Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did a containment dome fail during the Deepwater Horizon cleanup?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Fireboat response crews attempt to extinguish the blaze aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, April 21, 2010.
During the cleanup efforts for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the attempt to place a containment dome over the largest leak in May 2010 was unsuccessful due to the formation of gas hydrates.
These hydrates—gas molecules trapped within an ice-like matrix—formed as a result of the reaction between natural gas and the cold water at the depth of the leak. The buoyant action of these hydrates prevented the dome from being effectively positioned over the broken riser.1