BP: Gulf spill 'unlikely'

As the worst American oil spill in decades began endangering the Gulf Coast shoreline yesterday, documents emerged showing that British Petroleum downplayed the possibility of a catastrophic accident at the rig.

In its exploration plan and environmental impact analysis for the well last year, BP suggested it was virtually impossible for such an accident to occur.

At least six million litres of oil have spilled so far since the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers, according to Coast Guard estimates.

Alabama newspaper Mobile Press-Register reported yesterday that more holes have been found in a riser pipe. Citing a confidential National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report, it said the leak could be 10 times worse than first thought.

The newspaper estimated that about eight million litres a day are leaking out.

BP spokesman David Nicholas said what's happened at the Deepwater Horizon rig is "unprecedented".

"It's something that we have not experienced before... a blowout at this depth."

Efforts are sputtering to hold back the giant oil spill seeping into Louisiana's fishing grounds and nesting areas, while the Government desperately sought new ideas for dealing with the environmental crisis.

President Barack Obama has halted any new offshore drilling projects unless rigs have new safeguards to prevent another disaster.

Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, met fishermen and others in Louisiana after a conference call with governors from the gulf states.

BP was part of the conference, she said. "I think they heard an earful about how unhappy everyone is."

Stemming the flow of oil was the top priority, she said.

However, the seas were too rough and the winds too strong to burn off the oil, suck it up with skimmer vessels, or hold it in check with the miles of inflatable booms strung along the coast. The floating barriers broke loose in the choppy water.

A slick more than 200km long and 110km wide threatens hundreds of species of wildlife, including birds, dolphins and the fish, shrimp, oysters and crabs that make the Gulf Coast one of the nation's most abundant sources of seafood. Louisiana closed fishing grounds and oyster beds because of the risk of oil contamination.

BP's 52-page exploration plan for the Deepwater Horizon well says repeatedly that it was "unlikely that an accidental surface or subsurface oil spill would occur from the proposed activities".

And even if it did, "due to the distance to shore [77km] and the response capabilities that would be implemented, no significant adverse impacts are expected".

While the amount of oil in the gulf already threatened to make it the worst US oil disaster since the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in 1989, one expert said it was impossible to know just how much oil had already escaped.

Even at current estimates, the spill could in two months surpass that of the Valdez, which leaked 40 million litres.

Doug Suttles, BP's chief operating officer for exploration and production, said it's impossible to measure the flow.

But he said remote cameras show the rate doesn't appear to have changed since the leak was discovered.

Yesterday only a sheen of oil from the edges of the slick was washing up at Venice, Louisiana, and other extreme southeastern portions of Louisiana. But several miles out, the normally blue-green gulf waters were dotted with sticky brown beads with the consistency of tar.

High seas are forecast until tomorrow and could push oil deep into the inlets, ponds, creeks and lakes that line the coast of southeastern Louisiana. With the wind blowing from the south, the mess could reach the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coasts by Tuesday.

In Louisiana, officials opened gates in the Mississippi River hoping a flood of fresh water would drive oil away from the coast. But winds thwarted that plan, too.

For days, crews have struggled without success to activate the well's underwater shutoff valve using remotely operated vehicles. They are also drilling a relief well in hopes of injecting mud and concrete to seal off the leak, but that could take three months.

US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he has pressed BP to work more efficiently to clean the spill and has pledged that "those responsible will be held accountable".

With the Government and BP running out of options, Salazar has invited other companies to bring their expertise to the table.

BP likewise sought ideas from some of its rivals and was using at least one of them - applying chemicals underwater to break up the oil before it reaches the surface. That has never been attempted at such depths.

- AP