The Oil on the Surface is Just the Tip of the Iceberg...

Scientists from several universities recently reported the discovery of massive plumes of what appears to be oil suspended in clouds stretching for miles and reaching hundreds of feet beneath the Gulf's surface. Those findings — from the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia, Southern Mississippi University and other institutions — were based on water samples taken in the Gulf over the last several weeks. They continue to be analyzed.

Yesterday, however, BP Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward categorically denied these findings. Hayward claims that BP's own sampling has shown "no evidence" that oil is suspended in large masses underwater but he did not elaborate on how BP's testing was done. "The oil is on the surface," Hayward said. "Oil has a specific gravity that's about half that of water. It wants to get to the surface because of the difference in specific gravity."

Hayward is correct that crude oil in its natural state will generally migrate towards the surface and form somewhat homogeneous slicks BUT BP has injected massive quantities of Corexit dispersant into the leak at the bottom of the Gulf to try to break up and disperse the oil preventing it from forming slicks at the surface. Nobody (not even Tony) knows exactly how this has effected the oil's trajectory to the top of the water column.

BP has a vested interest in preventing the oil from reaching the surface where it can be quantified. As long as it can be kept deep under the surface, the public can be kept in the dark and everything will "look" OK...