BP capped its ass--now what? Exploding water? Seepage?

If you've been reading this blog, you know the answer to that:

Nothing is over!

The Water Sample Explodes



Now, you know, and I know, that one sample exploding for an unknown reason might not be anything to get our panties in a wad about--does that mean any sample from that spot is possible explosive under the right conditions? Probably not. But what it does mean is that that water isn't anything I'd be thrilled to have my family playing or working in without hazmat gear.

And Something is Seeping

An administration official familiar with the spill oversight, however, told The Associated Press that a seep and possible methane were found near the busted oil well. The official spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because an announcement about the next steps had not been made yet.

The concern all along - since pressure readings on the cap weren't as high as expected - was a leak elsewhere in the wellbore, meaning the cap may have to be reopened to prevent the environmental disaster from becoming even worse and harder to fix.

The official, who would not clarify what is seeping near the well, also said BP is not complying with the government's demand for more monitoring.

The possibility that the seabed itself is unstable is what I would consider the real worst-case scenario--it might be difficult to cap a well, but how in the hell does anyone cap a series of fractures in earth itself?