Platforma Deepwater Horizon - BP s-a scufundat pe 22 aprilie 2010

Platforma Deepwater Horizon s-a scufundat pe 22 aprilie, la doua zile dupa ce a explodat si a luat foc.

Un expert citat de BBC a declarat ca ar putea fi cea mai mare scurgere de petrol din istorie. Unsprezece muncitori sunt dati disparuti. Mai multi ingineri lucreaza la o instalatie in forma de dom pentru a nu lasa titeiul sa vina la suprafata, in incercarea de a-l pompa in containere, dar aceasta ar putea dura intre doua si patru saptamani, si nu se stie daca va functiona. Intre timp, amiralul Mary Landry a declarat ca autoritatile vor incerca sa limiteze impactul prin arderi controlate ale petrolului. Scurgerea este estimata la 5.000 de barili pe zi. Experti in probleme de mediu au spus ca animalele din apropiere ar putea fi afectate de fumul toxic provenit de la arderi, mai putin insa decat le-ar afecta petrolul. Meteorologii au prognozat ca vanturile vor aduce titeiul la tarm vineri seara.

Platforma Deepwater Horizon s-a scufundat pe 22 aprilie, la doua zile dupa ce a explodat si a luat foc.

Paza de coasta americana a declarat ca scurgerea de petrol din Golful Mexic, declansata de explozia si scufundarea unei platforme de exploatare din zona, este de cinci ori mai mare decat cea estimata initial, potrivit BBC News. Pata de titei se apropie de coasta Statelor Unite,
unde se asteapta sa afecteze cel putin trei state.

O echipa a dat foc unei parti din suprafata de petrol -cu o circumferinta de 970 de km si acoperind peste 74.000 de km patrati, -in incercarea de a proteja mediul acvatic, -insa aceasta nu este considerata o solutie pe termen lung.

Paza de coasta a declarat ca cei care o detin, compania britanica BP, responsabili financiar pentru curatare, au gasit o a treia scurgere la 1.500 de metri sub apa, in dreptul coastei statului Louisiana. Este vorba despre o zona bogata in specii de pesti si pasari.

If US Coast Guard estimates are correct, the slick could match the 11m gallons spilt from the Exxon Valdez within less than two months. Earlier, a coast guard crew set fire to part of the oil slick, in an attempt to save environmentally fragile wetlands. The "controlled burn" of surface oil took place in an area about 30 miles (50km) east of the Mississippi river delta, officials said. But Mike Miller warned that burning off leaking oil was not a long-term solution at all. "The object of this game is to shut off the flow," he said.

Vessels swept some oil into a fire-resistant boom for a "test burn"

Gulf of Mexico oil slick said to be five times bigger

The US Coast Guard says five times as much oil as previously thought could be leaking from a well beneath where a rig sank in the Gulf of Mexico last week. Rear Admiral Mary Landry said 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) a day were now thought to be gushing into the sea 50 miles (80km) off Louisiana's coast. A third leak had also been discovered at the site, Adm Landry said. One fire-fighting expert told the BBC the disaster might become the "biggest oil spill in the world".

Andy Gallacher, BBC News, Venice, Louisiana

Despite efforts to burn off the oil, the crews here are now battling against the odds. The US Coast Guard's discovery of another leak spewing oil from the collapsed rig has many here bracing for an environmental disaster on a huge scale. An estimated 5,000 barrels of oil a day are now pouring into the Gulf of Mexico and forecasters say a new weather front could push the slick towards this coastline at an even faster rate. The state of Louisiana is now asking for emergency assistance as the oil slick draws closer. It now seems inevitable that Louisiana's coastline will be hit and at least another two states could be affected.
More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8650620.stm?lsm