Although bad weather, like that of the May Day weekend, keeps boats and booms at bay, it also ACTS as a dispersant itself, mixing the oil into the water.

Chris Reddy, a Marine chemist, regretted that scientists had not been able to get more samples of the deep-sea dispersant-oil mixture.

Seafood samples are also chemically analyzed for hydrocarbons and the dispersant BP sprayed on the oil slick.