A tow boat hit an oil wellhead near the Gulf oil spill Tuesday, sending oil and gas up into the air. The Coast Guard said that the well was abandoned. The wellhead is near Mud Lake-a part of a network of bayous and lakes north of bay Baratari of the Gulf of Mexico. Retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who is heading up the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama's spill recovery effort, said that 1,800 meters of protective boom was quickly place around the site. Chief Petty Officer John Edwards said that a strip of oil 50 yards wide and a mile long was spotted on the water near the well. No other damages were reported. Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts said that he expects that the leak “likely can be contained today.” News of the newest spill comes as BP, which claimed responsibility for the massive April 20 spill, announced a new chief executive after embattled CEO Tony Heyward announced he would be leaving the oil giant on October 1. The announcement also comes as BP reported a $17 billion loss in their second quarter, and $32 billion in charges related to the oil spill.
