Fishing Ban Area's Massive Increase As BP Spill Expands

The size of the BP plc (NYSE: BP Deepwater Horizon spill is growing rapidly, as some scientists estimate the leak at 95,000 barrels a day instead of the 5,000 barrels estimate given by BP and the NOAA.

The size of the “no fish” zone expanded today and now includes areas as far east as waters off the Florida panhandle. Some of the oil has entered “The Loop”, a strong current that runs east toward the Florida Keys.New maps from the NOAA show the extent of the spill’s Gulf coverage as of early today. BP says it may be able to close the leak by pumping mud into the source, but if that does not work, the most likely solution is to drill adjacent wells and that process could take another 60 to 90 days.

In an attempt to control that spill, 1.4 million feet of boom have been deployed. Over 600,000 gallons of dispersants have been put into the spill. Regulators have told BP that it needs to use chemicals that are less environmentally dangerous than those being used now. That may delay the process of breaking the spill up.

Douglas A. McIntyre