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Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Quick Facts

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Facts

Date April 20, 2010 - September 19, 2010
Location Gulf Coast ā€¢ Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America
Context drilling mud ā€¢ offshore drilling

Did You Know?

  • As much as 20 percent of the oil spilled may have sunk to the bottom of the ocean, damaging deep-sea ecosystems.
  • The 3.19 million barrels found by the courts to have leaked during the spill is equal to over 130 million gallons.
  • In the process of reaching a settlement with BP, the largest natural-resource damage assessment ever was undertaken.

Photos and Videos

Fireboats battle a blaze on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, April 2010.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: debris and oil
Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing the location of BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the approximate extent of the oil spill, which spreads outward from the rig toward the northern Gulf coast. The map highlights affected coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, with red lines marking where oil was found onshore. Major ocean currents such as the Loop Current and a detached eddy are also indicated.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: controlled burn
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: beach cleanup
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: avian casualty
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: skimming
Dark oil stains cover patches of white sand on Pensacola Beach, Florida, with green waves and a long pier extending into the Gulf of Mexico in the background.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: brown pelican
Barack Obama: Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Observe fireboat responding to crews battling the fire during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010
See how wire entanglement inside a well bore mitigates the effects of blowout preventer failure in an oil well
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

Strange, Luther
Luther Strange
United States senator

Causes and Effects

Causes
  • An explosion that capsized the Deepwater Horizon oil rig
Effects
  • 11 workers killed and 17 injured by the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig
  • About 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of the U.S. Gulf Coast covered in oil
  • Massive harm done to wildlife in and around the Gulf of Mexico, including the deaths of an estimated 800,000 birds and 65,000 turtles
  • Payment by oil company BP of $65 billion in compensation to people impacted by the spill
  • Release of an estimated 134 million to 206 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico

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