Scientists find patches of oil believed from BP on Gulf sea floor, some 2 inches thick

Researchers: Thick coat of oil on Gulf sea floor

NEW ORLEANS — Researchers say they’ve found patches of oil believed to be from the BP leak on the Gulf of Mexico sea floor. Some of these are two inches thick.

University of Georgia researcher Samantha Joye (JOY) says she and her colleagues have found oil as much as 80 miles from the Deepwater Horizons well. She says the latest sample was taken early Monday and the oil covered newly dead creatures, such as shrimp and deep-sea worms.

The scientists have collected at least 10 samples from the sea floor, about a mile down. Testing is needed to confirm it is BP oil. But Joye says it has the appearance of recent oil from the busted well, not old oil.

Online:

Samantha Joye’s blog from the ship Oceanus: gulfblog.uga.edu/