oil spill gulf of mexico 2010

The leak, discovered Saturday, follows this week's explosion and sinking of the Transocean Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. The rig, owned by Transocean Ltd. "The team on the ground and those at sea have the group's full resources behind them. That mechanism was originally thought to have been activated at the time the rig sank, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The company said it's deploying 32 spill response vessels and five aircraft to the area. About one-third of the world's supply of oil dispersant--about 100,000 gallons--is ready to be used, the company said. BP cited the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration experts said the spill “very thin” and is located on the surface of the water ocean.The the result of infrastructure failure drilling 5000 in surface waters of the Gulf of Mexico . The cause of the explosion has not been confirmed.
The vehicles will attempt to engage a device called a blowout preventer, which can seal the well shut to prevent sudden releases of pressure within the well, like the one that may have caused the rig to explode. According to BP, the company that operated the well, the attempt was the first of its kind in the world.
They are currently estimated to be releasing around 42,000 gallons of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico, and the oil slick on the surface of the ocean is estimated to cover an area about 48 by 39 miles at its widest points. The impact of the spill on wildlife is currently unknown; there have been no reports of animal casualties, though whales were seen in the vicinity of the spill yesterday.

According to officials, there are two other possible ways to contain the oil spill if the attempt to seal the well is unsuccessful. One option would be to install a large dome over the leak and send the collected oil to the surface, where it would be collected by ships.