The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Deepwater Horizon is an ultra-deepwater, dynamically positioned, semi-submersible mobile offshore oil drilling unit. It was built in South Korea by Hyundai heavy industries in 2001. BP took it on lease from 2001 from Transocean. In September 2009, the rig drilled deepest oil well in history at a depth of 35,050 feet in Tiber oil field at Keathley Canyon. In 2010, it was commissioned in the Mexican Gulf. On April 21st, 2010, there was a major disaster. The methane gas that leaked went to the generators that were extremely hot and producing hot vapor, thus causing a sudden explosion. This explosion was followed by subsequent fire and the crew members had to evacuate immediately. Only 11 died of the 126. The drilling oil unit sank a day later after the incident. Nearly 4,000 square miles of oil was spilled. (The size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined!!). 17 million dollars were lost just in the oil spill itself.  BP total cost of the disastered reach a staggering 54 billion dollars. Thousands of species were affected by the oil spill. Many fish species are at the verge of extinct such as Atlantic bluefin tuna, Gulf sturgeon, smalltooth sawfish, and the dwarf seahorse. 500 species live in the gulf and oil spill is toxic for all life stages of fish and could affect reproduction for at least decades. 82,000 birds, 6,000 sea turtles and 26,000 marine mammals were harmed. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) had many ways to clean up the oil. However, there was one that was extremely toxic; dispersal. Spilled oil naturally disperses through storms, currents, and osmosis with the passage of time. Chemical dispersants accelerate the dispersal process, although they may have significant side effects. The EPA was unaware that Corexit contain many chemicals related to skin irritation, eye itching, burns, and worst of all; cancer. Many families were affected by this disaster. Many people could not go swimming or fishing. Many children were playing around oil. The WaTCH (Woman and their children's health) orginzation did a study and found that many children and woman were greatly affected. Many experienced wheezing, extreme coughing, short breathes, itching, stuffed nose, and many other side efffects.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill had a massive impact on the US. To this day, it is the largest environmental disaster in US history. Thousands upon thousands of speacies were greatly affected. All the oil was not clenaed up. About 80% of the oil is still in the Gulf of Mexico.