<p><br /> US experts investigating reports of undersea oil plums coming from BP's well in the Gulf of Mexico have confirmed low levels of oil below the surface.<br /> </p><p><br /> "NOAA is confirming the presence of very low concentrations of subsurface oil," Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said.<br /> </p><p><br /> It was the first government confirmation of undersea oil near BP's blown-out well a mile beneath the ocean.<br /> </p><p><br /> BP officials had previously denied the existence of oil under the surface.<br /> </p><p><br /> But Lubchenco said: "The bottom line is yes, there is oil in the water column."<br /> </p><p><br /> At the moment, NOAA is trying to 'fingerprint' the oil to confirm that it came from BP's well.<br /> </p>
