Ch.

14: Bio and

Environmental,
Deepwater Horizon
Oil Spill

Description
The Deepwater
Horizon oil
spill AKA the
BP oil disaster
began on April
20, 2010 in the
Gulf of Mexico
and flowed from
the Macondo
well until
September 19,
2010

Oil continued from Macondo all the

way to the Florida
Panhandle and Tampa Bay

Description
Hazard type: Bio,
Environmental

4.9 million barrels of oil

were lost
BP and the US
Department of Justice
estimated this spill cost
$4.525 billion in fines

Description

Caused extensive
damage to
marine/wildlife,
fishing and
tourism

Killed 11 people,
claimed to be the
largest accidental
marine oil spill
ever

Scientific Content
Evidence suggested probable causes.
1. Deviation from standards of well control
engineering
2. Deviation from the well abandonment plans
3. Failure to react to multiple indications that a
well control event was in progress
Release of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons,
which culminated in explosions, fire, the loss
of 11 lives, the eventual sinking and total loss
of the Deepwater Horizon, and the release of
hydrocarbons into the Gulf of Mexico

Scientific Content
Immediate
impacts:
- Oil coated birds
feathers
- Mammals could
have ingested oil
- Sea turtles were
covered in oil
- Dead and dying
deep sea corals

Scientific Content
Long Term Impacts:
- Sick Dolphins
- Sea Turtles Standing at 5x Normal Rates
- Unbalanced Food Web
- Decreased Fish and Wildlife Populations
- Decline in Recreation

Video Links
On the cause:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCVCOWejla
g
(1:30 to 2:10)
On the aftermath:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYBCUQMNz
3M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uax5FRWnv
s
(0:25 to 1:25)

Questions
What was the name of the oil well they were
drilling from?

Where was the well located?

What can be described as the cause of the
disaster?
Name some of the immediate impacts of the
incident.
What are some of the long term and potential
impacts?

Sources
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
ABC News

BBC News
CNN News
http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Habitat/GulfRestoration/Oil-Spill/Effects-on-Wildlife.aspx
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/oil-may-be-seeping-fromdeepwater-horizon-site/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/us/03spill.html?_r=2&ft
a=y&