This aerial image of the oil spill was taken on may 6, 2010, just a few weeks after the initial disaster. Deepwater horizon oil spill environment the guardian. Environmental justice and the bp deepwater horizon oil spill. Noaa studies documenting the impacts of the deepwater. Scientists noted that the prevailing paths of the gulf of mexicos loop current and a detached eddy located to the west kept much of the oil, which covered a sizable part of the gulf some three. Heres the absolute best explanation of how and why it happened. Oil spill animated short film 2014 global awareness. Horizon oil spill, which submitted 316 pages on these issues to the national commission on the bp deepwater horizon oil spill and offshore drilling. A recent endangered species research special issue summarizes some of the devastating longterm effects of the deepwater horizon oil spill on protected marine mammals and sea turtles. Authors representing academic, government, and private researcher groups from 14 countries bring a diverse and global perspective to this volume. In total, nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil were spilled into the gulf of mexico, affecting marine life, tourism, and personal livelihoods. 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 causing.
Mats of oil from the deepwater horizon oil spill wash ashore along pensacola beach on june 23, 2010. Book links and an easy demonstration will help them understand how damaging an oil spill can be. Ten years on, the call about the deepwater horizon explosion is etched in. The environmental impact of the deepwater horizon oil spill disaster in the gulf of mexico a decade ago was much worse than previously believed, according to a new study. Environmental effects of the deepwater horizon oil spill.
Why was there an explosion and fire on deepwater horizon oil rig. The issue compiles 20 scientific studies authored by noaa scientists and partners covering more than five years worth of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Deepwater horizonthe lasting impact of americas largest. Both the spill and the cleanup efforts had effects on the environment. Oil from the deepwater horizon spill floats on the water in 2010 as the sky is reflected in sheen on barataria bay, off the coast of louisiana. Deepwater horizon oil spill national ocean service. An oil discharge continued for 84 days, resulting in the largest oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry, estimated at approximately 206 million gallons 4. The gulf oil disaster and the future of offshore drilling. This article draws from that submission, which has.
The spill was referred to as the deepwater horizon oil spill, bp oil spill, gulf of mexico oil spill, and bp oil disaster. Currently, over 50% of the oil from the gulf of mexico now comes from waters in excess of 1,500 meters one mile deep, where no oil was produced just 20 years ago. I know that there is a documentary afoot for 2016 and i know that others have worked very hard to open the bastards up to litigation, b. With the pipe that had once channelled oil 1,400 metres up from the sea floor now broken, some 4. Deepwater horizon disaster had much worse impact than. The presumed blowout preventer bop failure is an important but secondary issue. Use this oil spill lesson plan to teach young students about the effects of an oil spill on the environment.
The deepwater horizon spill may have caused irreversible. Pdf environmental effects of the deepwater horizon oil. Six years after deepwater horizon, tracking a long. The national commission on the bp deep water horizon oil spill and offshore drilling produced two landmark and controversial reports about the oil spill causes and consequences that are critical in understanding the governments case against bp. Deepwater horizon and the gulf oil spill the key questions answered. Deepwater horizon an overview sciencedirect topics. Analysis of environmental and economic damages from. In april 2010, bps deepwater horizon drilling rig in the gulf of mexico exploded and sank. Birds were particularly vulnerable to the oils effects, and many perishedfrom ingesting oil as they tried to clean themselves or because the substance interfered. A decade on, the continuing tragedy of deepwater horizon and fears. Oil spill prevention and response and deepwater horizon collection after the deepwater horizon disaster in 2010, our reports provided analyses of the spill and guidance for policy making, health care monitoring, and environmental protection.
Oil spill environmental forensics case studies 1st edition. Bps deepwater oil spill case study analysis business ethics. By far the worlds largest accidental marine oil spill to date surpassed only by the intentional gulf war spill, releasing almost 5 million barrels of oil before finally being killed five months after the. Osofskys fall 2010 course environmental justice and the bp deepwater.
Health consequences of the deepwater horizon oil spill. The bp deepwater horizon oil spill research paper 3850 words. A million seabirds and thousands of marine mammals and sea turtles died after exposure to the oil, and the fishing and tourism industries reeled. Deepwater horizon and the gulf oil spill environment the guardian. As the gulf of mexico recovers from the deepwater horizon oil spill, natural resource. The 2010 deepwater horizon oil spill disaster may have had a lasting impact upon even the smallest organisms in the gulf of mexico, scientists have foundamid warnings that. In 2010, deepwater horizon created what has been regularly called the worst environmental disaster in the united states. Oil spill prevention and response and deepwater horizon. The harm from the spill to coastal salt marsh habitat was extensive, and in some instances, permanent. Oil spill environmental forensics case studies includes 34 chapters that serve to present various aspects of environmental forensics in relation to realworld oil spill case studies from around the globe. The blowout and oil spill on the deepwater horizon in the gulf of mexico was caused by a flawed well plan that did not include enough cement between the 7inch production casing and the 9 78inch protection casing. In particular, the bp deepwater oil spill was one of the disasters that led to great loss of marine life. On april 20, 2010, the deepwater horizon oil platform operated by bp, was disconnecting from a recently discovered oil reservoir 50 miles south of louisiana when a cascade of equipment.
A hole in the world the deepwater horizon disaster is not just an industrial accident it is a violent wound inflicted on the earth itself. Essentially the occurrence of these disasters causes detrimental effects to the environment. I could write a book on the outsiders analysis of the horror that followed the cracking of deepwater horizon. Five years after bp spill, new rules for offshore drilling. Federal government officials estimated that the deepwater well ultimately.
The health consequences of the deepwater horizon oil spill are health effects related to the explosion of the deepwater horizon offshore drilling rig in the gulf of mexico on april 20, 2010. Disaster deepwater horizon deepwater horizon oil spill bp oil spill occurred in 2042010 crude oil spilled into the ocean through 3 major cracks 8. Environmental impact of the deepwater horizon oil spill. Although the resulting oil spill has potentially grave environmental implications, recent efforts.
In addition, this oil spillage affected the shipping activities thus caused a. An ecosystem services approach to assessing the impacts of the. The april 20, 2010, explosion of the deep water horizon offshore drilling rig led to the largest oil spill in u. In this lesson, well talk about why it happened and what sort of impact it had on wildlife and humans alike. The 2010 deepwater horizon oil spill in the gulf of mexico has been described as the worst environmental disaster in the united states, releasing about 4. In the case of the deepwater horizon oil spill which is remembered eight years ago this week scores of usf researchers and students have dedicated their studies to the causes and. The deepwater horizon oil spill blowout did much to change the perception of oil spills as coming just from tanker accidents, train derailments, and pipeline ruptures. Scientists have spent a decade researching the impact of the oil spill, one of the largest environmental disasters in us history, on marine life in. Long term effects of the deepwater horizon oil spill. Five years after bp spill, new rules for offshore drilling aim to boost safety weeks after the bp spill in the gulf of mexico in 2010, a pelican mired in oil struggled to survive in louisiana. The deepwater horizon oil spill blowout did much to change the perception of oil spills as coming just from. What is the best book to read about the deepwater horizon. The obama administration has outlined new drilling regulations aimed at preventing a repeat of the 2010 deepwater horizon disaster in the gulf of mexico.
Below is a brief look at those environmental impacts that resulted from the explosion aboard the oil rig deepwater horizon on april 20, 2010, which left an oil slick on the surface of the ocean 100 miles wide. On april 20, 2010, a combination of mud, seawater and gas from methane hydrates erupted from the oil well of the deepwater horizon oil rig. The deepwater horizon oil spill was one of the largest environmental disasters in history, releasing roughly 4 million barrels of crude oil into the gulf of mexico. Gulf of mexico oil spill and ecosystem science conference.
A timeframe production c 2014 a short animated flash film taking on the social message of the cause and effect of oil spill on the environment. The deepwater horizon oil spill constituted an ecosystemlevel injury in the northern gulf of mexico. Deepwater horizon oil spill still affecting fish in gulf a decade later. The select titles here are a sampling of our reports on the deepwater horizon as well as the long history of the national academies of advising the nation. This volume explores the physics, chemistry, subsurface oil deposition and environmental impacts of deep oil spills. Page on its free to the public for download, but you can buy a copy if you want. Deepwater horizon oil spill impacted sea turtles globally. Environment and environmental studies pollutants and toxics. Trump plans to relax obama rules for oil companies put in place after bp. Environmental impact of the deepwater horizon oil spill wikipedia. Deepwater horizon 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. Deepwater horizon disaster had much worse impact than believed, study finds.
The oil spill in the gulf of mexico during the 2010 deepwater horizon disaster had wider geographic implications than previously thought, according to a. It was first said that little oil had actually leaked into the ocean but a little over a month later the estimate was 12,00019,000 barrels of crude oil being leaked per day. New us oil drilling regulations aim to prevent another. Much oil spread at 11000 m depth, contaminating and affecting deepwater habitats. Deepwater horizon oil spill environmental costs britannica. 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 largest marine oil spill in history caused on april 20, 2010 an explosion on the deepwater horizon oil rig and its subsequent sinking on april 22. Effects of the deepwater horizon oil spill on coastal salt. What have been the longterm effects of the deepwater.
In the article, the deepwater horizon oil spill marine mammal injury assessment, abts ryan takeshita, ph. The 2010 deepwater horizon oil spill was the largest offshore oil spill in u. Factors such as oil biodegradation, ocean currents and response measures dispersants, burning reduced coastal oiling. The oil would eventually extend 68,000 square milesbut the spills effects reached far beyond that. Environmental impact of deepwater horizon oil spill. The deepwater horizon spill was the worst oil disaster in us history. The deepwater horizon oil spill also referred to as the bp oil spill, oil leak, or oil disaster. The deepwater horizon was a semisubmersible platform searching for oil deposits. Whats the environmental impact of the deepwater horizon. Factors such as oilbiodegradation, ocean currents and response measures dispersants, burning reduced coastal oiling. Oil washed up on beaches and marshes along 1,100 miles of the gulf coast. Deep oil spills facts, fate, and effects steven murawski springer. Much oil spread at 11000m depth, contaminating and affecting deepwater habitats.
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