Tar Balls From Gulf Oil Spill Reach Texas

Tar balls were discovered on a Texas beach around the Bolivar Peninsula, which is near Galveston.
Tar Balls From Gulf Oil Spill Reach Texas
Families on vacation in Texas walk off the beach after enjoying the water despite the threat of contamination from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4, in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
7/6/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/oil102617978.jpg" alt="Families on vacation in Texas walk off the beach after enjoying the water despite the threat of contamination from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4, in Biloxi, Mississippi.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)" title="Families on vacation in Texas walk off the beach after enjoying the water despite the threat of contamination from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4, in Biloxi, Mississippi.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1817733"/></a>
Families on vacation in Texas walk off the beach after enjoying the water despite the threat of contamination from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4, in Biloxi, Mississippi.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Tar balls were discovered on a Texas beach around the Bolivar Peninsula, which is near Galveston. The discovery signified that oil has now reached all five Gulf states.

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said in an official statement, “Any Texas shores impacted by the Deepwater spill will be cleaned up quickly and BP will be picking up the tab.” BP confirmed that they will be responsible for the cleanup with all charges covered, reported the Associated Press.

A U.S. Navy airship blimp was to arrive Tueday but rough weather delayed it.

A press release on the Deepwater Horizon website said ships might have transported the tar balls.

The tar balls were first discovered along the shores of both Bolivar Peninsula’s Crystal Beach and Galveston’s East Beach on Saturday. On the beach, 35 gallons of material was recovered including seven gallons of tar balls.

Hurricane Alex could have been a partial reason that the oil reached the Texas shores according to AP. Oil skimming has also been delayed due to weather conditions. High waves have interfered with the entire cleanup process.

The oil is still moving, and with the halt of the skimming operations, the spill is spreading further in Louisiana.

The lower marine riser package (LMRP) containment cap and another system continue to collect spilled crude from Deepwater Horizon’s blow out preventer (BOP) regardless of the weather. The total volume of oil collected is approximately 585,400 barrels according to BP.

To date, skimming operations have recovered, in total, approximately 23.5 million gallons of oily liquid. Controlled burns have also removed approximately 238,000 barrels of oil from the sea’s surface, according to a BP press release.