The first real, quantitative, data has proven that giant Oil Plumes exist, and will for some time, in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. One plume specifically studied in the article below is “22 miles long and more than a mile wide,” ruffly the size of Manhattan. The plume is presently 3,000 feet below the water’s surface.
Scientist believe that due to the abundant use of dispersants and other chemical used to break down the heavy crude that came from the Macondo Well caused the oil to break down into tiny droplets, thus remaining deep in the Gulf waters. Normally, heavy crude would rise to the surface where it is easier to capture for clean up efforts. In this case, much of the Oil has never make it to the surface, which has many scientist and fisherman worried about the unknown.
These scientist estimate that up to 79% of the 4.9 Million gallons of oil that leaked from the Well is still present in the Gulf of Mexico’s waters. Below is an excellent article from the Wall Street Journal explaining the recent findings of these scientist.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703791804575439551236042216.html?KEYWORDS=Oil+Plume
