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. The gas traveled up the rig’s riser to the platform, where it ignited, killing 11 workers and ...

Dec 19, 2024 · Deepwater Horizon oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig—located in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles (66 km) off the coast of Louisiana …

This is a reverse-chronological list of oil spills that have occurred throughout the world and spill(s) that are currently ongoing. Quantities are measured in tonnes of crude oil with one tonne roughly equal to 308 US gallons , 256 Imperial gallons , 7.33 barrels , or 1165 litres .

The 2010 oil spill from Deepwater Horizon was an environmental disaster off the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico, on the BP -operated Macondo Prospect. [6][7][8][9] It is considered the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry and estimated to be 8 to 31 percent larger in volume than the previous largest,...

Jan 20, 2025 · Oil spill, leakage of petroleum onto the surface of a large body of water. Oceanic oil spills became a major environmental problem in the 1960s, chiefly as a result of intensified petroleum exploration and production on continental shelves and the …

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or …

6 days ago · On April 20, 2010, the oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, operating in the Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, exploded and sank resulting in the death of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon and the largest spill of oil in the history of marine oil drilling operations.4 million barrels of oil flowed from the damaged Macondo well over an 87-day period, before it was finally capped on July ...

The Deepwater Horizon spill resulted in the largest natural resource damage assessment ever undertaken. What's Happening Now? In 2011, one year after the spill, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico.

Feb 11, 2024 · Oil spill disasters pollute the marine ecosystem and the impact is felt for decades. In addition to killing fish, marine mammals and birds, oil spills contaminate beaches, coastal settlements and wildlife habitats. Read along to learn about 15 Major Oil Spills in the World. 1. Gulf War oil spill. The world’s largest oil spill was the result ...

The largest marine oil spill in U.S. history, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, started on April 10, 2010. An estimated 60,000 barrels of oil spewed out of the damaged well each day. That is the equivalent of nearly 400 tanker trailers’ worth of oil per day!