Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Environmental disasterAbout
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was a catastrophic environmental disaster that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, beginning on April 20, 2010. It resulted from an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, operated by Transocean and leased by BP, which caused the rig to sink two days later. The incident led to the uncontrolled release of oil from the Macondo well, located about 5,000 feet beneath the surface. Over 87 days, an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf, making it the largest marine oil spill in history. The spill had devastating environmental and economic impacts. It affected extensive areas of the Gulf ecosystem, including deep-sea corals, birds, sea turtles, and fish. The oil contaminated beaches and marshes, causing significant harm to wildlife and human communities dependent on the Gulf's resources. Cleanup efforts involved using chemical dispersants and physical barriers, but much of the oil remained in the environment. The disaster led to significant changes in offshore drilling regulations and highlighted the risks associated with such operations.
