"The research was supported by an existing grant with the Energy Biosciences Institute, a partnership led by the University of California Berkeley and the University of Illinois that is funded by a $500 million, 10-year grant from BP. Other support came from the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Oklahoma Research Foundation."
That just about says it all ... don't think I'll swallow that story hook, line, and sinker. Sounds like a fairy tale to me ...