Scientists have reported that bacteria consumed almost all of the methane that was released from BP's broken wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico last year. Around 200,000 tons of methane were released, with most of it being absorbed by bacteria in the deep waters of the Gulf before reaching the atmosphere. This process led to a loss of about 1 million tons of dissolved oxygen in certain areas, although it did not cause a widespread low-oxygen condition. The study, published in Science, addresses the importance of understanding what happens to methane, as it is a potent greenhouse gas. Similar to carbon dioxide, methane is produced by both natural and human activities, such as the petroleum industry. Following the BP blowout in 2010, methane was not being consumed in and around the wellhead for two months, causing concerns among scientists that it could accumulate in the water and eventually reach the atmosphere, potentially contributing to climate change by trapping heat. Research has shown that large methane releases, whether natural or human-induced, can have a significant impact on the climate. Scientists are interested in investigating the role of bacteria in consuming methane in such cases. The BP spill provided a unique opportunity to observe how specific bacteria thrived on a diet of methane as it spread through the underwater plume from the broken well. Peak methane consumption likely occurred in late July and early August. Other organisms were responsible for breaking down different hydrocarbons like ethane and propane during the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. Initially, scientists doubted whether the methane-eating bacteria would be able to effectively consume the methane due to previous observations indicating slow consumption rates. The scientists suggested that the bacteria's ability to consume a significant amount of methane could mean they are capable of absorbing other major releases of deep ocean methane. 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 investigating the oil spill stated on Wednesday that BP and its partners' cost-cutting decisions played a role in causing the spill.