Scientist Says More Than 50% of Oil Still in Gulf - Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—More than half of the oil that spilled into the sea from BP PLC's blown-out well remains in the Gulf of Mexico and is a "highly durable material" that is now buried along the coast and on the sea floor, a Florida State University professor will tell a spill commission later on Monday.

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Earlier, he had said it was too early to know what happened to the leftover oil. The conclusion runs counter to the U.S. government's estimate that early indications suggested that the oil left in the Gulf was degrading quickly. The conclusion also paints a darker picture than the White House's August assessment that 75% of the oil released from the Macondo well had been cleaned up or broken down.

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BP capped the well in mid-July, stopping the flow of oil. The company completed work to kill the well with a relief well that was finished about a week ago.

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Scientist Says More Than 50% of Oil Still in Gulf - Wall Street Journal