BP Investigates Oil Sheen in Gulf

BP (NYSE:BP) is investigating the potential source of a sheen found by the U.S. Coast Guard in the Gulf of Mexico last week, but the British oil giant told The Wall Street Journal there was no indication it was the result of a new oil spill.

BP and other oil and gas explorers in the Green Canyon area of the Gulf were asked to investigate the source of the sheen, which is a shiny film on the surface of the water that could derive by an oil leak or spill.

BP, which was responsible for a devastating rig explosion last year that sent millions of gallons of oil spewing into the water, said the sheen was observed far from any of its existing operations.

It was investigated by various companies, not just BP, at the request of the [Coast Guard], BP said in an email. It was found not to be hydrocarbon at all.

The oil giant does have does abandoned exploration sites in the area. It reportedly sent two unmanned submarines to those lease blocks to investigate, however it determined the source of cloudy water around the rig was related to shallow-water flow.