Q&A on the News
Q: With the significant engineering challenges BP is facing trying to cap a failed wellhead 1 mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, are other oil wells that deep in U.S. territorial waters or other parts of the world?
-- Frank Manfre, Grayson
A: The floating Independence Hub, which is 110 miles southeast of Biloxi, Miss., is operating in a water depth of 7,920 feet (1.5 miles), according to the Minerals Management Service Web site. It is considered the world's deepest oil well. Chevron Canada just began drilling a well at the Orphan Basin, 267 miles northeast of St. John's, Newfoundland. The well likely will surpass 1.5 miles deep and will take several months to drill, Chevron Canada said.
Q: Does the provision introduced by Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) in the Fair Access to Credit Scores Act allow free access to one’s own credit score, even if they have not been denied or negatively impacted by a credit score?
-- Bob Koff, Dunwoody
A: Udall's bill originally would have allowed all Americans to get a free copy of their credit score annually. But to get the measure to pass the Senate, Udall had to agree to changes allowing only individuals who have been denied credit or a job or given a higher interest rate on a loan or credit card because of their score to access the credit report and score, according to the Denver Post.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
