a news report from the new york times
documents the end of a love affair:



"with a vast oil slick now within only 20 miles of the ecologically fragile lousianna coastline, coast guard officials said they were considering a 'controlled burn' of the petroleum on the surface of the gulf of mexico. admiral landry said that the burn would take place offshore where no one on land could see it. a burn does not get rid of the oil entirely. it leaves a waxy residue that can either be skimmed from the surface or sink to the bottom of the ocean."


[excerpts taken from "controlled burn considered for gulf oil spill;" by leslie kaufman; 4.27.10; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/us/28spill.html?scp=10&sq=bp%20oil%20spill&st=cse]