News in Brief Environment

Oil from BP spill may be sitting on seafloor

Years after disaster, oil still lingers over large area

Deepwater Horizon

BOTTOM LINE  Some of the oil released from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster may have settled on the seafloor rather than floating to the surface. 

Coast Guard/Flickr

By Beth Mole

- More than 2 years ago

Oil that gushed from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon site may be lying low.

As much as 16 percent of the approximately 5 million barrels of oil let loose into the Gulf of Mexico may have settled into the seafloor, within a 40-kilometer radius of the damaged oil well.