the area to tap into lucrative supplies known to exist.

Something is leaking? Here is a clue. Nearly all wells leak.

[HobartSchmenge]

Let's see now...if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's an unidentified creature inconsistent with being a duck.

[ReasonableVoicesAmongUs]

The Coast Guard is incapable of making a proper assessment. They don't drill for oil, but they talk a good game. BP can. Or hire another drilling company.

[DYLANESQ]

Let me see now....BP's cheery ads say all the beaches and the water in the Gulf State shorelines is crystal pure.Meanwhile , out in the Gulf an oily sheen appears on the water. Hmmmm ?? Wonder of it's related to all the millions of gallons of crude oil that poured out of BPs well. Nahhh...how could that be....all those folks swimming gaily on the Mississippi coastal resorts. Oh well.Must be someone's suntan oil.

[lillyhorton]

Oily sheen seen from space. I think BP has run out of ways to say sorry.