BP today released a preliminary estimate of oil recovered from Lake Michigan following the recent incident at the Whiting Refinery.
Crews have recovered the vast majority of oil that had been visible on the surface of a cove-like area of the lake and on the shoreline between the refinery and an adjacent steel mill. BP is continuing to monitor the shoreline and has procedures in place to collect additional oil as discovered.
Based on measurement of material collected, BP has provided the EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard a preliminary estimate of between 15 to 39 barrels of oil recovered. This includes oil collected by vacuum trucks and absorbent boom, as well as solid material collected from the shoreline. BP is conducting further analysis to confirm this estimate.
The estimate of recovered oil updates a previous estimate of 9 to18 barrels provided at the request of federal authorities before any collected oil had been measured. This estimate was based on a visual observation of the water’s surface at the outset of the incident.
BP is working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and will continue to keep the public and relevant authorities informed as events warrant.
