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 National Response Center reports of sheen observed in the vicinity of the source of last year’s BP Deepwater Horizon explosion, fire, and ensuing massive oil spill, on August 25th two ROVs were deployed from the Grant Candies to survey the well head. Upon arrival at the well head, the ROVs began an initial, full survey of the well head and vicinity, with a 20-foot radius, 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. When the survey concluded some ten hours after the ROVs were first deployed, no evidence of leaking oil was found.”U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City conducted an intense investigation to determine if there was a discharge of oil, and if so, the source,” said Capt. Jonathan Burton, commanding officer of MSU Morgan City. “This included checking all parties with wells or pipelines in the region as well as a Coast Guard overflight with a trained observer aboard and the dispatch of a Coast Guard patrol boat to the area. No sheen was sighted Thursday in virtually perfect conditions.”
The Coast Guard reported that its own experts, as well as experts from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, BOEMRE, DOI, and representatives from BP, plus 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.
“Sheen sightings are frequent in the Gulf of Mexico and despite the fact each is fully investigated, the source cannot always be determined. This was the case in the Morgan City zone for more than 300 reports last year,” Burton said.
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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