Mystery in Gulf of Mexico: Why is oil leaking from Deepwater disaster site?

Oil identified as coming from the Macondo well, site of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate of 100 gallons per day. The Coast Guard is investigating.

By Mark Guarino, Staff writer / October 19, 2012

The sheen has varied in size since its detection. Samples taken to Coast Guard laboratories in Morgan City, La., and New London, Conn., concluded the oil originated from the Macondo well.

On Sunday, the Coast Guard dispatched remotely operated vehicles to collect oil samples from the underwater site. The agency reported on Wednesday it suspected the oil was leaking from a discarded containment dome, one of several technologies used to contain the original oil spill. The dome is located about 1,600 feet from the Macondo site.

In a statement, Capt. Duke Walker, on-scene coordinator for the Coast Guard, said the agency “is further evaluating what is believed to be seepage from the containment dome to determine how best to respond.” The Coast Guard is not yet specifying how the oil could be seeping from the dome or what may be causing it to do so now.

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