What caused the BP oil spill in 2010?

What caused the BP oil spill in 2010?

Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also called Gulf of Mexico oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig—located in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles (66 km) off the coast of Louisiana—and its subsequent sinking on April 22.

When did BP start drilling in the Gulf of Mexico?

1930s
Offshore drilling began in the late 1930s. The first site, Louisiana’s Creole platform, squatted just a mile and a half off the coast, its wooden legs sprouting up through water 14 feet deep.

Where did the BP oil spill happen?

Gulf of Mexico
Deepwater Horizon oil spill/Location

When the Deepwater Horizon exploded in April 20 2010 What happened?

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, killing 11 people. Two days later, the rig capsized, and the damaged pipe below the rig began spewing oil into the surrounding water.

Did anyone from BP go to jail?

BP Exploration and Production Inc. pleaded guilty to 14 criminal counts for its illegal conduct leading to and after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, and was sentenced to pay $4 billion in criminal fines and penalties, the largest criminal resolution in U.S. history, Attorney General Holder announced today.

How many animals died from the BP oil spill?

An estimated 4,900–7,600 large juvenile and adult sea turtles and between 56,000–166,000 small juvenile sea turtles were killed by the spill. Furthermore, an estimated 35,000 hatchlings were lost due to the effects of the spill and associated clean-up activities on sea turtle nesting beaches.

What is the biggest oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico?

Appomattox, a deep-water oil and gas project is Shell’s largest floating platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Is Deepwater Horizon still leaking?

One oil well off the southeastern coast of Louisiana, owned by Taylor Energy, has been leaking since 2004, spilling between 300 and 700 barrels per day. The well’s reserves could keep it leaking for the next 100 years if it isn’t capped, meaning it will one day eclipse the Deepwater Horizon spill in terms of volume.

Who went to jail for BP oil spill?

Former BP Vice President David Rainey was acquitted by a jury last June of charges he lied to federal agents about how much oil was spilled. The fourth defendant, engineer Kurt Mix, was sentenced to six months of probation last November after pleading guilty to damaging a computer, a misdemeanor.

Did Donald Vidrine get fired?

Vidrine were dropped when he agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor pollution charge in 2015 and testify against Mr. Kaluza. Mr. Kaluza chose to go to trial and was acquitted last year.

What was the biggest oil spill in history?

Deepwater Horizon
On April 20, 2010, the oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, operating in the Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, exploded and sank resulting in the death of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon and the largest spill of oil in the history of marine oil drilling operations.

When did the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico happen?

On 20 April, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and causing an oil spill that soon became the worst environmental disaster in US history.

Who was the CEO of BP at the time of the oil spill?

BP (BP) CEO Tony Hayward ‘s first reaction to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 men, was shock. Then anger. And then another, somewhat less noble, emotion. “How could the hell could this happen?”

When did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill stop leaking?

After several failed efforts to contain the flow, the well was declared, better than what it was, and sealed on September 19, 2010. Reports in early 2012 indicated that the well site was still leaking. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is regarded as one of the largest environmental disasters in American history.

What was the largest marine oil spill in history?

The Deepwater Horizon spill is considered the largest marine oil spill in history, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.