Scientists reported that bacteria consumed almost all of the methane released from BP's broken wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico last year, preventing it from contributing to climate change. Despite the significant loss of dissolved oxygen in the surrounding areas, the bacterial consumption of methane did not lead to a harmful low-oxygen condition. This study, published in the journal Science by researcher David Valentine from the University of California-Santa Barbara, addresses the important question of what happens to methane in the atmosphere, as it is a potent greenhouse gas. Similar to carbon dioxide, methane is produced by both natural and human activities, including the petroleum industry. Following the BP blowout in 2010, methane was not being consumed in and around the wellhead for two months, raising concerns among scientists that it could remain in the water and eventually enter the atmosphere, potentially contributing to climate change by trapping heat. Researcher Valentine highlighted the importance of addressing large releases of methane into the atmosphere, as it has been known to warm the climate in the past. Valentine and his colleagues are interested in investigating the role that bacteria may have played in previous instances of natural methane releases. The accidental experiment of the BP spill revealed that specific bacteria, which feed solely on methane, multiplied rapidly as the methane spread through the underwater plume from the broken well. The peak consumption of methane likely occurred in late July and early August. Other organisms in the area were observed to consume different hydrocarbons, such as ethane and propane, which were released during the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The methane-eating bacteria were the last to join the feast of hydrocarbons, and based on previous observations, scientists were skeptical about their ability to effectively consume the methane. Contrary to expectations, the bacteria population proved to be up to the challenge, consuming the methane at a faster rate than anticipated. The scientists suggested that because bacteria were able to consume a significant amount of methane, they may also be able to absorb other large methane releases in the deep ocean. Last month, the US government filed a civil suit against BP and its partners for the damage caused by the spill. The White House commission on the oil spill stated that BP and its partners made cost-cutting decisions that played a role in the spill.