This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10520458.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Gulf oil leak tar balls hit Texas | Gulf oil leak tar balls hit Texas |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| It is not clear if the tar balls drifted from the spill or were carried on a ship | It is not clear if the tar balls drifted from the spill or were carried on a ship |
| Tar balls have landed on a Texas beach, meaning oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill has hit all five US Gulf states. | Tar balls have landed on a Texas beach, meaning oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill has hit all five US Gulf states. |
| Tests identified the small amount of tar balls found near Galveston as coming from the BP spill. | Tests identified the small amount of tar balls found near Galveston as coming from the BP spill. |
| But officials said it was unclear if the tar balls drifted hundreds of kilometres from the leaking oil well or fell from ships that have worked on cleaning up the spill. | But officials said it was unclear if the tar balls drifted hundreds of kilometres from the leaking oil well or fell from ships that have worked on cleaning up the spill. |
| Oil has been leaking from a blown-out sea floor well since 22 April. | Oil has been leaking from a blown-out sea floor well since 22 April. |
| The US Coast Guard commander for the Galveston region, Capt Marcus Woodring, said about five gallons (19 litres) of tar balls were found on Saturday on a beach near Galveston and determined to be from the Deepwater Horizon leak. | The US Coast Guard commander for the Galveston region, Capt Marcus Woodring, said about five gallons (19 litres) of tar balls were found on Saturday on a beach near Galveston and determined to be from the Deepwater Horizon leak. |
| But he said it was impossible to confirm whether they drifted from the site of the leak or dropped off one of the ships carrying collected oil to Texas to be processed. | But he said it was impossible to confirm whether they drifted from the site of the leak or dropped off one of the ships carrying collected oil to Texas to be processed. |
| The joint BP-US government response team said there were doubts the oil had drifted all the way from the spill. | The joint BP-US government response team said there were doubts the oil had drifted all the way from the spill. |
| "The testing found that the oil was lightly weathered, raising doubts that the oil traversed the Gulf from the spill source," the team said in a statement. | "The testing found that the oil was lightly weathered, raising doubts that the oil traversed the Gulf from the spill source," the team said in a statement. |
| Galveston's mayor, Joe Jaworski, said he was hopeful the tar balls were not a sign of more oil to come. | Galveston's mayor, Joe Jaworski, said he was hopeful the tar balls were not a sign of more oil to come. |
| "This is good news. The water looks good. We're cautiously optimistic this is an anomaly." | "This is good news. The water looks good. We're cautiously optimistic this is an anomaly." |
| The world's largest skimmer is one recent arrival to the Gulf | The world's largest skimmer is one recent arrival to the Gulf |
| The coasts of four other US states - Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida - have also been affected by the oil spill. | The coasts of four other US states - Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida - have also been affected by the oil spill. |
| Tar balls and oily water were spotted on Monday near the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain, a large lake to the north of New Orleans, in Louisiana. | Tar balls and oily water were spotted on Monday near the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain, a large lake to the north of New Orleans, in Louisiana. |
| Rough weather since Hurricane Alex passed through the Gulf, to the south of the spill, has hampered clean-up operations for the last week. | Rough weather since Hurricane Alex passed through the Gulf, to the south of the spill, has hampered clean-up operations for the last week. |
| Tests of a giant tanker refitted to scoop up oil have been inconclusive because of high seas, the ship's operators said. | Tests of a giant tanker refitted to scoop up oil have been inconclusive because of high seas, the ship's operators said. |
| Relief wells are being drilled to permanently cap the well, but it is likely to be mid-August before this is completed. | Relief wells are being drilled to permanently cap the well, but it is likely to be mid-August before this is completed. |
| Some of the leaking oil is being piped to the surface from a cap over part of the well. | Some of the leaking oil is being piped to the surface from a cap over part of the well. |
| The Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and later sank with the loss of 11 lives. | The Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and later sank with the loss of 11 lives. |
| US scientists estimate 35-60,000 barrels per day are leaking from the well, about one mile (1.6km) below the surface of the water. | US scientists estimate 35-60,000 barrels per day are leaking from the well, about one mile (1.6km) below the surface of the water. |
| Mud that is heavier than the oil will be pumped into the well to stop the flow of oil. Cement will then be pumped in to seal it. |