As the oil company bp frantically tried to stop the spill, scientists and. Oil gushed into the gulf of mexico from a deep ocean well. On april 20, 2010, an explosion and fire killed 11 people. On april 20, 2010, an explosion on the deepwater horizonbp mc252 drilling platform in the gulf of mexico killed 11 workers and caused the rig to sink. The 2010 deepwate r hori zon br itish pe tr oleu m bp oil spill was a megadisast er characterized as the petr oleum industry s lar gestvolume marine oil spill in history. The largest marine oil spill in history was caused by an april 20, 2010, explosion on the deepwater horizon oil riglocated in the gulf of mexico, approximately 41 miles 66 kilometers off the coast of louisianaand the rigs subsequent sinking on april 22. Marine life was seriously threatened by the 2010 oil spill thomas shirley, as told to yale environment 360. Lessons learned from the largest oil spill in history. Deepwater horizon oil spill, also called gulf of mexico oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an april 20, 2010, explosion on the deepwater horizon oil riglocated in the gulf of mexico, approximately 41 miles 66 km off the coast. The deepwater horizon oil spill, from april 2010 to august 2010.
The massive oil spill in the gulf of mexico that is imperiling wildlife and oceanlinked industries is also endangering president obamas plan to open new swaths of americas coastline to offshore. Bp and the gulf of mexico oil spill case study 3246 words pages. Gulf oil spill chemical dispersant too toxic, epa orders bp has 24 hours to chose another form of dispersant as toxicity of corexit raises concerns among scientists published. During the next 87 days an estimated 4 million barrels 168 million gallons were released. The gulf oil spill is recognized as the worst oil spill in u.
As a result, oil began leaking into the gulf creating one of the largest spills in american history. On april 20, 2010, the gigantic drilling rig deepwater horizon blew up in the gulf of mexico, killing eleven crew members and causing a massive eruption of oil from bps macondo well. Disaster in the gulf of mexico, prolific nonfiction writer and florida resident elaine landau gives young readers the essential facts about the spill. Leaking for over a decade, hushed gulf of mexico oil spill. Disaster in the gulf of mexico is a new nonfiction book by elaine landau that chronicles. Key lessons learned from the responses to previous deep spills, as well as. Gulf of mexico oil spill interactive smithsonian ocean. Each chapter of the 2010 gulf coast oil spill includes simple explanations of scientific concepts and industry terms, making the subject matter accessible to any reader. New us oil drilling regulations aim to prevent another. This accident is also called as gulf of mexico oil spill, bp oil disaster or even macondo blowout. Facts about bp oil spill present the information about the deepwater horizon oil spill. The brief history of past oil spills that helps put this disaster in perspective and allows the reader compare this oil spill to others of a similar size. The oil spill was caused from an explosion through the deepwater horizon drilling rig about 40 miles off the coast of louisiana. Gulf of mexico oil spill one of the most disastrous environmental incidents in us history occurred in april 2010.
Download the free 2010 gulf coast oil spill e book here. The oil spill in the gulf of mexico that began on april 20, 2010, may be. Presents facts about the oil spill in the gulf of mexico that began on april 20, 2010. Eleven people were killed and the rig started pouring oil into the gulf of mexico. And here is where many fail both history and science. On april 20, 2010, the gigantic drilling rig deepwater horizon blew up in the gulf of.
Precious few of the books on the spill question the fundamental premise that it was the worst environmental disaster in u. Modeling gulf of mexico circulation and oil dispersal. Gulf of mexico oil spill interactive when oil gushed out of the deepwater horizon oil rig in the gulf of mexico in spring and summer 2010, it was all anyone could talk about. As if shrimpers and fishermen, already staggered, need an oil spill that will finish them. Within days of the april 20, 2010 explosion and sinking of the deepwater horizon oil rig in the gulf of mexico that killed 11 people, underwater cameras revealed the bp pipe was leaking oil and gas on the ocean floor about 42 miles off the coast of louisiana. The offshore oil rig deepwater horizon exploded, causing one of the worst environmental catastrophes in american history. Commonly known as the gulf of mexico oil spill, this major oil spill produced numerous environmental, economic, and cultural threats. History media compliance careers affiliate program. Pictured is an oil boom barrier that was intended to stop the spread of oil from the bp deepwater horizon oil spill. The brief history of past oil spills that helps put this disaster in perspective and allows the reader compare this oil spill to others of a. Citations for reference and further reading are included at the end of each chapter. The oil spill in the gulf of mexico that began on april 20, 2010, may be the worst environmental disaster in u. November 2010, business columnist for the houston chronicle, who demonstrates what.
The bp oil spill was not the worst environmental disaster in us history robert h. Oil spill earns place in history books npr senior news analyst dan schorr contrasts the gulf oil spill with other disasters that plague the united states. Here is a timeline on the gulf of mexico oil spill and its impact since an explosion on a rig killed 11 workers. Here are two brief excerpts from a story written by the gulf of mexico. The bp oil spill started on transoceanoperated macondo prospect in gulf of mexico 20 april 2010. The gas traveled up the rigs riser to the platform, where it ignited, killing 11 workers and.
The 2010 deep water horizon and 2002 supertanker prestige accidents. The deepwater horizon oil spill is considered the largest marine oil spill in history. How a 672,000gallon oil spill was nearly invisible the. Every day for months on end, more than a million gallons of oil leaked into the water.
The bp oil spill was the worst environmental disaster in us history barack obama. Bp oil spill on the gulf of mexico 1249 words bartleby. Story time just got better with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. Download the free 2010 gulf coast oil spill ebook here. Even without global warmingeven if global warming is a hoaxwe must, finally, eventually, kick the carbonenergy addiction. There have been three major oil spills in the gulf of mexico. In april of 2010, the deepwater horizon oil drilling platform ruptured, and then exploded. Deepwater horizon oil spill, also called gulf of mexico oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an april 20, 2010, explosion on the deepwater horizon oil riglocated in the gulf of mexico, approximately 41 miles 66 km off the coast of louisianaand its subsequent sinking on april 22. The brief history of past oil spills that helps put this disaster in perspective and. The effort to contain the gulf oil spill has had more twists and turns than a mystery novel. Massive oil spill begins in gulf of mexico history. Bp and the gulf of mexico oil spill case study tamatha french management 6000 hawaii pacific university introduction and background on april 20, 2010, the petroleum industry suffered the largest maritime disaster oil spill in its history known as the deepwater horizon oil spill. Many companies are still operating with skeleton crews because of a scarcity of oysters.
Since the deepwater horizon blowout event in 2010, he has played a critical role in. It also severely damaged the fishing and tourism industries of gulf states. An oil spill that has been quietly leaking millions of barrels into the gulf of mexico has gone unplugged for so long that it now verges on becoming one of the worst offshore disasters in u. For months, oil gushed into the gulf, spreading death and destruction. Four days later, oil was found to be streaming out. The taylor oil spill, from september 2004 to present. This oil spill happened five years ago and nearly 5 barrels of oil was spilt into the gulf of mexico. The 2010 deepwater horizon oil spill in the gulf of mexico will have a place in history as one of the major environmental disasters of the early 21st century. An oil spill in the gulf of mexico has gone unfixed for so long that it could become one of the worst offshore disasters in united states. The story of how a chain of failures, missteps, and bad decisions led to americas biggest environmental disaster. The british oil company, bp, agrees to a guilty plea on 14 criminal charges involving the rig explosion in 2010 that caused a giant oil spill in the gulf of mexico and killed 11 people. The ixtoc i oil spill, from june 1979 to march 1980.
Currently, over 50% of the oil from the gulf of mexico now comes from waters in. A 14yearlong oil spill in gulf of mexico verges on. Marine life was not significantly affected by the 2010. On april 20, 2010 there were 126 men and women on board when a sudden. Several years on, its much further from our mindsbut that doesnt mean the story is over.
The largest accidental oil spill in history began in the gulf of mexico on april 20, 2010, after a surge of natural gas blasted through a cement well cap that had recently been installed to seal a well drilled by the deepwater horizon oil platform. Deep oil spills facts, fate, and effects steven murawski springer. The gulf oil spill disintegrated this island national. Oil spill disaster in the gulf of mexico by elaine landau goodreads.
Oil spill risk management wiley online books wiley online library. The largest marine oil spill in the history of petroleum industryexplained. Brief history of the community ocean modeling system coms. Epic oil spill in gulf of mexico cost britishbased energy firm tens of billions bp ceo bob dudley will step down in early february 2020. As the bp oil spill civil trial begins this week, the federal government will attempt to prove whether british petroleum bp andor any of its contractors such as transocean rig, the owner and operator of the deepwater horizon oil rig, and halliburton hal, which was responsible for pouring the cement plugs in the well, were grossly negligent and thus financially liable in. Effects of the oil spill on the gulf of mexico 1112 words 5 pages. The deepwater horizon oil spill also referred to as the bp oil spill, oil leak, or oil disaster.
The deepwater horizon oil spill is an industrial disaster that began on. As oil continues to pour into the gulf of mexico following the deepwater horizon oil rig explosion, comfort may come from an unusual direction. The devastating impact of the gulf oil spill by antonia juhasz. The gulf oil disaster ranks as the largest recorded maritime oil spill in u.
I also appreciated the map which aids the reader in understanding just how big the disaster wasis. Deepwater horizon oil spill in gulf of mexico launched. An explosion and fire aboard the deepwater horizon oil drilling rig in the gulf of mexico, approximately 50 miles off the louisiana coast, kills shows this day in history. The oil spill appeared to be the largest since the deepwater horizon explosion in 2010, when four million barrels of oil leaked over nearly. News about gulf of mexico oil spill 2010, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. In april 2010, the deepwater horizon drilling rig exploded and sank. December 6, 2010 the oyster businesses in the gulf of mexico remain hobbled by the bp oil spill. Oil spill disaster in the gulf of mexico by elaine landau. April 20, 2010 a british petroleum deep water oil rig explodes in the gulf of mexico, causing the largest oil spill in the history of the united states, killing eleven workers, and devastating the environment. The bp oil spill that started below the deepwater horizon oil rig in the gulf of mexico. For months, the energy company bp tried to control the leak.
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