Oil spill Day 100

It's been nearly two weeks since oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico thanks to a temporary cap that sealed the geyser July 15. Bob Dudley, the new chief executive of BP, said he doesn't think any more oil will gush into the Gulf of Mexico. A permanent fix will come in mid-August when relief wells reach their target and the pipe is sealed with mud and cement. Significantly less crude is floating on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, some breaking up due to weathering and oil-eating bacteria, some remaining sub-surface. Consequences of the spill may take years to identify, and BP's compensation fund should be flexible enough to account for long-term losses, a panel of experts from Alaska's Exxon Valdez tanker spill told a Senate panel Tuesday. The April 20 explosion the Deepwater Horizon killed 11 workers and gushed up to 184 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. (Sources: Multiple, 07/28/10)