British Petroleum: Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Gulf of Mexico

11 people died on the oil rig explosion. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill, the BP oil disaster, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and the Macondo blowout) began on 20 April 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Underwater…. A sea-floor oil gusher flowed for 87 days, until it was capped on 15 July 2010.]The US Government estimated the total discharge at 210 million US gallons.

It flowed for 87 days. 87, and no one could figure out how to stop it.

This was the biggest oil spill in history!

6,000 total miles of coastline have been affected, including the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

President Obama announced that his administration would create a $20 billion spill response fund.

Responders used 5.5 million feet of boom, a barrier placed in water, to collect and absorb oil.

One method of treating the oil spill is "in-situ burning" or burning oil in a contained area on the surface of the water, which has negative effects on the environment.

Over 8,000 animals (birds, turtles, mammals) were reported dead just 6 months after the spill, including many that are already on the endangered species list. Immediate impact on the wildlife includes oil-coated birds and sea turtles, mammal ingestion of oil, and dead or dying deep sea coral.

Cue: SAD ANIMAL PICTURES

BP is responsible for close to $40 billion in fines, cleanup costs, and settlements as a result of the oil spill in 2010, with an additional $16 billion due to the Clean Water Act.

CLEAN UP Over 30,000 people responded to the spill in the Gulf Coast working to collect oil, clean up beaches, take care of animals and perform various other duties. As of 2012, the Gulf was still polluted with oil.

Video sites http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brqz9q3xR3s (spill) http://content.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2006455,00.html (cleanup) https://www.ted.com/talks/carl_safina_the_oil_spill_s_unseen_culprits_victims (TED)