NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ Officials say there will be no shoreline impact from an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico for at least another three days.
Crews were ramping up Monday to protect the coastline after an oil rig exploded off the Louisiana coast a week ago. A remote sub is trying to shut off an underwater oil well that’s gushing 42,000 gallons a day from the site of the wrecked drilling platform.
Crews are also preparing to drill another well to redirect the oil, which could take weeks.
The oil is escaping from two leaks in a drilling pipe about 5,000 feet below the surface. The leaks threaten hundreds of miles of coastline in four states.
Whales have been spotted near the spill, but officials say they didn’t appear to be in stress.