Gulf oil spill



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continuing coverage of the Gulf oil spill

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Deepwater Horizon Response Web site established by government officials. To see updated projection maps, visit theWeb site established by government officials.

The leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico did not have a remote-control shut-off switch used in two other major oil-producing nations as last-resort protection against underwater spills, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The article, which is available today on the Journal's Web site, states that the lack of the device, called an acoustic switch, could amplify concerns over the environmental impact of offshore drilling after the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig last week.

Some 5,000 barrels a day are now estimated to be leaking from the well, Coast Guard officials said Wednesday night. Officials had been saying for days that it was 1,000 barrels a day.

The resulting slick on the Gulf surface is expected to touch the southern tip of Louisiana as early as Friday afternoon. If it hits Mississippi, it will likely do so over the weekend.