Gulf spill site nearly clean of surface oil, scientists say

American scientists are reporting news that oil-skimming clean-up ships are running out of work as the majority of the surface oil has been cleared away.

Just days after controversial and much-maligned BP CEO Tony Hayward was replaced in a significant and symbolic move by the company, good news seems to be surfacing at the site of the actual damage. As the BBC reports, Jane Lubhcenco, head of the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that a great deal of the untold masses of oil that were fouling the surface of gulf ocean water has been

"...biodegraded by naturally occurring bacteria"

As with every bit of positive news from the Gulf Oil disaster, this is off-set by the still unknown extent of total damage. Americans have long been frustrated as actual numbers, distances, and amounts of oil and the effect that it has in the water and on the coast remain impossible to calculate. Several states have been severely affected by the four-month ongoing disaster, even though BP's recent cap has successfully held the well from leaking out more oil. Lubchenco went on to further describe the complicated situation, saying that

We do know that over 600 miles of the Gulf coast shoreline have already been oiled and some remains on the surface, although the amount on the surface is less and less as our very aggressive efforts to contain it have been successful."