While it's good news that the failed BP well is not causing more problems, this news does raise the other issue of what is happening with the 27,000 abandoned wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Hearing that it's like oil dripping from an old car is not great news. That scientists can see the oil means that it is more than just a drip here or there.
The seepage detected from the sea floor briefly raised fears that the well was in danger. But Allen said another well is to blame. The seepage is closer to the older well than to the one that blew out, Allen said. Also, he said, "it's not unusual to have seepage around the old wells."
There are two wells within two miles of BP's blowout off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. One has been abandoned and another is not in production. Around 27,000 abandoned wells in the Gulf aren't checked for leaks, an Associated Press investigation showed this month.
