BP oil not degrading on Gulf floor, study says

Tar balls pushed onto Gulf of Mexico beaches by Tropical Storm Lee earlier this month show that oil left over from last year’s BP spill isn’t breaking down as quickly as some scientists thought it would, say Auburn University researchers. After studying tar samples at the request of coastal leaders, researchers say the latest wave of gooey orbs and chunks appeared relatively fresh, smelled strongly and were hardly changed chemically from the weathered oil that collected on Gulf beaches during the spill. The study concludes that mats of oil—not weathered tar, which is harder and contains fewer hydrocarbons—are still submerged on the seabed and could pose a long-term risk to coastal ecosystems. BP didn’t immediately comment on the study, but the company says cleanup crews extended their hours after large patches of tar balls began polluting the white sand at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach around Sept. 6. Tar balls also washed ashore in Pensacola, Fla., which is to the east and was farther from the storm’s path. You can read the complete four-page study here.