Unknown substance leaking from Deepwater Horizon site

FILE - In this April 21, 2010 file photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, fire boat response crews spray water on the blazing remnants of BP's Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig.

More than a month after BP and the Coast Guard finished a subsea operation to inspect the Deepwater Horizon site for oil leaks, no source has been found. Also, BP and the Coast Guard have not publicly identified a mystery white, milky substance observed seeping from the wreckage. But they say it's not oil and it's not harmful.

Recurring oil sheens have been spotted in recent months around the Deepwater Horizon site. Several missions to inspect the sunken Deepwater Horizon platform, riser pipe, wellhead, relief wells and containment domes found no oil leaks. However, the Coast Guard reported seeing "an unidentified substance inconsistent with oil" emitting from several areas of the wreckage. Samples were collected for analysis and the Coast Guard this week said the lab "detected no traces of harmful pollutants," and that a BP test "yielded similar results."

Neither BP nor the Coast Guard responded to the question of what the unidentified substance may be.

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With no source of leaking oil identified, the Coast Guard told CBS News: "satellite surveillance continue to monitor the sheen while future steps are being considered."

The Coast Guard said the main components of the Deepwater Horizon wreckage, including BP's main Macondo well and two relief wells, were found to be secure.

BP told CBS News it is still working with the Coast Guard to investigate possible sources of one oil sheen in the area: "BP has also capped and plugged an abandoned piece of subsea equipment known as a cofferdam that was identified as a potential source of the sheen." BP says the Coast Guard has indicated that "the sheen is not feasible to recover and does not pose a risk to the shoreline."

Video of the December subsea inspections, including footage showing the leaking substance, are posted at the government Web site.

[oneStarman1]

FABRICATION GEL - BP Fabricated Everything they have Every Said about the ongoing DeepWater Horizon Disaster.

[owlafaye]

Anyone who believes any media story on thisjust hasn't woken up to the fact thatthe government ALWAYS lies and distortsthe news o allaysupposed fears of people who "cant handle" the TRUTH.

TRUTH contains no lies, seeking out the TRUT s our only hope.

Learn to criticall examine everything they say and speak out for the full TRUTH in all matters.

ALWAY quesion authority.

[jrtaylor001]

Let me guess , who the @ell is surprised

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Well, we might not know what it is, but we're pretty sure it's not leaking BP's intelligence.

It's a little surprising that the nature of the substance cannot be identified. There's test equipment that easily identifies the chemical composition of any fluid or viscous substance. What's even more surprising is the statement that we don't know what it is, but we're sure it's not harmful. Not only is that a ridiculous statement, but imprudent. Letting an unknown substance leak out and wait to see if it becomes a disaster is pretty stupid.

[QueenTeriqua]

The disasters will continue until BP is bankrupt.
Of course they know what the substance is! I doubt BP would have a clue, but certainly the coastguard has taken it to be analyzed.

I agree the statement they made is ridiculous. If they know it is not harmful, they obviously know what it is. The fact that they are not making the information public makes me believe we have cause for concern. As the "sheen" drifts closer to the shoreline, they are sitting on their hands, waiting.

BP is an irresponsible and inept company. They need to be stopped.