BP’s description of this video:
A video taken about 1 a.m. May 17 showing the end of the riser while pumping dispersant subsea into the release stream. The RITT tool is in place, however steady flow to the surface was not achieved during this video. The RITT (the equipment itself) creates a restriction inside the riser, directing more flow to the circumference, changing the appearance of the release plume. The whitish component of the plume is believed to indicate natural gas in the release material.
Obviously, the flow of oil looks at least as bad as it did in the original video. And it seems very odd that BP hasn't released video showing siphon working, despite the company's claim that it was slurping up a thousand or more barrels of oil a day. The fact that they haven't released any footage substantiated their claims raises serious doubts about their credibility, particularly in light of their persistent efforts to minimize the magnitude of the leak.
In other developments, here's an infuriating story: a CBS News crew was turned away from oil-soaked marshland in Louisiana by a boat operated by BP and the Coast Guard. CBS says they were turned away under threat of arrest. That's completely unacceptable. This may be BP's disaster, but BP is not the law, and the Coast Guard does not have the right to abridge our first amendment rights on BP's behalf. Period.
And finally, a bit of good news: the tar balls that washed ashore in Key West over the weekend were not related to the BP's spill. Unfortunately, oil continues to move towards the loop current and Accuweather.com's chief meteorologist is the latest independent voice to say oil has already begun entering the current. Despite serious concerns, we still do not know what impact the oil will have on Florida, however.