Tropical storm Alex slowed oil clean-up and containment efforts in the Gulf of Mexico today, with any permanent fix to BP's ruptured deep-sea oil well still several weeks away.
Alex hit land as a hurricane over northeastern Mexico late yesterday, well to the west of the spill site, but later weakened to storm status. However, its high winds and rough seas delayed the British energy giant's plans to expand the volume of oil it is siphoning from the well.
The bad weather also threatened to push more oil-polluted water onto the US Gulf Coast shore and forced the halt of skimming, spraying of dispersant chemicals and controlled burns of oil on the ocean surface.
The worst oil spill in US history is in its 73rd day. It has caused an environmental and economic disaster along the Gulf Coast, hurting fishing and tourism industries, soiling shorelines and killing wildlife.
Talk that BP had managed to cap the leak helped a spike in the UK-based company's London share price on Thursday, but BP officials dismissed the rumour. "That would be really good news, but that's not the information we have," BP spokesman Mark Proegler said.
Another BP official said the target date for relief wells to intercept and plug the blown-out well remains early to mid-August.
President Barack Obama was scheduled to meet with senior US officials later today to review the spill situation and oil containment plans, the US Coast Guard said.
The US House of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee met to negotiate proposed legislation that would hold vessels and facilities more accountable for oil spills. That is one of several bills to target the drilling industry making their way through Congress.
Florida governor Charlie Crist yesterday asked BP for $50 million to fund a tourism advertising campaign, on top of a $25 million grant already received.
"Every dollar spent allows Florida businesses to stay open, Floridians to keep their jobs, and families to worry less about how to pay their bills," Crist wrote in a letter to Doug Suttles, BP's chief operating officer.
US government officials estimate 35,000 barrels (1.47 million gallons/5.56 million litres) to 60,000 barrels (2.5 million gallons/9.5 million litres) are gushing from the blown-out well each day. BP's current containment systems can handle up to 28,000 barrels daily and its planned addition could raise that to 53,000.
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig sank in 5,000 feet (1,525 metres) of water after an April 20th explosion and fire killed 11 workers.
Reuters