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The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill (also referred to as the "BP oil spill") was an industrial disaster that began on 20 April 2010 off of the coast of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
in the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect, considered to be the largest marine
oil spill An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into t ...
in the history of the petroleum industry and estimated to be 8 to 31 percent larger in volume than the previous largest, the Ixtoc I oil spill, also in the Gulf of Mexico. The
United States federal government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fed ...
estimated the total discharge at . After several failed efforts to contain the flow, the well was declared sealed on 19 September 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 An environmental disaster or ecological disaster is defined as a catastrophic event regarding the natural environment that is Human impact on the environment, due to human activity.Jared M. Diamond, ''Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or S ...
in world history. A massive response ensued to protect beaches,
wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
and
estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environme ...
from the spreading oil utilizing skimmer ships, floating booms, controlled burns and of oil dispersant. Due to the months-long spill, along with adverse effects from the response and cleanup activities, extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats and fishing and tourism industries was reported. In
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...
, of oily material was removed from the beaches in 2013, over double the amount collected in 2012. Oil cleanup crews worked four days a week on of Louisiana shoreline throughout 2013. Oil continued to be found as far from the Macondo site as the waters off the
Florida Panhandle The Florida Panhandle (also West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida; it is a salient roughly long and wide, lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia on the north, and the ...
and Tampa Bay, where scientists said the oil and dispersant mixture is embedded in the
sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class ...
. In April 2013, it was reported that
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the b ...
s and other marine life continued to die in record numbers with infant dolphins dying at six times the normal rate. One study released in 2014 reported that tuna and amberjack that were exposed to oil from the spill developed deformities of the heart and other organs that would be expected to be fatal or at least life-shortening and another study found that
cardiotoxicity Cardiotoxicity is the occurrence of heart dysfunction as electric or muscle damage, resulting in heart toxicity. The heart becomes weaker and is not as efficient in pumping blood. Cardiotoxicity may be caused by chemotherapy (a usual example is th ...
might have been widespread in animal life exposed to the spill. Numerous investigations explored the causes of the explosion and record-setting spill. The United States Government report, published in September 2011, pointed to defective cement on the well, faulting mostly BP, but also rig operator Transocean and contractor
Halliburton Halliburton Company is an American multinational corporation responsible for most of the world's hydraulic fracturing operations. In 2009, it was the world's second largest oil field service company. It has operations in more than 70 countries ...
. Earlier in 2011, a White House commission likewise blamed BP and its partners for a series of cost cutting decisions and an inadequate safety system, but also concluded that the spill resulted from "systemic" root causes and "absent significant reform in both industry practices and government policies, might well recur". In November 2012, BP and the
United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...
settled federal criminal charges, with BP pleading guilty to 11 counts of
manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
, two misdemeanors, and a felony count of lying to the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
. BP also agreed to four years of government monitoring of its safety practices and ethics, and the
Environmental Protection Agency A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale ...
announced that BP would be temporarily banned from new contracts with the United States government. BP and the Department of Justice agreed to a record-setting $4.525 billion in fines and other payments. , cleanup costs, charges and penalties had cost the company more than $65 billion. In September 2014, a United States District Court judge ruled that BP was primarily responsible for the oil spill because of its gross negligence and reckless conduct. In April 2016, BP agreed to pay $20.8 billion in fines, the largest corporate settlement in United States history.


Background


''Deepwater Horizon'' drilling rig

The '' Deepwater Horizon'' was a 10-year-old semi-submersible, mobile, floating, dynamically positioned drilling rig that could operate in waters up to deep. Built by South Korean company
Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI; ) is the world's largest shipbuilding company and a major heavy equipment manufacturer. Its headquarters are in Ulsan, South Korea. History HHI was founded in 1972 by Chung Ju-yung as a division of th ...
and owned by Transocean, the rig operated under the Marshallese flag of convenience, and was chartered to BP from March 2008 to September 2013. It was drilling a deep exploratory well, below sea level, in approximately of water. The well is situated in the Macondo Prospect in
Mississippi Canyon The Mississippi Canyon is an undersea canyon, part of the Mississippi Submarine Valley in the North-central Gulf of Mexico, south of Louisiana. According to the U.S. Geological Survey GLORIA Mapping Program, it is the dominant feature of the no ...
Block 253 (MC253) of the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
, in the United States' exclusive economic zone. The Macondo well is found roughly off the
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...
coast. BP was the operator and principal developer of the Macondo Prospect with a 65% share, while 25% was owned by Anadarko Petroleum, and 10% by MOEX Offshore 2007, a unit of Mitsui.


Explosion

At approximately , on 20 April 2010, high-pressure
methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane ...
gas from the well expanded into the
marine riser Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military ...
and rose into the drilling rig, where it ignited and exploded, engulfing the platform. Eleven missing workers were never found despite a three-day U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) search operation and are believed to have died in the explosion. Ninety-four crew members were rescued by lifeboat or helicopter, 17 of whom were treated for injuries. The ''Deepwater Horizon'' sank on the morning of 22 April 2010.


Volume and extent of oil spill

The oil leak was discovered on the afternoon of 22 April 2010 when a large oil slick began to spread at the former rig site. The oil flowed for 87 days. BP originally estimated a flow rate of . The Flow Rate Technical Group (FRTG) estimated the initial flow rate was . The total estimated volume of leaked oil approximated with plus or minus 10% uncertainty, including oil that was collected, making it the world's largest accidental spill. BP challenged the higher figure, saying that the government overestimated the volume. Internal emails released in 2013 showed that one BP employee had estimates that matched those of the FRTG, and shared the data with supervisors, but BP continued with their lower number. The company argued that government figures do not reflect over of oil that was collected or burned before it could enter the Gulf waters. According to the satellite images, the spill directly affected of ocean, which is comparable to the size of
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
. By early June 2010, oil had washed up on of Louisiana's coast and along the Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama coastlines. Oil sludge appeared in the
Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following t ...
and on Pensacola Beach and the Gulf Islands National Seashore. In late June, oil reached Gulf Park Estates, its first appearance in Mississippi. In July, tarballs reached Grand Isle and the shores of
Lake Pontchartrain Lake Pontchartrain ( ) is an estuary located in southeastern Louisiana in the United States. It covers an area of with an average depth of . Some shipping channels are kept deeper through dredging. It is roughly oval in shape, about from w ...
. In September a new wave of oil suddenly coated of Louisiana coastline and marshes west of the Mississippi River in
Plaquemines Parish Plaquemines Parish (; French: ''Paroisse de Plaquemine'', Louisiana French: ''Paroisse des Plaquemines'', es, Parroquia de Caquis) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 23,515 at the 2020 census, the paris ...
. In October, weathered oil reached Texas. , about of coastline in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida were contaminated by oil and a total of had been oiled since the spill began. , of coastline remain subject to evaluation and/or cleanup operations. The reported 3.19 million barrels of spilled oil was not the only effect of this disaster. There was a report detailing the release of thousands of tons of
hydrocarbon In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic, and their odors are usually weak or ...
gases (HC) into the atmosphere. Concerns were raised about the appearance of underwater, horizontally extended plumes of dissolved oil. Researchers concluded that deep plumes of dissolved oil and gas would likely remain confined to the northern Gulf of Mexico and that the peak impact on dissolved oxygen would be delayed and long lasting. Two weeks after the wellhead was capped on 15 July 2010, the surface oil appeared to have dissipated, while an unknown amount of subsurface oil remained. Estimates of the residual ranged from a 2010 NOAA report that claimed about half of the oil remained below the surface to independent estimates of up to 75%. That means that over (2.4 million barrels) remained in the Gulf. , tar balls, oil sheen trails, fouled wetlands marsh grass and coastal sands were still evident. Subsurface oil remained offshore and in fine silts. In April 2012, oil was still found along as much as of Louisiana coastline and tar balls continued to wash up on the barrier islands. In 2013, some scientists at the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference said that as much as one-third of the oil may have mixed with deep ocean sediments, where it risks damage to ecosystems and commercial fisheries. In 2013, more than of "oiled material" was removed from the Louisiana coast. Although only "minute" quantities of oil continued to wash up in 2013, patches of tar balls were still being reported almost every day from Alabama and Florida Panhandle beaches. Regular cleanup patrols were no longer considered justified but cleanup was being conducted on an as-needed basis, in response to public reports. It was first thought that oil had not reached as far as
Tampa Bay, Florida Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
; however, a study done in 2013 found that one of the plumes of dispersant-treated oil had reached a shelf off the Tampa Bay region. According to researchers, there is "some evidence it may have caused lesions in fish caught in that area".


Efforts to stem the flow of oil


Short-term efforts

First, BP unsuccessfully attempted to close the
blowout preventer A blowout preventer (BOP) (pronounced B-O-P, not "bop") is a specialized valve or similar mechanical device, used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells to prevent blowouts, the uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from a w ...
valves on the wellhead with remotely operated underwater vehicles. Next, it placed a 125-tonne (280,000 lb) containment dome over the largest leak and piped the oil to a storage vessel. While this technique had worked in shallower water, it failed here when gas combined with cold water to form
methane hydrate Methane clathrate (CH4·5.75H2O) or (8CH4·46H2O), also called methane hydrate, hydromethane, methane ice, fire ice, natural gas hydrate, or gas hydrate, is a solid clathrate compound (more specifically, a clathrate hydrate) in which a large amou ...
crystals that blocked the opening at the top of the dome. Pumping heavy
drilling fluid In geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid, also called drilling mud, is used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth. Often used while drilling oil and natural gas wells and on exploration drilling rigs, drilling fluids are als ...
s into the blowout preventer to restrict the flow of oil before sealing it permanently with cement (" top kill") also failed. BP then inserted a riser insertion tube into the pipe and a stopper-like washer around the tube plugged at the end of the riser and diverted the flow into the insertion tube. The collected gas was flared and oil stored on board the drillship '' Discoverer Enterprise''. Before the tube was removed, it collected of oil. On 3 June 2010, BP removed the damaged
drilling riser A drilling riser is a conduit that provides a temporary extension of a subsea oil well to a surface drilling facility. Drilling risers are categorised into two types: marine drilling risers used with subsea blowout preventer (BOP) and generally use ...
from the top of the blowout preventer and covered the pipe by the cap which connected it to another riser. On 16 June, a second containment system connected directly to the blowout preventer began carrying oil and gas to service vessels, where it was consumed in a clean-burning system. The United States government's estimates suggested the cap and other equipment were capturing less than half of the leaking oil. On 10 July, the containment cap was removed to replace it with a better-fitting cap ("Top Hat Number 10"). Mud and cement were later pumped in through the top of the well to reduce the pressure inside it (which didn't work either). A final device was created to attach a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe with a flange that bolted to the top of the blowout preventer and a manual valve set to close off the flow once attached. On 15 July, the device was secured and time was taken closing the valves to ensure the attachment under increasing pressure until the valves were closed completing the temporary measures.


Well declared "effectively dead"

Transocean's '' Development Driller III'' started drilling a first relief well on 2 May 2010. '' GSF Development Driller II'' started drilling a second relief on 16 May 2010. On 3 August 2010, first test oil and then drilling mud was pumped at a slow rate of approximately per minute into the well-head. Pumping continued for eight hours, at the end of which the well was declared to be "in a static condition." On 4 August 2010, BP began pumping cement from the top, sealing that part of the flow channel permanently. On 3 September 2010, the 300-
ton Ton is the name of any one of several units of measure. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses. Mainly it describes units of weight. Confusion can arise because ''ton'' can mean * the long ton, which is 2,240 pounds ...
failed blowout preventer was removed from the well and a replacement blowout preventer was installed. On 16 September 2010, the relief well reached its destination and pumping of cement to seal the well began. On 19 September 2010, National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well "effectively dead" and said that it posed no further threat to the Gulf.


Recurrent or continued leakage

In May 2010, BP admitted they had "discovered things that were broken in the sub-surface" during the "top kill" effort. Oil slicks were reported in March and August 2011, in March and October 2012, and in January 2013. Repeated scientific analyses confirmed that the sheen was a chemical match for oil from the Macondo well. The USCG initially said the oil was too dispersed to recover and posed no threat to the coastline, but later warned BP and Transocean that they might be held financially responsible for cleaning up the new oil. USGS director Marcia McNutt stated that the riser pipe could hold at most because it is open on both ends, making it unlikely to hold the amount of oil being observed. In October 2012, BP reported that they had found and plugged leaking oil from the failed containment dome, now abandoned about from the main well. In December 2012, the USCG conducted a subsea survey; no oil coming from the wells or the wreckage was found and its source remains unknown. In addition, a white, milky substance was observed seeping from the wreckage. According to BP and the USCG, it is "not oil and it's not harmful." In January 2013, BP said that they were continuing to investigate possible sources of the oil sheen. Chemical data implied that the substance might be residual oil leaking from the wreckage. If that proves to be the case, the sheen can be expected to eventually disappear. Another possibility is that it is formation oil escaping from the subsurface, using the Macondo well casing as flow conduit, possibly intersecting a naturally occurring fault, and then following that to escape at the surface some distance from the wellhead. If it proves to be oil from the subsurface, then that could indicate the possibility of an indefinite release of oil. The oil slick was comparable in size to naturally occurring oil seeps and was not large enough to pose an immediate threat to wildlife.


Containment, collection and use of dispersants

The fundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal and removal. In summer 2010, approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels were involved in the project. By 3 October 2012, federal response costs amounted to $850 million, mostly reimbursed by BP. , 935 personnel were still involved. By that time cleanup had cost BP over $14 billion. It was estimated with plus-or-minus 10% uncertainty that of oil was released from the well; of oil went into the Gulf. The report led by the Department of the Interior and the NOAA said that "75% f oilhas been cleaned up by Man or Mother Nature"; however, only about 25% of released oil was collected or removed while about 75% of oil remained in the environment in one form or another. In 2012, Markus Huettel, a benthic ecologist at Florida State University, maintained that while much of BP's oil was degraded or evaporated, at least 60% remains unaccounted for. In May 2010, a local native set up a network for people to volunteer their assistance in cleaning up beaches. Boat captains were given the opportunity to offer the use of their boats to help clean and prevent the oil from further spreading. To assist with the efforts the captains had to register their ships with the Vessels of Opportunity; however, an issue arose when more boats registered than actually participated in the clean-up efforts – only a third of the registered boats. Many local supporters were disappointed with BP's slow response, prompting the formation of The Florida Key Environmental Coalition. This coalition gained significant influence in the clean-up of the oil spill to try to gain some control over the situation.


Containment

Containment booms stretching over were deployed, either to corral the oil or as barriers to protect marshes, mangroves, shrimp/crab/oyster ranches or other ecologically sensitive areas. Booms extend above and below the water surface and were effective only in relatively calm and slow-moving waters. Including one-time use sorbent booms, a total of of booms were deployed. Booms were criticized for washing up on the shore with the oil, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in more than three- to four-foot (90–120 cm) waves. The Louisiana barrier island plan was developed to construct
barrier island Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a ...
s to protect the coast of Louisiana. The plan was criticised for its expense and poor results. Critics allege that the decision to pursue the project was political with little scientific input. The EPA expressed concern that the booms would threaten wildlife. For a time, a group called Matter of Trust, citing insufficient availability of manufactured oil absorption booms, campaigned to encourage hair salons, dog groomers and sheep farmers to donate hair, fur and wool clippings, stuffed in pantyhose or tights, to help contain oil near impacted shores, a technique dating back to the Exxon Valdez disaster.


Use of Corexit dispersant

The spill was also notable for the volume of Corexit oil dispersant used and for application methods that were "purely experimental." Altogether, of dispersants were used; of this were released at the wellhead. Subsea injection had never previously been tried but due to the spill's unprecedented nature BP together with USCG and EPA decided to use it. Over 400 sorties were flown to release the product. Although usage of dispersants was described as "the most effective and fast moving tool for minimizing shoreline impact", the approach continues to be investigated. A 2011 analysis conducted by
Earthjustice Earthjustice (originally Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund) is a nonprofit public interest organization based in the United States dedicated to litigating environmental issues. Headquartered in San Francisco, it has 14 regional offices across the Un ...
and Toxipedia showed that the dispersant could contain cancer-causing agents, hazardous toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Environmental scientists expressed concerns that the dispersants add to the toxicity of a spill, increasing the threat to
sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhe ...
s and bluefin tuna. The dangers are even greater when poured into the source of a spill, because they are picked up by the current and wash through the Gulf. According to BP and federal officials, dispersant use stopped after the cap was in place; however, marine toxicologist
Riki Ott Riki is a given name. It is a gender-neutral name in Japan (written: or ). Notable people with the name include: * Riki (footballer, born 1980), Spanish footballer Iván Sánchez-Rico Soto * Riki (footballer, born 1997), Spanish footballer Ricardo ...
wrote in an open letter to the EPA that Corexit use continued after that date and a GAP investigation stated that " majority of GAP witnesses cited indications that Corexit was used after uly 2010" According to a NALCO manual obtained by GAP, Corexit 9527 is an “eye and skin irritant. Repeated or excessive exposure ... may cause injury to red blood cells (hemolysis), kidney or the liver.” The manual adds: “Excessive exposure may cause central nervous system effects, nausea, vomiting, anesthetic or narcotic effects.” It advises, “Do not get in eyes, on skin, on clothing,” and “Wear suitable protective clothing.” For Corexit 9500 the manual advised, “Do not get in eyes, on skin, on clothing,” “Avoid breathing vapor,” and “Wear suitable protective clothing.” According to FOIA requests obtained by GAP, neither the protective gear nor the manual were distributed to Gulf oil spill cleanup workers. Corexit EC9500A and Corexit EC9527A were the principal variants. The two formulations are neither the least toxic, nor the most effective, among EPA's approved dispersants, but BP said it chose to use Corexit because it was available the week of the rig explosion. On 19 May, the EPA gave BP 24 hours to choose less toxic alternatives to Corexit from the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule, and begin applying them within 72 hours of EPA approval or provide a detailed reasoning why no approved products met the standards. On 20 May, BP determined that none of the alternative products met all three criteria of availability, non-toxicity and effectiveness. On 24 May, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson ordered EPA to conduct its own evaluation of alternatives and ordered BP to reduce dispersant use by 75%. BP reduced Corexit use by per day, a 9% decline. On 2 August 2010, the EPA said dispersants did no more harm to the environment than the oil and that they stopped a large amount of oil from reaching the coast by breaking it down faster. However, some independent scientists and EPA's own experts continue to voice concerns about the approach. Underwater injection of Corexit into the leak may have created the oil plumes which were discovered below the surface. Because the dispersants were applied at depth, much of the oil never rose to the surface. One plume was long, more than wide and deep. In a major study on the plume, experts were most concerned about the slow pace at which the oil was breaking down in the cold, water at depths of . In late 2012, a study from Georgia Tech and Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes in Environmental Pollution journal reported that Corexit used during the BP oil spill had increased the
toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
of the oil by 52 times. The scientists concluded that "Mixing oil with dispersant increased toxicity to ecosystems" and made the gulf oil spill worse."


Removal

The three basic approaches for removing the oil from the water were: combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. USCG said of tainted water was recovered, including of oil. BP said had been recovered or flared. It is calculated that about 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface and 3% was skimmed. On the most demanding day, 47,849 people were assigned on the response works and over 6,000 Marine vessels, 82 helicopters, and 20 fixed-wing aircraft were involved. From April to mid-July 2010, 411 controlled ''in-situ'' fires remediated approximately . The fires released small amounts of
toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849 ...
s, including cancer-causing
dioxin Dioxin may refer to: * 1,2-Dioxin or 1,4-Dioxin, two unsaturated heterocyclic 6-membered rings where two carbon atoms have been replaced by oxygen atoms, giving the molecular formula C4H4O2 * Dibenzo-1,4-dioxin, the parent compound also known ...
s. According to
EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
's report, the released amount is not enough to pose an added cancer risk to workers and coastal residents, while a second research team concluded that there was only a small added risk. Oil was collected from water by using skimmers. In total 2,063 various skimmers were used. For offshore, more than 60 open-water skimmers were deployed, including 12 purpose-built vehicles. EPA regulations prohibited skimmers that left more than 15 parts per million (ppm) of oil in the water. Many large-scale skimmers exceeded the limit. Due to use of Corexit the oil was too dispersed to collect, according to a spokesperson for shipowner TMT. In mid-June 2010, BP ordered 32 machines that separate oil and water, with each machine capable of extracting up to . After one week of testing, BP began to proceed and by 28 June, had removed . After the well was capped, the cleanup of shore became the main task of the response works. Two main types of affected coast were sandy beaches and
marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found ...
es. On beaches the main techniques were sifting sand, removing tar balls, and digging out tar mats manually or by using mechanical devices. For marshes, techniques such as vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flush, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used.


Oil-eating microbes

Dispersants are said to facilitate the digestion of the oil by
microbe A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...
s. Mixing dispersants with oil at the wellhead would keep some oil below the surface and in theory, allowing microbes to digest the oil before it reached the surface. Various risks were identified and evaluated, in particular, that an increase in microbial activity might reduce subsea oxygen levels, threatening fish and other animals. Several studies suggest that microbes successfully consumed part of the oil. By mid-September, other research claimed that microbes mainly digested natural gas rather than oil. David L. Valentine, a professor of microbial geochemistry at UC Santa Barbara, said that the capability of microbes to break down the leaked oil had been greatly exaggerated. However, biogeochemist Chris Reddy said natural microorganisms are a big reason why the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was not far worse. Genetically modified '' Alcanivorax borkumensis'' was added to the waters to speed digestion. The delivery method of microbes to oil patches was proposed by the Russian Research and Development Institute of Ecology and the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources.


Access restrictions

On 18 May 2010, BP was designated the lead "Responsible Party" under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which meant that BP had operational authority in coordinating the response. The first video images were released on 12 May, and further video images were released by members of Congress who had been given access to them by BP.Jeremy W Peters for ''The New York Times'', 9 June 201
Efforts to Limit the Flow of Spill News
/ref> During the spill response operations, at the request of the Coast Guard, the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
(FAA) implemented a
temporary flight restriction The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). A wide variety ...
zone over the operations area. Restrictions were to prevent civilian air traffic from interfering with aircraft assisting the response effort. All flights in the operations' area were prohibited except flight authorized by
air traffic control Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airsp ...
; routine flights supporting offshore oil operations; federal, state, local and military flight operations supporting spill response; and air ambulance and law enforcement operations. Exceptions for these restrictions were granted on a case-by-case basis dependent on safety issues, operational requirements, weather conditions, and traffic volume. No flights, except aircraft conducting aerial chemical dispersing operations, or for landing and takeoff, were allowed below . Notwithstanding restrictions, there were 800 to 1,000 flights per day during the operations. Local and federal authorities citing BP's authority denied access to members of the press attempting to document the spill from the air, from boats, and on the ground, blocking access to areas that were open to the public.Matthew Philips
"BP's Photo Blockade of the Gulf Oil Spill: Photographers Say BP and Government Officials Are Preventing Them from Documenting the Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster"
''Newsweek'', 25 May 2010.
Dan Zak for the Washington Post, 3 June 2010

/ref> In some cases photographers were granted access only with BP officials escorting them on BP-contracted boats and aircraft. In one example, the U.S. Coast Guard stopped
Jean-Michel Cousteau Jean-Michel Cousteau (born 6 May 1938) is a French oceanographic explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer. The first son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, he is the father of Fabien Cousteau and Céline Cousteau. Life and care ...
's boat and allowed it to proceed only after the Coast Guard was assured that no journalists were on board. In another example, a
CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the '' CBS Evening News'', '' CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 4 ...
crew was denied access to the oil-covered beaches of the spill area. The CBS crew was told by the authorities: "this is BP's rules, not ours," when trying to film the area. Some members of Congress criticized the restrictions placed on access by journalists. The FAA denied that BP employees or contractors made decisions on flights and access, saying those decisions were made by the FAA and Coast Guard. The FAA acknowledged that media access was limited to hired planes or helicopters, but was arranged through the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard and BP denied having a policy of restricting journalists; they noted that members of the media had been embedded with the authorities and allowed to cover response efforts since the beginning of the effort, with more than 400 embeds aboard boats and aircraft to date. They also said that they wanted to provide access to the information while maintaining safety.


Cleanup

On 15 April 2014, BP announced that cleanup along the coast was substantially complete, while the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...
work continued using physical barriers such as floating booms, the cleanup workers' objective was to keep the oil from spreading any further. They used skimmer boats to remove a majority of the oil and they used sorbents to absorb any remnant of oil like a sponge. Although that method did not remove the oil completely, chemicals called
dispersant A dispersant or a dispersing agent is a substance, typically a surfactant, that is added to a suspension of solid or liquid particles in a liquid (such as a colloid or emulsion) to improve the separation of the particles and to prevent their sett ...
s are used to hasten the oil's degradation to prevent the oil from doing further damage to the marine habitats below the surface water. For the Deep Horizon oil spill, cleanup workers used of various chemical dispersants to further breakdown the oil. The State of Louisiana was funded by BP to do regular testing of fish, shellfish, water, and sand. Initial testing regularly showed detectable levels of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, a chemical used in the clean up. Testing over the past year (2019) reported by GulfSource.org, for the pollutants tested have not produced results. Due to the Deepwater Horizon spill, marine life was suffering. Thousands of animals were visibly covered in oil. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rescued animals to help with the spill cleanup, although there were many animals found dead. The organization
Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park
also helped to rescue the remaining marine life.


Consequences


Environmental impact

The spill area hosts 8,332 species, including more than 1,270 fish, 604 polychaetes, 218 birds, 1,456 
mollusks Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000  extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
, 1,503 
crustacean Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapoda, decapods, ostracoda, seed shrimp, branchiopoda, branchiopods, argulidae, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopoda, isopods, barnacles, copepods, ...
s, 4 sea turtles and 29 marine mammals. Between May and June 2010, the spill waters contained 40 times more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) than before the spill. PAHs are often linked to oil spills and include
carcinogen A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive sub ...
s and chemicals that pose various health risks to humans and marine life. The PAHs were most concentrated near the Louisiana Coast, but levels also jumped 2–3 fold in areas off Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. PAHs can harm marine species directly and
microbe A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...
s used to consume the oil can reduce marine
oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...
levels. The oil contained approximately 40%
methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane ...
by weight, compared to about 5% found in typical oil deposits. Methane can potentially suffocate marine life and create "dead zones" where oxygen is depleted. A 2014 study of the effects of the oil spill on bluefin tuna funded by
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditi ...
(NOAA),
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...
, and the
Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California. Known for its regional focus on the marine habitats of Monterey Bay, it was the first to exhibit a living kelp forest when it opened in October 1984. Its biolo ...
and published in the journal ''
Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
'', found that the toxins from oil spills can cause irregular heartbeats leading to
cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possi ...
. Calling the vicinity of the spill "one of the most productive ocean ecosystems in the world", the study found that even at very low concentrations "PAH cardiotoxicity was potentially a common form of injury among a broad range of species in the vicinity of the oil." Another peer-reviewed study, released in March 2014 and conducted by 17 scientists from the United States and Australia and published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' (often abbreviated ''PNAS'' or ''PNAS USA'') is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal. It is the official journal of the National Academy of S ...
, found that tuna and amberjack that were exposed to oil from the spill developed deformities of the heart and other organs that would be expected to be fatal or at least life-shortening. The scientists said that their findings would most likely apply to other large predator fish and "even to humans, whose developing hearts are in many ways similar." BP responded that the concentrations of oil in the study were a level rarely seen in the Gulf, but ''The New York Times'' reported that the BP statement was contradicted by the study. The oil dispersant Corexit, previously only used as a surface application, was released underwater in unprecedented amounts, with the intent of making it more easily biodegraded by naturally occurring microbes. Thus, oil that would normally rise to the surface of the water was emulsified into tiny droplets and remained suspended in the water and on the sea floor. The oil and dispersant mixture permeated the food chain through
zooplankton Zooplankton are the animal component of the planktonic community ("zoo" comes from the Greek word for ''animal''). Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents, and consequently drift or are carried along by ...
. Signs of an oil-and-dispersant mix were found under the shells of tiny blue crab larvae. A study of insect populations in the coastal marshes affected by the spill also found a significant impact. Chemicals from the spill were found in migratory birds as far away as Minnesota.
Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...
eggs contained "petroleum compounds and Corexit". Dispersant and PAHs from oil are believed to have caused "disturbing numbers" of mutated fish that scientists and commercial fishers saw in 2012, including 50% of shrimp found lacking eyes and eye sockets. Fish with oozing sores and lesions were first noted by fishermen in November 2010. Prior to the spill, approximately 0.1% of Gulf fish had lesions or sores. A report from the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
said that many locations showed 20% of fish with lesions, while later estimates reached 50%. In October 2013,
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazee ...
reported that the gulf ecosystem was "in crisis", citing a decline in seafood catches, as well as deformities and lesions found in fish. According to J. Christopher Haney, Harold Geiger, and Jeffrey Short, three researchers with extensive experience in environmental monitoring and post-spill mortality assessments, over one million coastal birds died as a direct result of the ''Deepwater Horizon'' spill. These numbers, coupled with the National Audubon Society scientists' observations of bird colonies and bird mortality well after the acute phase, have led scientists to conclude that more than one million birds ultimately succumbed to the lethal effects of the Gulf oil spill. In July 2010, it was reported that the spill was "already having a 'devastating' effect on marine life in the Gulf". Damage to the ocean floor especially endangered the Louisiana pancake batfish whose range is entirely contained within the spill-affected area. In March 2012, a definitive link was found between the death of a Gulf coral community and the spill. According to NOAA, a
cetacean Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel th ...
Unusual Mortality Event (UME) has been recognized since before the spill began, NOAA is investigating possible contributing factors to the ongoing UME from the ''Deepwater Horizon'' spill, with the possibility of eventual criminal charges being filed if the spill is shown to be connected. Some estimates are that only 2% of the carcasses of killed mammals have been recovered. In the first birthing season for dolphins after the spill, dead baby dolphins washed up along Mississippi and Alabama shorelines at about 10 times the normal number. A peer-reviewed NOAA/BP study disclosed that nearly half the bottlenose dolphins tested in mid-2011 in Barataria Bay, a heavily oiled area, were in “guarded or worse” condition, "including 17 percent that were not expected to survive". BP officials deny that the disease conditions are related to the spill, saying that dolphin deaths actually began being reported before the BP oil spill. By 2013, over 650 dolphins had been found stranded in the oil spill area, a four-fold increase over the historical average. The
National Wildlife Federation The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over six million members and supporters, and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations (includin ...
(NWF) reports that sea turtles, mostly endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, have been stranding at a high rate. Before the spill there was an average of 100 strandings per year; since the spill the number has jumped to roughly 500. NWF senior scientist Doug Inkley notes that the marine death rates are unprecedented and occurring high in the food chain, strongly suggesting there is "something amiss with the Gulf ecosystem". In December 2013, the journal '' Environmental Science & Technology'' published a study finding that of 32
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the b ...
s briefly captured from 24-km stretch near southeastern Louisiana, half were seriously ill or dying. BP said the report was “inconclusive as to any causation associated with the spill”. In 2012, tar balls continued to wash up along the Gulf coast and in 2013, tar balls could still be found in on the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts, along with oil sheens in marshes and signs of severe erosion of coastal islands, brought about by the death of trees and marsh grass from exposure to the oil. In 2013, former NASA physicist Bonny Schumaker noted a "dearth of marine life" in a radius around the well, after flying over the area numerous times since May 2010. In 2013, researchers found that oil on the bottom of the seafloor did not seem to be degrading, and observed a phenomenon called a "dirty blizzard": oil in the water column began clumping around suspended sediments, and falling to the ocean floor in an "underwater rain of oily particles." The result could have long-term effects because oil could remain in the food chain for generations. A 2014 bluefin tuna study in ''
Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
'' found that oil already broken down by wave action and chemical dispersants was more toxic than fresh oil. A 2015 study of the relative toxicity of oil and dispersants to coral also found that the dispersants were more toxic than the oil. A 2015 study by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditi ...
, published in '' PLOS ONE,'' links the sharp increase in dolphin deaths to the ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill. On 12 April 2016, a research team reported that 88 percent of about 360 baby or stillborn dolphins within the spill area "had abnormal or under-developed lungs", compared to 15 percent in other areas. The study was published in the April 2016 '' Diseases of Aquatic Organisms''.


Health consequences

By June 2010, 143 spill-exposure cases had been reported to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; 108 of those involved workers in the clean-up efforts, while 35 were reported by residents. Chemicals from the oil and dispersant are believed to be the cause; it is believed that the addition of dispersants made the oil more toxic. The United States Department of Health and Human Services set up the
GuLF Study The GuLF Study, or Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study, is a five-year research project examining the human-health consequences of the ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill in April 2010. The spill followed an explosion on a drilling rig leased by BP, t ...
in June 2010 in response to these reports. The study is run by the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) conducts research into the effects of the environment on human disease, as one of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is located in the Rese ...
, and will last at least five years. Mike Robicheux, a Louisiana physician, described the situation as "the biggest public health crisis from a chemical poisoning in the history of this country." In July, after testing the blood of BP cleanup workers and residents in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida for
volatile organic compound Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapour pressure at room temperature. High vapor pressure correlates with a low boiling point, which relates to the number of the sample's molecules in the surrounding air, a ...
s, environmental scientist Wilma Subra said she was "finding amounts 5 to 10 times in excess of the 95th percentile"; she said that "the presence of these chemicals in the blood indicates exposure."
Riki Ott Riki is a given name. It is a gender-neutral name in Japan (written: or ). Notable people with the name include: * Riki (footballer, born 1980), Spanish footballer Iván Sánchez-Rico Soto * Riki (footballer, born 1997), Spanish footballer Ricardo ...
, a marine toxicologist with experience of the
Exxon Valdez oil spill The ''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989. '' Exxon Valdez'', an oil supertanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company bound for Long Beach, California struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef, w ...
, advised families to evacuate the Gulf.Rose Aguilar,
Experts: Health Hazards in Gulf Warrant Evacuations
", ''Truthout'', 22 July 2010.
She said that workers from the Valdez spill had suffered long-term health consequences. Following the 26 May 2010 hospitalization of seven fishermen that were working in the cleanup crew, BP requested that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health perform a Health Hazard Evaluation. This was to cover all offshore cleanup activities, BP later requested a second NIOSH investigation of onshore cleanup operations. Tests for chemical exposure in the seven fishermen were negative; NIOSH concluded that the hospitalizations were most likely a result of heat, fatigue, and terpenes that were being used to clean the decks. Review of 10 later hospitalizations found that heat exposure and dehydration were consistent findings but could not establish chemical exposure. NIOSH personnel performed air monitoring around cleanup workers at sea, on land, and during the application of Corexit. Air concentrations of volatile organic compounds and PAHs never exceeded permissible exposure levels. A limitation of their methodology was that some VOCs may have already evaporated from the oil before they began their investigation. In their report, they suggest the possibility that respiratory symptoms might have been caused by high levels of ozone or reactive aldehydes in the air, possibly produced from photochemical reactions in the oil. NIOSH did note that many of the personnel involved were not donning personal protective equipment (gloves and impermeable coveralls) as they had been instructed to and emphasized that this was important protection against transdermal absorption of chemicals from the oil. Heat stress was found to be the most pressing safety concern. Workers reported that they were not allowed to use respirators, and that their jobs were threatened if they did. OSHA said "cleanup workers are receiving "minimal" exposure to airborne toxins...OSHA will require that BP provide certain protective clothing, but not respirators." ''ProPublica'' reported that workers were being photographed while working with no protective clothing. An independent investigation for
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
showed that BP did not hand out the legally required safety manual for use with Corexit, and were not provided with safety training or protective gear. A 2012 survey of the health effects of the spill on cleanup workers reported "eye, nose and throat irritation; respiratory problems; blood in urine, vomit and rectal bleeding; seizures; nausea and violent vomiting episodes that last for hours; skin irritation, burning and lesions; short-term memory loss and confusion; liver and kidney damage; central nervous system effects and nervous system damage; hypertension; and miscarriages". Dr. James Diaz, writing for the ''American Journal of Disaster Medicine'', said these ailments appearing in the Gulf reflected those reported after previous oil spills, like the Exxon Valdez. Diaz warned that "chronic adverse health effects, including cancers, liver and kidney disease, mental health disorders, birth defects and developmental disorders should be anticipated among sensitive populations and those most heavily exposed". Diaz also believes neurological disorders should be expected. Two years after the spill, a study initiated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found biomarkers matching the oil from the spill in the bodies of cleanup workers. Other studies have reported a variety of mental health issues, skin problems, breathing issues, coughing, and headaches. In 2013, during the three-day "Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference", findings discussed included a '"significant percentage" of Gulf residents reporting mental health problems like anxiety, depression and PTSD. These studies also showed that the bodies of former spill cleanup workers carry biomarkers of "many chemicals contained in the oil". A study that investigated the health effects among children in Louisiana and Florida living less than 10 miles from the coast found that more than a third of the parents reported physical or mental health symptoms among their children. The parents reported "unexplained symptoms among their children, including bleeding ears, nose bleeds, and the early start of menstruation among girls," according to David Abramson, director of Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness. A cohort study of almost 2,200 Louisiana women found "high physical/environmental exposure was significantly associated with all 13 of the physical health symptoms surveyed, with the strongest associations for burning in nose, throat or lungs; sore throat; dizziness and wheezing. Women who suffered a high degree of economic disruption as a result of spill were significantly more likely to report wheezing; headaches; watery, burning, itchy eyes and stuffy, itchy, runny nose.


Economy

The spill had a strong economic impact to BP and also the Gulf Coast's economy sectors such as offshore drilling, fishing and tourism. Estimates of lost tourism dollars were projected to cost the Gulf coastal economy up to $22.7 billion through 2013. In addition, Louisiana reported that lost visitor spending through the end of 2010 totaled $32 million, and losses through 2013 were expected to total $153 million in this state alone. The Gulf of Mexico commercial fishing industry was estimated to have lost $247 million as a result of postspill fisheries closures. One study projects that the overall impact of lost or degraded commercial, recreational, and mariculture fisheries in the Gulf could be $8.7 billion by 2020, with a potential loss of 22,000 jobs over the same time frame. BP's expenditures on the spill included the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs, including fines and penalties. Due to the loss of the market value, BP had dropped from the second to the fourth largest of the four major oil companies by 2013. During the crisis, BP gas stations in the United States reported a sales drop of between 10 and 40% due to backlash against the company. Local officials in Louisiana expressed concern that the offshore drilling moratorium imposed in response to the spill would further harm the economies of coastal communities as the oil industry directly or indirectly employs about 318,000 Louisiana residents (17% of all jobs in the state). NOAA had closed , or approximately 36% of Federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, for commercial fishing causing $2.5 billion cost for the fishing industry. The U.S. Travel Association estimated that the economic impact of the oil spill on tourism across the Gulf Coast over a three-year period could exceed approximately $23 billion, in a region that supports over 400,000 travel industry jobs generating $34 billion in revenue annually.


Offshore drilling policies

On 30 April 2010, President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
ordered the federal government to hold the issuing of new offshore drilling leases and authorized the investigation of 29 oil rigs in the Gulf in an effort to determine the cause of the disaster. Later a six-month offshore drilling (below of water) moratorium was enforced by the
United States Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the ma ...
. The moratorium suspended work on 33 rigs, and a group of affected companies formed the Back to Work Coalition. On 22 June, a
United States federal judge In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S ...
on the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (in case citations, E.D. La.) is a United States federal court based in New Orleans. Appeals from the Eastern District of Louisiana are taken to the United States Court of A ...
Martin Leach-Cross Feldman Martin Leach-Cross Feldman (January 28, 1934 – January 26, 2022) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Education and career Feldman was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the ...
when ruling in the case '' Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC v. Salazar'', lifted the moratorium finding it too broad, arbitrary and not adequately justified. The ban was lifted in October 2010. Prior to the oil spill, on March 31, 2010, Obama ended a ban on oil and gas drilling along the majority of the
East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...
and along the coast of
northern Alaska Arctic Alaska or Far North Alaska is a region of the U.S. state of Alaska generally referring to the northern areas on or close to the Arctic Ocean. It commonly includes North Slope Borough, Northwest Arctic Borough, Nome Census Area, and is ...
in an effort to win support for an energy and climate bill and to reduce foreign imports of oil and gas. On 28 April 2010, the
National Energy Board The National Energy Board was an independent economic regulatory agency created in 1959 by the Government of Canada to oversee "international and inter-provincial aspects of the oil, gas and electric utility industries". Its head office was locate ...
of Canada, which regulates offshore drilling in the
Canadian Arctic Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories and ...
and along the
British Columbia Coast , settlement_type = Region of British Columbia , image_skyline = , nickname = "The Coast" , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Canada , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = British ...
, issued a letter to oil companies asking them to explain their argument against safety rules which require same-season relief wells. On 3 May California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
withdrew his support for a proposed plan to allow expanded offshore drilling projects in California. On 8 July, Florida Governor
Charlie Crist Charles Joseph Crist Jr. (; born July 24, 1956) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and as the U.S. representative for from 2017 to 2022. Crist has been a member of the Democratic ...
called for a special session of the state legislature to draft an amendment to the state constitution banning offshore drilling in state waters, which the legislature rejected on 20 July. In October 2011, the
United States Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the ma ...
's Minerals Management Service was dissolved after it was determined it had exercised poor oversight over the drilling industry. Three new agencies replaced it, separating the regulation, leasing, and revenue collection responsibilities respectively, among the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and
Office of Natural Resources Revenue The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) is a unit of the United States Department of the Interior, established by Secretarial Order. The new office exercises the royalty and revenue management functions formerly under the Minerals Manage ...
. In March 2014, BP was again allowed to bid for oil and gas leases.


Reactions


U.S. reactions

On 30 April, President Obama dispatched the Secretaries of the Department of Interior and
Homeland Security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" t ...
, as well as the
EPA Administrator The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is the head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and is thus responsible for enforcing the nation's Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, as well as numerous other environ ...
and NOAA to the Gulf Coast to assess the disaster. In his 15 June speech, Obama said, "This oil spill is the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced... Make no mistake: we will fight this spill with everything we've got for as long as it takes. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever's necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy." Interior Secretary
Ken Salazar Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who is the United States ambassador to Mexico. He previously served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President B ...
stated, "Our job basically is to keep the boot on the neck of British Petroleum." Some observers suggested that the Obama administration was being overly aggressive in its criticisms, which some BP investors saw as an attempt to deflect criticism of his own handling of the crisis.
Rand Paul Randal Howard Paul (born January 7, 1963) is an American physician and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, U.S. senator from Kentucky since 2011. A member of the Republican Party (Un ...
accused President Obama of being anti-business and "un-American". Public opinion polls in the U.S. were generally critical of the way President Obama and the federal government handled the disaster and they were extremely critical of BPs response. Across the US, thousands participated in dozens of protests at BP gas stations and other locations, reducing sales at some stations by 10% to 40%. The petroleum industry claimed that disasters are infrequent and that this spill was an isolated incident and rejected claims of a loss of industry credibility. The
American Petroleum Institute The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the largest U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry. It claims to represent nearly 600 corporations involved in production, refinement, distribution, and many other aspects of the ...
(API) stated that the offshore drilling industry is important to job creation and economic growth. CEOs from the top five oil companies all agreed to work harder at improving safety. API announced the creation of an offshore safety institute, separate from API's lobbying operation. The Organization for International Investment, a Washington D.C.-based advocate for overseas investment in the United States, warned that the heated rhetoric was potentially damaging the reputation of British companies with operations in the United States and could spark a wave of U.S. protectionism that would restrict British firms from government contracts, political donations and lobbying. In July 2010, President Obama issued an executive order, specifically citing the ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill, that adopted recommendations from the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and established the National Ocean Council. The council called together a number of federal committees and departments engaged in ocean issues to work with a newly established committee for conservation and resource management. In June 2018, the executive order establishing the National Ocean Council was revoked by then-U.S. president Donald Trump in an effort to roll back bureaucracy and benefit "ocean industries hatemploy millions of Americans".


United Kingdom reactions

In the UK, there was anger at the American press and news outlets for the misuse of the term "British Petroleum" for the company – a name which has not been used since British Petroleum merged with the American company
Amoco Amoco () is a brand of fuel stations operating in the United States, and owned by BP since 1998. The Amoco Corporation was an American chemical and oil company, founded by Standard Oil Company in 1889 around a refinery in Whiting, India ...
in 1998 to form BP
Amoco Amoco () is a brand of fuel stations operating in the United States, and owned by BP since 1998. The Amoco Corporation was an American chemical and oil company, founded by Standard Oil Company in 1889 around a refinery in Whiting, India ...
. It was said that the U.S. was "dumping" the blame onto the British people and there were calls for British Prime Minister
David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
to protect British interests in the United States. British pension fund managers (who have large holdings of BP shares and rely upon its dividends) accepted that while BP had to pay compensation for the spill and the environmental damage, they argued that the cost to the company's market value from President Obama's criticism was far outweighing the direct clean-up costs. Initially, BP downplayed the incident; its CEO Tony Hayward called the amount of oil and dispersant "relatively tiny" in comparison with the "very big ocean." Later, he drew an outpouring of criticism when he said that the spill was a disruption to Gulf Coast residents and himself adding, "You know, I'd like my life back." BP's chief operating officer Doug Suttles contradicted the underwater plume discussion noting, "It may be down to how you define what a plume is here… The oil that has been found is in very minute quantities." In June, BP launched a PR campaign and successfully bid for several search terms related to the spill on Google and other search engines so that the first sponsored search result linked directly to the company's website. On 26 July 2010, it was announced that CEO Tony Hayward was to resign and would be replaced by
Bob Dudley Robert Warren Dudley (born September 14, 1955) is an American-born businessman who is a former group chief executive of BP. He had been president and chief executive of TNK-BP and on June 18, 2010, was assigned to be BP executive in charge of t ...
, who is an American citizen and previously worked for Amoco. Hayward's involvement in ''Deepwater Horizon'' has left him a highly controversial public figure. In May 2013, he was honored as a "distinguished leader" by the University of Birmingham, but his award ceremony was stopped on multiple occasions by jeers and walk-outs and the focus of a protest from People & Planet members. In July 2013, Hayward was awarded an honorary degree from
Robert Gordon University , mottoeng = Now by all your mastered arts , established = 1992 (origins mid-18th century) , type = Public , endowment = £1.9 million (2015) , budget = £103 million (2014) , chancellor = Dame Evelyn Glennie , principal = Professor St ...
. This was described as a "sick joke" and "a very serious error of judgement" by Friends of the Earth Scotland. The student body president expressed that students would be "very disappointed."


International reactions

The U.S. government rejected offers of cleanup help from Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations. The U.S. State Department listed 70 assistance offers from 23 countries, all being initially declined, but later, 8 had been accepted. The USCG actively requested skimming boats and equipment from several countries.


Legal aspects and settlements


Investigations

In the United States the ''Deepwater Horizon'' investigation included several investigations and commissions, including reports by the USCG National Incident Commander, Admiral Thad Allen, the National Commission on the BP ''Deepwater Horizon'' Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE),
National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of ...
, National Research Council,
Government Accountability Office The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a legislative branch government agency that provides auditing, evaluative, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the supreme audit institution of the federal gover ...
, National Oil Spill Commission, and Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. The Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator conducted a separate investigation on the marine casualty. BP conducted its internal investigation. An investigation of the possible causes of the explosion was launched on 22 April 2010 by the USCG and the Minerals Management Service. On 11 May the United States administration requested the National Academy of Engineering conduct an independent technical investigation. The National Commission on the BP ''Deepwater Horizon'' Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling was established on 22 May to "consider the root causes of the disaster and offer options on safety and environmental precautions." The investigation by
United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
Eric Holder was announced on 1 June 2010. Also the
United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more th ...
conducted a number of hearings, including hearings of Tony Hayward and heads of Anadarko and Mitsui's exploration unit. According to the US Congressional investigation, the rig's
blowout preventer A blowout preventer (BOP) (pronounced B-O-P, not "bop") is a specialized valve or similar mechanical device, used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells to prevent blowouts, the uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from a w ...
, built by
Cameron International Corporation Cameron International Corporation (formerly Cooper Cameron Corporation (CCC) and Cooper Oil Tool, Cameron Iron Works) though now operating under Schlumberger, is a global provider of pressure control, production, processing, and flow control s ...
, had a hydraulic leak and a failed battery, and therefore failed. On 8 September 2010, BP released a 193-page report on its web site. The report places some of the blame for the accident on BP but also on
Halliburton Halliburton Company is an American multinational corporation responsible for most of the world's hydraulic fracturing operations. In 2009, it was the world's second largest oil field service company. It has operations in more than 70 countries ...
and Transocean. The report found that on 20 April 2010, managers misread pressure data and gave their approval for rig workers to replace drilling fluid in the well with seawater, which was not heavy enough to prevent gas that had been leaking into the well from firing up the pipe to the rig, causing the explosion. The conclusion was that BP was partly to blame, as was Transocean, which owned the rig. Responding to the report, Transocean and Halliburton placed all blame on BP. On 9 November 2010, a report by the Oil Spill Commission said that there had been "a rush to completion" on the well and criticised poor management decisions. "There was not a culture of safety on that rig," the co-chair said. The National Commission on the BP ''Deepwater Horizon'' Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling released a final report on 5 January 2011. The panel found that BP, Halliburton, and Transocean had attempted to work more cheaply and thus helped to trigger the explosion and ensuing leakage. The report stated that "whether purposeful or not, many of the decisions that BP, Halliburton, and Transocean made that increased the risk of the Macondo blowout clearly saved those companies significant time (and money)." BP released a statement in response to this, saying, that "even prior to the conclusion of the commission's investigation, BP instituted significant changes designed to further strengthen safety and risk management." Transocean, however, blamed BP for making the decisions before the actual explosion occurred and government officials for permitting those decisions. Halliburton stated that it was acting only upon the orders of BP when it injected the cement into the wall of the well. It criticized BP for its failure to run a
cement bond log A cement bond log documents the evaluation of the integrity of cement work performed on an oil well. In the process of drilling and completing a well, cement is injected through the wellbore and rises up the annulus between the steel casing and ...
test. In the report, BP was accused of nine faults. One was that it had not used a diagnostic tool to test the strength of the cement. Another was ignoring a pressure test that had failed. Still another was for not plugging the pipe with cement. The study did not, however, place the blame on any one of these events. Rather, it concluded that "notwithstanding these inherent risks, the accident of April 20 was avoidable" and that "it resulted from clear mistakes made in the first instance by BP, Halliburton and Transocean, and by government officials who, relying too much on industry's assertions of the safety of their operations, failed to create and apply a program of regulatory oversight that would have properly minimized the risk of deepwater drilling." The panel also noted that the government regulators did not have sufficient knowledge or authority to notice these cost-cutting decisions. On 23 March 2011, BOEMRE (former MMS) and the USCG published a forensic examination report on the blowout preventer, prepared by
Det Norske Veritas DNV (formerly DNV GL) is an international accredited registrar and classification society headquartered in Høvik, Norway. The company currently has about 12,000 employees and 350 offices operating in more than 100 countries, and provides serv ...
. The report concluded that the primary cause of failure was that the blind shear rams failed to fully close and seal due to a portion of drill pipe buckling between the shearing blocks. The US government report issued in September 2011 stated that BP is ultimately responsible for the spill, and that Halliburton and Transocean share some of the blame. The report states that the main cause was the defective cement job, and Halliburton, BP and Transocean were, in different ways, responsible for the accident. The report stated that, although the events leading to the sinking of ''Deepwater Horizon'' were set into motion by the failure to prevent a well blowout, the investigation revealed numerous systems deficiencies, and acts and omissions by Transocean and its ''Deepwater Horizon'' crew, that had an adverse impact on the ability to prevent or limit the magnitude of the disaster. The report also states that a central cause of the blowout was failure of a cement barrier allowing hydrocarbons to flow up the wellbore, through the riser and onto the rig, resulting in the blowout. The loss of life and the subsequent pollution of the Gulf of Mexico were the result of poor risk management, last‐minute changes to plans, failure to observe and respond to critical indicators, inadequate well control response, and insufficient emergency bridge response training by companies and individuals responsible for drilling at the Macondo well and for the operation of the drilling platform.


Spill response fund

On 16 June 2010, after BP executives met with President Obama, BP announced and established the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF), a $20 billion fund to settle claims arising from the ''Deepwater Horizon'' spill. This fund was set aside for natural resource damages, state and local response costs, and individual compensation, but could not be used for fines or penalties. Prior to establishing the GCCF, emergency compensation was paid by BP from an initial facility. The GCCF was administrated by attorney Kenneth Feinberg. The facility began accepting claims on 23 August 2010. On 8 March 2012, after BP and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys agreed to a class-action settlement, a court-supervised administrator Patrick Juneau took over administration. Until this more than one million claims of 220,000 individual and business claimants were processed and more than $6.2 billion was paid out from the fund. 97% of payments were made to claimants in the Gulf States. In June 2012, the settlement of claims through the GCCF was replaced by the court-supervised settlement program. During this transition period additional $404 million in claims were paid. The GCCF and its administrator Feinberg had been criticized about the amount and speed of payments as well as a lack of transparency. An independent audit of the GCCF, announced by Attorney General Eric Holder, was approved by Senate on 21 October 2011. An auditor BDO Consulting found that 7,300 claimants were wrongly denied or underpaid. As a result, about $64 million of additional payments was made. The Mississippi Center for Justice provided pro bono assistance to 10,000 people to help them "navigate the complex claims process." In a ''New York Times'' opinion piece, Stephen Teague, staff attorney at the Mississippi Center for Justice, argued that BP had become "increasingly brazen" in "stonewalling payments." "But tens of thousands of gulf residents still haven't been fully compensated for their losses, and many are struggling to make ends meet. Many low-wage workers in the fishing and service industries, for example, have been seeking compensation for lost wages and jobs for three years." In July 2013, BP made a motion in court to freeze payments on tens of thousands of claims, arguing inter alia that a staff attorney from the ''Deepwater Horizon'' Court-Supervised Settlement Program, the program responsible for evaluating compensation claims, had improperly profited from claims filed by a New Orleans law firm. The attorney is said to have received portions of settlement claims for clients he referred to the firm. The federal judge assigned to the case, Judge Barbier, refused to halt the settlement program, saying he had not seen evidence of widespread fraud, adding that he was "offended by what he saw as attempts to smear the lawyer administering the claims."


Civil litigation and settlements

By 26 May 2010, over 130 lawsuits relating to the spill had been filed against one or more of BP, Transocean,
Cameron International Corporation Cameron International Corporation (formerly Cooper Cameron Corporation (CCC) and Cooper Oil Tool, Cameron Iron Works) though now operating under Schlumberger, is a global provider of pressure control, production, processing, and flow control s ...
, and Halliburton Energy Services, although it was considered likely by observers that these would be combined into one court as a multidistrict litigation. On 21 April 2011, BP issued $40 billion worth of lawsuits against rig owner Transocean, cementer Halliburton and
blowout preventer A blowout preventer (BOP) (pronounced B-O-P, not "bop") is a specialized valve or similar mechanical device, used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells to prevent blowouts, the uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from a w ...
manufacturer Cameron. The oil firm alleged failed safety systems and irresponsible behaviour of contractors had led to the explosion, including claims that Halliburton failed to properly use modelling software to analyze safe drilling conditions. The firms deny the allegations. On 2 March 2012, BP and plaintiffs agreed to settle their lawsuits. The deal would settle roughly 100,000 claims filed by individuals and businesses affected by the spill. On 13 August, BP asked US District Judge
Carl Barbier Carl Joseph Barbier (born August 21, 1944) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Education and career Born in 1944 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Barbier attended West ...
to approve the settlement, saying its actions "did not constitute
gross negligence Gross negligence is the "lack of slight diligence or care" or "a conscious, voluntary act or omission in reckless disregard of a legal duty and of the consequences to another party." In some jurisdictions a person injured as a result of gross negl ...
or willful misconduct". On 13 January 2013, Judge Barbier approved a medical-benefits portion of BP's proposed $7.8 billion partial settlement. People living for at least 60 days along oil-impacted shores or involved in the clean-up who can document one or more specific health conditions caused by the oil or dispersants are eligible for benefits, as are those injured during clean-up. BP also agreed to spend $105 million over five years to set up a Gulf Coast health outreach program and pay for medical examinations. According to a group presenting the plaintiffs, the deal has no specific cap. BP says that it has $9.5 billion in assets set aside in a trust to pay the claims, and the settlement will not increase the $37.2 billion the company budgeted for spill-related expenses. BP originally expected to spend $7.8 billion. By October 2013 it had increased its projection to $9.2 billion, saying it could be "significantly higher." On 31 August 2012, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed papers in federal court in New Orleans blaming BP for the Gulf oil spill, describing the spill as an example of "gross negligence and willful misconduct." In their statement the DOJ said that some of BP's arguments were "plainly misleading" and that the court should ignore BP's argument that the Gulf region is "undergoing a robust recovery". BP rejected the charges saying "BP believes it was not grossly negligent and looks forward to presenting evidence on this issue at trial in January." The DOJ also said Transocean, the owner and operator of the ''Deepwater Horizon'' rig, was guilty of gross negligence as well. On 14 November 2012, BP and the US Department of Justice reached a settlement. BP will pay $4.5 billion in fines and other payments, the largest of its kind in US history. In addition, the U.S. government temporarily banned BP from new federal contracts over its "lack of business integrity". The plea was accepted by Judge Sarah Vance of the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (in case citations, E.D. La.) is a United States federal court based in New Orleans. Appeals from the Eastern District of Louisiana are taken to the United States Court of A ...
on 31 January 2013. The settlement includes payments of $2.394 billion to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, $1.15 billion to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, $350 million to the
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nat ...
for oil spill prevention and response research, $100 million to the North America Wetland Conservation Fund, $6 million to General Treasury and $525 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Oil sector analysts at London-based investment bank Canaccord Genuity noted that a settlement along the lines disclosed would only be a partial resolution of the many claims against BP. On 3 January 2013, the US Justice Department announced "Transocean Deepwater Inc. has agreed to plead guilty to violating the
Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters; recognizing the responsibiliti ...
and to pay a total of $1.4 billion in civil and criminal fines and penalties". $800 million goes to Gulf Coast restoration Trust Fund, $300 million to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, $150 million to the National Wild Turkey Federation and $150 million to the National Academy of Sciences. MOEX Offshore 2007 agreed to pay $45 million to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, $25 million to five Gulf state and $20 million to supplemental environmental projects. On 25 July 2013, Halliburton pleaded guilty to destruction of critical evidence after the oil spill and said it would pay the maximum allowable fine of $200,000 and will be subject to three years of probation. In January 2014, a panel of the
U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * Eastern District of Louisiana * Mi ...
rejected an effort by BP to curb payment of what it described as "fictitious" and "absurd" claims to a settlement fund for businesses and persons affected by the oil spill. BP said administration of the 2012 settlement was marred by the fact that people without actual damages could file a claim. The court ruled that BP hadn't explained "how this court or the district court should identify or even discern the existence of 'claimants that have suffered no cognizable injury.'" The Court then went further, calling BP's position "nonsensical." The
Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. Federal tribunals in the United States, federal court cases, and over Stat ...
later refused to hear BP's appeal after victims and claimants, along with numerous Gulf coast area chambers of commerce, objected to the oil major's efforts to renege on the Settlement Agreement. In September 2014, Halliburton agreed to settle a large percentage of legal claims against it by paying $1.1 billion into a trust by way of three installments over two years.


Justice Department lawsuit

BP and its partners in the oil well, Transocean and Halliburton, went on trial on 25 February 2013 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans to determine payouts and fines under the Clean Water Act and the Natural Resources Damage Assessment. The plaintiffs included the U.S. Justice Department, Gulf states and private individuals. Tens of billions of dollars in liability and fines were at stake. A finding of gross negligence would result in a four-fold increase in the fines BP would have to pay for violating the federal Clean Water Act, and leave the company liable for punitive damages for private claims. The trial's first phase was to determine the liability of BP, Transocean, Halliburton, and other companies, and if they acted with gross negligence and willful misconduct. The second phase scheduled in September 2013 focused on the flow rate of the oil and the third phase scheduled in 2014 was to consider damages. According to the plaintiffs' lawyers the major cause of an explosion was the mishandling of a rig safety test, while inadequate training of the staff, poor maintenance of the equipment and substandard cement were also mentioned as things leading to the disaster. According to ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' the U.S. government and Gulf Coast states had prepared an offer to BP for a $16 billion settlement. However, it was not clear if this deal had been officially proposed to BP and if BP has accepted it. On 4 September 2014, U.S. District Judge
Carl Barbier Carl Joseph Barbier (born August 21, 1944) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Education and career Born in 1944 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Barbier attended West ...
ruled BP was guilty of gross negligence and willful misconduct. He described BP's actions as "reckless." He said Transocean's and Halliburton's actions were "negligent." He apportioned 67% of the blame for the spill to BP, 30% to Transocean, and 3% to Halliburton. Fines would be apportioned commensurate with the degree of negligence of the parties, measured against the number of barrels of oil spilled. Under the Clean Water Act fines can be based on a cost per barrel of up to $4,300, at the discretion of the judge. The number of barrels was in dispute at the conclusion of the trial with BP arguing 2.5 million barrels were spilled over the 87 days the spill lasted, while the court contends 4.2 million barrels were spilled. BP issued a statement strongly disagreeing with the finding, and saying the court's decision would be appealed. Barbier ruled that BP had acted with “conscious disregard of known risks" and rejected BP's assertion that other parties were equally responsible for the oil spill. His ruling stated that BP "employees took risks that led to the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history", that the company was "reckless", and determined that several crucial BP decisions were "primarily driven by a desire to save time and money, rather than ensuring that the well was secure." BP strongly disagreed with the ruling and filed an immediate appeal. On 2 July 2015, BP, the U.S. Justice Department and five gulf states announced that the company agreed to pay a record settlement of $18.7 billion. To date BP's cost for the clean-up, environmental and economic damages and penalties has reached $54 billion.


Criminal charges

In addition to the private lawsuits and civil governmental actions, the federal government charged multiple companies and five individuals with federal crimes. In the November 2012 resolution of the federal charges against it, BP agreed to plead guilty to 11 felony counts related to the deaths of the 11 workers and paid a $4 billion fine. Transocean pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge as part of its $1.4 billion fine. In April 2012, the Justice Department filed the first criminal charge against Kurt Mix, a BP engineer, for obstructing justice by deleting messages showing that BP knew the flow rate was three times higher than initial claims by the company, and knew that "Top Kill" was unlikely to succeed, but claimed otherwise. Three more BP employees were charged in November 2012. Site managers Donald Vidrine and Robert Kaluza were charged with manslaughter for acting negligently in their supervision of key safety tests performed on the rig prior to the explosion, and failure to alert onshore engineers of problems in the drilling operation. David Rainey, BP's former vice-president for exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, was charged with obstructing Congress by misrepresenting the rate that oil was flowing out of the well. Lastly, Anthony Badalamenti, a Halliburton manager, was charged with instructing two employees to delete data related to Halliburton's cementing job on the oil well. None of the charges against individuals resulted in any prison time, and no charges were levied against upper level executives. Anthony Badalementi was sentenced to one year probation, Donald Vidrine paid a $50,000 fine and received 10 months probation, Kurt Mix received 6 months' probation, and David Rainey and Robert Kaluza were acquitted.


In popular culture


Documentary

* On 28 March 2011, ''Dispatches'' aired a documentary by
James Brabazon James Martin Brabazon (born 18 February 1972), is a British documentary filmmaker, journalist, and author. Brabazon is best known for his work in conflict situations. He first gained attention as the only journalist to film the LURD rebel group ...
, ''BP: In Deep Water'', about the oil company, BP, covering oil spills in the gulf of Mexico and other incidents and its relationship with Governments. * In April 2012, the
National Geographic Channel National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by the National Geographic Global Networks unit of Disney General ...
's documentary series '' Seconds From Disaster'' featured the accident in an episode titled "The Deepwater Horizon", released. * In 2012, ''Beyond Pollution'' 2012 traveled across the gulf coast interviewing environmental experts, government authorities, fishermen, scientists, drilling engineers, and key BP contractors, examining economic and health effects. * In 2012, '' The Big Fix'', documented the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico following the sinking of the ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil rig * In 2014, '' The Great Invisible'', by Margaret Brown chose to focus on the social impacts on people whose lives have been affected by this tragedy. Later airing 19 April 2015 as the season 16, episode 14 of ''Independent Lens''. * In 2014, ''Vanishing Pearls: The Oystermen of Pointe a la Hache, Louisiana'', documented the town of nearly 300 struggling to survive following the BP Oil Spill that left their crop dead and finances in ruin. * In 2016, ''Pretty Slick'', documented the cleanup effort and locals across four Gulf states about the largest man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history. * In 2016, ''After the Spill'', Jon Bowermaster investigates how the disaster affected local economies and the health of humans, animals, and food sources, and with Corexit, where all the oil went, as a follow-up to the pre-spill ''SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories'', in post-production when the ''Deepwater Horizon'' exploded. * In 2016, ''Dispatches From The Gulf'', Hal Weiner follows scientists investigating the oil spill’s effect on the Gulf.


Drama

*In 2012, " We Just Decided To", the pilot of the HBO TV series '' The Newsroom'', featured its characters covering the ''Deepwater Horizon'' story. *The 2015 film '' The Runner'', directed by Austin Stark and starring Nicolas Cage, is a fictional story of a politician and his family set in the aftermath of the ''Deepwater Horizon'' disaster. *In 2016, '' Deepwater Horizon'', a film based on the explosion, directed by
Peter Berg Peter Berg (born March 11, 1964) is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. His directorial film works include the black comedy ''Very Bad Things'' (1998), the action comedy ''The Rundown'' (2003), the sports drama '' Friday Night Lig ...
and starring
Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Mark Wahlberg, multiple accolades, including a B ...
was released.


Music

*In June 2010, Steve Goodie, a comedy musician, wrote parody lyrics to The Doobie Brothers' hit song "Black Water" related to the BP oil spill. "Black Water P Version also had a
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
video. *In 2011,
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on '' Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The To ...
, then host of
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...
, created a protest song about how there were still tarballs floating around the Gulf of Mexico called "Balls In Your Mouth." He performed it a number of times on the show with different guest singers, including
Eddie Vedder Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist i ...
,
Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor. He was born in New Zealand, spent ten years of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently at age twenty one. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maxi ...
, Brad Paisley, and Florence Welch. *In 2011,
Rise Against Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardc ...
released a song titled " Help Is on the Way" on their album ''Endgame''. The song is about the slow response time for aid to disaster-stricken areas, with lyrics that allude to the Macondo spill and
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. *In 2012, the Dutch band
Epica Epica or EPICA may refer to: * Epica (band), a Dutch symphonic metal band * ''Epica'' (Kamelot album), 2003 * ''Epica'' (Audiomachine album), 2012 * The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) * The Epica Awards (International Adver ...
wrote a song titled "Deep Water Horizon" on their album '' Requiem for the Indifferent'' which highlighted humanity's effect on global warming inspired by the events of the oil spill. *On Election Day, November 6, 2012,
Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notabl ...
and Lorre Wyatt released the music video and single " God's Counting on Me, God's Counting on You", which they recorded and filmed live aboard the ''
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Beacon, New York that seeks to protect the Hudson River and surrounding wetlands and waterways through advocacy and public education. Founded by folk singer Pete Seeger ...
'' in 2010 immediately after the ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill. The song references the spill.Seeger, Pete
"God's Counting on Me, God's Counting on You"
YouTube, accessed December 5, 2012
* The oil spill inspired
Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music ...
's song "Gulf of Mexico".


Television

* The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is referenced in the 2010 episode of
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...
, " Coon 2: Hindsight". When a BP drilling vessel drills a new hole in the Gulf, it accidentally causes an oil spill in a protected zone, prompting one of the crewmen to exclaim "Oh, don't tell me we did it again?". Later on in the episode, DP drilled again and opened up a portal to another dimension, causing the gulf to be attacked by its creatures. Then they drilled on the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
hoping to change the gravitational pull on the Earth and quell the swells on the ocean, allowing them to place a cap on the portal. Unfortunately, in doing this,
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
emerged from the portal. Each time they drilled, Tony Hayward released a "we're sorry" campaign. The hole in the Gulf wasn't shut until two episodes later.


See also

*
Exxon Valdez oil spill The ''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989. '' Exxon Valdez'', an oil supertanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company bound for Long Beach, California struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef, w ...
* List of industrial disasters * List of oil spills * Offshore oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico (United States) * Taylor oil spill * Timeline of the ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill


References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , url=https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/8220 , title = Deepwater Horizon , publisher =
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditi ...
, access-date= 28 June 2019
{{cite news , url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2010/07/20107150283268524.html , title=BP begins testing new oil well cap , work =
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazee ...
, access-date=3 March 2013 , date=15 July 2010
{{cite news , url=http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Birds/Archives/2010/Oil-Spill-Birds.aspx , title=Bird Habitats Threatened by Oil Spill , work=National Wildlife , last=Tangley , first=Laura , publisher=National Wildlife Federation , date=30 April 2010 , access-date=3 May 2010 {{cite news , url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-submarine-dive-finds-oil-dead-sea-life/story?id=12305709 , title=Submarine Dive Finds Oil, Dead Sea Life at Bottom of Gulf of Mexico , first1=Matt , last1=Gutman , first2=Sarah , last2=Netter , work=ABS News , date=3 December 2010 , access-date=26 February 2011 {{cite news , url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/01/13/beinecke.gulf.oil.commission/ , publisher=CNN , title=Foul waters, hard lessons from BP oil spill , date=13 January 2011 {{cite news , last=Polson , first=Jim , url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-15/bp-oil-still-washing-ashore-one-year-after-end-of-gulf-spill.html , title=BP Oil Still Ashore One Year After End of Gulf Spill , publisher=Bloomberg , date=15 July 2011 , access-date=5 November 2011 {{cite web , url=http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/mmume/cetacean_gulfofmexico2010.htm#map , title=2010–2011 Cetacean Unusual Mortality Event in Northern Gulf of Mexico – Office of Protected Resources – NOAA Fisheries , publisher=Nmfs.noaa.gov , date=1 November 2011 , access-date=5 November 2011 {{cite web , author=Dahr Jamail , url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/04/201241682318260912.html , title=Gulf seafood deformities alarm scientists – Features , publisher=Al Jazeera , access-date=1 June 2012 {{cite web , url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/03/120322-gulf-oil-spill-tar-balls-wash-up-on-beaches/ , title=Tar Balls from BP Oil Spill Wash Up on Gulf Beaches , work=National Geographic , date=22 March 2012 , access-date=1 June 2012 {{cite news , first=Mark , last=Schleifstein , newspaper= The Times-Picayune , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/04/spilled_bp_oil_lingers_on_loui.html , date=20 April 2012 , title=Spilled BP oil lingers on Louisiana coast , access-date=1 June 2012 {{cite news , url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8242557/Obama-oil-spill-commissions-final-report-blames-disaster-on-cost-cutting-by-BP-and-partners.html , title=Obama oil spill commission's final report blames disaster on cost-cutting by BP and partners , work=The Daily Telegraph , date=5 January 2011 , access-date=5 November 2011 , location=London {{cite press release , url=http://www.boemre.gov/ooc/press/2011/press0914.htm , title=Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Team Releases Final Report , author=Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE)/U.S. Coast Guard Joint Investigation Team , publisher=U.S. Government , date=14 September 2011 , access-date=6 October 2011 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924075744/http://www.boemre.gov/ooc/press/2011/press0914.htm , archive-date=24 September 2011 {{cite web , url=http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/09/bp-mostly-not-entirely-blame-gulf-spill/42470/ , title=BP Mostly, But Not Entirely, to Blame for Gulf Spill – National , publisher=The Atlantic Wire , date=14 September 2011 , access-date=1 June 2012 {{Cite news , url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/24/kurt-mix-bp-engineer-oil-spill_n_1449316.html , title=Kurt Mix, BP Engineer, Faces First Oil Spill Charges , first=John , last=Rudolf , date=24 April 2012 , work=
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
, access-date=17 November 2012
{{cite web , url=https://www.propublica.org/article/feds-file-first-criminal-charges-related-to-bp-gulf-spill , title=Feds File First Criminal Charges Related to BP Gulf Spill , publisher=ProPublica , date=24 April 2012 , access-date=1 June 2012 {{cite news , url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/28/epa-suspends-bp-oil-spill , title=BP suspended from new US federal contracts over Deepwater disaster , first1=Suzanne , last1=Goldenberg , first2=US environment , last2=correspondent , first3=and Terry , last3=Macalister , date=28 November 2012 , newspaper=The Guardian {{cite web , url=http://www.deepwater.com/fw/main/IDeepwater-Horizon-i-Drills-Worlds-Deepest-Oil-and-Gas-Well-419C151.html , title=Transocean :: Deepwater Horizon Drills World's Deepest Oil & Gas Well , publisher=deepwater.com , year=2012 , access-date=20 November 2012 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426171257/http://www.deepwater.com/fw/main/IDeepwater-Horizon-i-Drills-Worlds-Deepest-Oil-and-Gas-Well-419C151.html , archive-date=26 April 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=91509 , title=Deepwater Horizon Sinks Offshore Louisiana , date=22 April 2010 , newspaper=RIGZONE Industry News, Stories, Analysis and Editorial {{cite news , url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-04-21-louisiana-oil-rig_N.htm , title=At least 11 workers missing after La. oil rig explosion , first=Rick , last=Jervis , agency=Associated Press , newspaper=
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
, date=21 April 2010 , access-date=21 April 2010
{{Cite press release , title=BP confirms that Transocean Ltd issued the following statement today , publisher=BP , date=21 April 2010 , url=http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7061443 , access-date=21 April 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425040406/http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7061443 , archive-date=25 April 2010 {{cite web , url=http://www.subseaiq.com/Data/Project.aspx?project_Id=562 , title=Offshore Field Development Projects: Macondo , publisher=Subsea.Org , access-date=18 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article212769.ece , title=Coast Guard confirms Horizon sinks , newspaper=Upstream Online , publisher=NHST Media Group , first1=Noah , last1=Brenner , first2=Anthony , last2=Guegel , first3=Tan , last3=Hwee Hwee , first4=Anthea , last4=Pitt , date=22 April 2010 , access-date=22 April 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/05/08/14902/bubble-methane-triggered-rig-blast/ , title=Bubble of methane triggered rig blast , publisher=Southern California Public Radio , agency=Associated Press , first1=Naoki , last1=Schwartz , first2=Harry R. , last2=Weber , date=1 May 2010 , access-date=29 June 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/rescued_oil_rig_workers_arrive.html , newspaper= The Times-Picayune , title=Rescued oil rig explosion workers arrive to meet families at Kenner hotel , first=Chris , last=Kirkham , date=22 April 2010 , access-date=22 April 2010 {{cite news , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/24spill.html , title=Search Ends for Missing Oil Rig Workers , last=Kaufman , first=Leslie , date=24 April 2010 , access-date=24 April 2010 , newspaper=The New York Times , page=A8 {{cite news , title=Coast Guard: Oil rig that exploded has sunk , date=22 April 2010 , url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/22/coast-guard-oil-rig-that-exploded-has-sunk/ , publisher=CNN , access-date=30 April 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/bp-seeks-judges-ruling-o_n_2459184.html , title=BP Seeks Gulf Oil Spill Size Ruling From Judge , first=Michael , last=Kunzelman , newspaper=
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
, agency=Associated Press , date=11 January 2013 , access-date=20 January 2013
{{cite news , url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8651624.stm , title=US military joins Gulf of Mexico oil spill effort , date=29 April 2010 , work=BBC News , access-date=29 April 2010 {{cite news , title=White House Struggles as Criticism on Leak Mounts , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/31/us/31spill.html , newspaper=The New York Times , date=30 May 2010 , first1=Clifford , last1=Krauss , first2=John , last2=Broder , first3=Jackie , last3=Calmes , access-date=1 June 2010 {{cite news , last=Henry , first=Ray , title=Scientists up estimate of leaking Gulf oil , url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37717335/#slice-2 , access-date=15 June 2010 , publisher=MSNBC , date=15 June 2010 , agency=Associated Press {{cite news , url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/robot-subs-trying-to-stop-gulf-oil-leak-1.865745 , title=Robot subs trying to stop Gulf oil leak , publisher=CBC News , date=25 April 2010 , access-date=25 April 2010 {{cite news , last1=Gillis , first1=Justin , last2=Robertson , first2=Campbell , title=Gulf Surface Oil Vanishing Quickly , work=The New York Times , date=28 July 2010 , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/us/28spill.html {{cite news , url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2010/08/05/1620679/doubts-follow-rosy-oil-report.html , title=Doubts follow rosy oil report , last1=Bolsatd , first=Erika , last2=Schoof , first2=Renee , last3=Talev , first3=Margaret , work= The Sun News , date=5 August 2010 , access-date=5 August 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403033047/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2010/08/05/1620679/doubts-follow-rosy-oil-report.html , archive-date=3 April 2012 {{cite news , last=Zabarenko , first=Deborah , url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-spill-risk-idUSTRE6730IJ20100804 , title=Nearly 3/4 of BP spill oil gone from Gulf , work=Reuters , date=4 August 2010 , access-date=15 August 2010 {{cite news , url=http://news.oneindia.in/2010/08/06/scientistscall-new-gulf-spill-reportludicrous.html , title=Scientists call new gulf spill report 'ludicrous' – Oneindia News , publisher=News.oneindia.in , access-date=15 August 2010 {{cite news , title=BP has another setback as oil slick threatens Florida , url=http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/06/bp_frees_saw_from_pipe_oil_thr.html , access-date=26 February 2011 , first=Greg , last=Bluestein , date=3 June 2010 , work=The Plain Dealer , agency=Associated Press {{cite news , url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2010/06/24/1550150/oil-spewing-once-again-in-the.html , title=Oil spewing once again in the Gulf , last=Kunzelman , first=Michael , work=The Sun News , agency=Associated Press , date=24 June 2010 , access-date=24 June 2010 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320070710/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2010/06/24/1550150/oil-spewing-once-again-in-the.html , archive-date=20 March 2012 , url-status=dead {{cite news , url=http://oilspilldisasters.com/admiral-gulf-coast-spill-976407a , title=Admiral back on the Gulf Coast for spill , last1=McConnaughey , first1=Janet , last2=Stacy , first2=Mitch , work=The Sun News , agency=Associated Press , date=27 June 2010 , access-date=1 July 2010 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322111136/http://oilspilldisasters.com/admiral-gulf-coast-spill-976407a , archive-date=22 March 2012 , url-status=dead {{cite news , url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2010/07/06/1571890/bp-spill-spreads-to-texas.html , title=BP spill spreads to Texas , last=Lozano , first=Juan A. , work=The Sun News , agency=Associated Press , date=6 July 2010 , access-date=6 July 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403033053/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2010/07/06/1571890/bp-spill-spreads-to-texas.html , archive-date=3 April 2012 {{cite news , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070605045.html , title=Oil in Lake Pontchartrain stokes worries in New Orleans , last1=Mui , first1=Ylan Q. , last2=Fahrenthold , first2=David A. , newspaper=The Washington Post , date=7 July 2010 , access-date=8 July 2010 {{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2010/09/new_wave_of_oil_comes_ashore_w.html , title=New wave of oil comes ashore west of Mississippi River , first=Bob , last=Marshall , date=12 September 2010 , newspaper=The Times-Picayune , access-date=14 September 2010 {{cite news , url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8656627.stm , title=US oil spill 'threatens way of life', governor warns , date=2 May 2010 , work=BBC News , access-date=2 May 2010 {{cite news , url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2010/05/14/engineers_work_to_place_siphon_tube_at_oil_spill_site.html , title=Engineers work to place siphon tube at oil spill site , first1=Erika , last1=Bolstad , first2=Lesley , last2=Clark , first3=Daniel , last3=Chang , publisher=McClatchy Newspapers , newspaper=
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and par ...
, date=14 May 2010 , access-date=14 May 2010
{{cite news , url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10191622 , title='Top kill' BP operation to half US oil leak fails , date=29 May 2010 , access-date=29 May 2010 , work=BBC News {{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article216214.ece , title=Top kill fails , newspaper= Upstream Online , publisher=
NHST Media Group NHST Media Group AS (previously Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende AS) is a Norwegian media conglomerate that publishes a number of newspapers and online tools. The company dates back to 1889 when it started the predecessor of '' Dagens Næring ...
, date=28 May 2010 , access-date=1 June 2010
{{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article215093.ece , title=BP misses on first tube try , first1=Noah , last1=Brenner , first2=Anthony , last2=Guegel , first3=Anthea , last3=Pitt , newspaper= Upstream Online , publisher=
NHST Media Group NHST Media Group AS (previously Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende AS) is a Norwegian media conglomerate that publishes a number of newspapers and online tools. The company dates back to 1889 when it started the predecessor of '' Dagens Næring ...
, date=15 May 2010 , access-date=30 June 2010
{{cite press release , url=http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7062283 , title=Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Response – May 24 , publisher=BP , date=24 May 2010 , access-date=24 May 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524113229/http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7062283 , archive-date=24 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/may/27/gulf-awaits-word-latest-bid-plug-oil-leak/ , title=Gulf awaits word on latest bid to plug oil leak , first1=Ben , last1=Nuckols , first2=Greg , last2=Bluestein , agency=Associated Press , newspaper=Knoxville News , date=27 May 2010 , access-date=29 June 2010 {{cite news , url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/37527612/Oil_Stains_Beaches_and_Tourists_as_Slick_Spreads , title=Oil stains beaches and tourists as slick spreads , last1=Nelson , first1=Melissa , last2=Mohr , first2=Holbrook , publisher=
CNBC CNBC (formerly Consumer News and Business Channel) is an American basic cable business news channel. It provides business news programming on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time, while broadcasting talk s ...
, agency=Associated Press , date=5 June 2010 , access-date=29 June 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430004459/https://www.cnbc.com/id/37527612/Oil_Stains_Beaches_and_Tourists_as_Slick_Spreads , archive-date=30 April 2011
{{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article218091.ece , title=Hayward says spill 'never should have happened' , last1=Brenner , first1=Noah , newspaper= Upstream Online , publisher=
NHST Media Group NHST Media Group AS (previously Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende AS) is a Norwegian media conglomerate that publishes a number of newspapers and online tools. The company dates back to 1889 when it started the predecessor of '' Dagens Næring ...
, date=17 June 2010 , access-date=17 June 2010
{{cite news , url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/south/view.bg?articleid=1267053 , title=Robots begin work to remove cap from gushing well , last=Breen , first=Tom , newspaper=
Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...
, agency=Associated Press , date=9 July 2010 , access-date=26 February 2011 {{dead link, date=February 2019, bot=medic{{cbignore, bot=medic
{{cite web , last=Wells , first=Kent , title=Sealing Cap Installation Animation , url=http://bp.concerts.com/gom/sealingcapinstallationanimationwithkentwells070910.htm , publisher=BP , access-date=18 July 2010 {{cite web , url=http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/images/relief_well_diagram.jpg , title=Relief wells and Subsea containment illustration , publisher=BP , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720122111/http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/images/relief_well_diagram.jpg , archive-date=20 July 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article215111.ece , title=Second Macondo relief well under way , newspaper=Upstream Online , publisher=NHST Media Group , date=17 May 2010 , access-date=25 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-06-14-oil-relief-well_N.htm , title=Relief wells aim at pipe 18,000 feet deep , work=USA Today , date=14 June 2010 , access-date=15 June 2010 , first=Dan , last=Vergano {{cite web , author=The Oil Drum , url=http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6810 , title=BP's Deepwater Oil Spill – Tests End and the Kill Begins, Well Reaches Static Condition , publisher=Theoildrum.com , date=4 August 2010 , access-date=27 December 2011 {{cite news , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/05/AR2010080503076.html , title=BP begins pumping cement in next stage of 'static kill' , newspaper=The Washington Post , date=5 August 2010 , access-date=27 December 2011 , first1=Joel , last1=Achenbach , first2=Steven , last2=Mufson , first3=William , last3=Branigin {{cite news , url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/03/crews-prepare-raise-failed-blowout-preventer-key-piece-evidence-bps-oil-spill/ , title=BP: Blowout preventer that failed to stop Gulf of Mexico oil leak removed from well , publisher=Fox News Channel , agency=Associated Press , date=3 September 2010 , access-date=3 September 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/04/bp-crews-raising-blowout-preventer-gulf-face-delay-wait-hydrates-melt/ , title=Failed blowout preventer, a key piece of evidence in Gulf oil spill probe, secure on boat , publisher=Fox News Channel , agency=Associated Press , date=4 September 2010 , access-date=5 September 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/16/government-relief-intersected-blown-bp-gulf-mexico/ , title=BP: Cement being pumped in to permanently seal the company's blown-out well in Gulf of Mexico , publisher=Fox News Channel , date=16 September 2010 , access-date=18 September 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/09/19/blown_out_bp_well_finally_killed_at_bottom_of_gulf/ , title=Blown-out BP well finally killed at bottom of Gulf , first=Harry R. , last=Weber , newspaper=
Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Gl ...
, agency=Associated Press , date=19 September 2010 , access-date=26 February 2011
{{cite news , first=Dahr , last=Jamail , url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2011/09/201191163236563698.html , title=The return of the BP disaster? , date=1 September 2011 , publisher=Al Jazeera , access-date=5 November 2011 {{cite web , author=Ben Raines, Press-Register , url=http://blog.al.com/live/2011/08/scientists_oil_fouling_gulf_co.html , title=Scientists: Oil fouling Gulf matches Deepwater Horizon well (photo gallery, video) | al.com , date=26 August 2011 , publisher=Blog.al.com , access-date=5 November 2011 {{cite news , first=Mark , last=Schleifstein , newspaper=The Times-Picayune , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2011/08/bp_coast_guard_bp_investigatin.html , title=Coast Guard, BP investigating reports of oil at Deepwater Horizon site , date=26 November 2012 , access-date=5 November 2011 {{cite news , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/oil-in-new-gulf-slick-matches-that-of-2010-spill/2012/10/10/1f2b937c-1336-11e2-be82-c3411b7680a9_story.html , title=Oil in new Gulf slick matches that of 2010 spill , newspaper=Washington Post {{cite web , url=http://www.greatenergychallengeblog.com/2012/10/13/probe-deepens-on-new-oil-linked-to-bp-site/ , title=Probe Deepens on New Oil Linked to BP Site , first=Marianne , last=Lavelle , date=13 October 2012 , publisher=Great Energy Challenge Blog Containment boom effort comes up short in BP oil spill
''The Christian Science Monitor''. (11 June 2010). Retrieved 7 April 2011.
{{cite web , url=http://blog.al.com/al/2010/05/oil_spill_dispersants_could_be.html , title=Oil dispersants used in Gulf of Mexico spill causing alarm , date=17 May 2010 {{cite web , url=https://www.propublica.org/article/bp-gulf-oil-spill-dispersants-0430 , title=Chemicals Meant To Break Up BP Oil Spill Present New Environmental Concerns , first=Abrahm , last=Lustgarten , date=30 April 2010 , publisher=ProPublica {{cite web , url=http://magblog.audubon.org/migratory-birds-carry-chemicals-bp-oil-spill-minnesota-two-years-after-disaster , title=Migratory Birds Carry Chemicals from BP Oil Spill to Minnesota Two Years After Disaster , date=23 May 2012 , publisher=Audubon , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119170514/http://magblog.audubon.org/migratory-birds-carry-chemicals-bp-oil-spill-minnesota-two-years-after-disaster , archive-date=19 January 2013 {{cite news , url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/studentnews/05/15/oil.spill.dispersants/ , title=What are oil dispersants? , publisher=CNN , date=15 May 2010 , access-date=2 July 2010 {{cite web , url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0515/In-Gulf-oil-spill-how-helpful-or-damaging-are-dispersants , title=In Gulf oil spill, how helpful – or damaging – are dispersants? , author=Mark Guarino , date=15 May 2010 , work=The Christian Science Monitor {{cite web , url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0517/Gulf-oil-spill-Has-BP-turned-corner-with-siphon-success , title=Gulf oil spill: Has BP 'turned corner' with siphon success? , author=Mark Guarino , date=17 May 2010 , work=The Christian Science Monitor {{cite news , last=Khan , first=Amina , url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/04/science/la-sci-dispersants-20100905 , title=Gulf oil spill: Effects of dispersants remain a mystery , work=Los Angeles Times , date=4 September 2010 , access-date=5 September 2010 {{cite news , last=Swartz , first=Spencer , url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703946504575469691667534962 , title=BP Provides Lessons Learned From Gulf Spill , work=The Wall Street Journal , date=3 September 2010 , access-date=5 September 2010 {{cite journal , first=Eli , last=Kintisch , title=An Audacious Decision in Crisis Gets Cautious Praise , url=http://www.strategicsciencesworkinggroup.com/omeka-1.2.1/archive/files/08132010sciencekintisch_0c67e8dae0.pdf , journal=Science , volume=329 , date=13 August 2010 , pmid=20705819 , issue=5993 , doi=10.1126/science.329.5993.735 , pages=735–736 , access-date=18 February 2013 , bibcode=2010Sci...329..735K , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729063955/http://www.strategicsciencesworkinggroup.com/omeka-1.2.1/archive/files/08132010sciencekintisch_0c67e8dae0.pdf , archive-date=29 July 2013 {{cite news , author=Suzanne Goldenberg , url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/may/05/dispersant-deepwater-horizon-oil-toxic , title=Dispersant 'may make Deepwater Horizon oil spill more toxic' | Environment , work=The Guardian , date=5 May 2010 , access-date=5 September 2010 , location=London {{cite news , url=http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/ncp/product_schedule.htm , title=National Contingency Plan Product Schedule , publisher=Environmental Protection Agency , date=13 May 2010 , access-date=21 May 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521003529/http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/ncp/product_schedule.htm , archive-date=21 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/dispersants/directive-addendum2.pdf , title=Dispersant Monitoring and Assessment Directive – Addendum , date=20 May 2010 , publisher=Environmental Protection Agency , access-date=20 May 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523120141/http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/dispersants/directive-addendum2.pdf , archive-date=23 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/bp_is_sticking_with_its_disper.html , title=BP is sticking with its dispersant choice , first=Jonathan , last=Tilove , newspaper=Times-Picayune , date=21 May 2010 , access-date=22 May 2010 {{cite news , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/science/earth/25disperse.html , title=In Standoff With Environmental Officials, BP Stays With an Oil Spill Dispersant , newspaper=The New York Times , author=Elisabeth Rosenthal , date=24 May 2010 , access-date=25 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/dispersants/statement-dispersant-use-may24.pdf , title=Statement by EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson from Press Conference on Dispersant Use in the Gulf of Mexico with U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Landry , publisher=Environmental Protection Agency , first=Lisa P. , last=Jackson , author-link=Lisa P. 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The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
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BP oil spill: Kevin Costner's oil-water separation machines help with clean-up
''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
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"BP 'Excited' Over Kevin Costner's Oil Cleanup Machine, Purchases 32"
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Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
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The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles in electronic format as well as a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper ...
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Bloomberg Businessweek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...
, agency=Associated Press , title=Judge hears details of Gulf oil spill settlement , first=Michael , last=Kunzelman , url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9UC9G982.htm , date=25 April 2012 , access-date=22 January 2013
{{cite journal , url=http://www.stanfordlawreview.org/sites/default/files/McDonell-64-Stan-L-Rev-765.pdf , title=Comment. The Gulf Coast Claims Facility and the Deepwater Horizon Litigation: Judicial Regulation of Private Compensation Schemes , journal= Stanford Law Review , first=Colin , last=McDonell , volume=64 , issue=3 , date=March 2012 , pages=765–795 , access-date=22 January 2013 , issn=1939-8581 {{cite report , url=http://media.nola.com/2010_gulf_oil_spill/other/BDO%20Executive%20Summary.pdf , title=Independent Evaluation of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility. Executive Summary , publisher= BDO Consulting , date=19 April 2012 , access-date=22 January 2013 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606072228/http://media.nola.com/2010_gulf_oil_spill/other/BDO%20Executive%20Summary.pdf , archive-date=6 June 2013 , url-status=dead {{cite news , url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2012-04-19/gulf-oil-spill-claims/54422074/1 , title=Gulf residents to get extra $64M for 2010 oil spill claims , work=USA Today , date=19 April 2012 , access-date=1 June 2012 {{cite press release , url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-economy-and-oil-spill-gulf-mexico , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216172438/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-economy-and-oil-spill-gulf-mexico , url-status=live , archive-date=16 February 2017 , title=Statement by the President on the Economy and the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico , author=Office of the Press Secretary , date=30 April 2010 , via= National Archives , work= whitehouse.gov , access-date=5 May 2010 {{Cite news , url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-spill-obama-text-idUSTRE65F02C20100616 , title=Full text of President Obama's BP Oil Spill speech , work=Reuters , date=15 June 2010 , access-date=16 June 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37273085/ns/politics-decision_2010/t/rand-paul-obama-bp-criticism-un-american/ , title=Rand Paul: Obama BP criticism 'un-American' , agency=Associated Press , publisher=MSNBC , date=21 May 2010 , access-date=19 November 2011 {{Cite news , author=Klaus, Krista , date=31 May 2010 , url=http://www2.tbo.com/news/oil-spill/2010/may/31/memorial-day-protest-bp-held-clearwater-station-ar-38905/ , title=Memorial Day protest of BP held at Clearwater station , publisher=
WFLA-TV WFLA-TV (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Tampa, Florida, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Tampa Bay area. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside St. Petersburg–licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate WTTA (ch ...
, News Channel 8, Tampa , access-date=2 June 2010
{{Cite news , url=http://wcco.com/consumer/bp.protest.bloomington.2.1725132.html , title=Protest held near BP gas station in Bloomington , publisher=
WCCO-TV WCCO-TV (channel 4) is a television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, broadcasting the CBS network to the Twin Cities area. It is owned and operated by the network's CBS News and Stations division, and maintains studio ...
, Minneapolis , date=31 May 2010 , access-date=3 July 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604034354/http://wcco.com/consumer/bp.protest.bloomington.2.1725132.html , archive-date=4 June 2010
{{cite web , url=http://www.neworleans.com/news/local-news/404880.html , title=More than a thousand people attend rally against BP and the government , publisher= WGNO TV, New Orleans , date=30 May 2010 , access-date=3 July 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706120409/http://www.neworleans.com/news/local-news/404880.html , archive-date=6 July 2010 {{Cite news , last=Weber , first=Harry , agency=
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
, date=29 June 2010 , url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/apnewsbreak-trade-group-says-bp-to-give-cash-to-gas-stations-due-to-lost-sales-from-boycotts , title=APNewsBreak: Trade group says BP to give cash to gas stations due to lost sales from boycotts , publisher=
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
, access-date=30 August 2019
{{cite press release , last=Palomo , first=J. , title=API response to commission report: "We've made progress to improve safety" , url=http://www.api.org/news-and-media/news/newsitems/2011/jan-2011/api-response-to-commission-report.aspx , access-date=13 February 2011 , publisher=
American Petroleum Institute The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the largest U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry. It claims to represent nearly 600 corporations involved in production, refinement, distribution, and many other aspects of the ...
{{cite news , last=Geman , first=B , title=Oil spill commission, lobbying group at odds over industry's credibility , url=http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/138129-oil-spill-commission-lobbying-group-at-odds-over-industrys-credibility- , access-date=13 February 2011 , newspaper=The Hill {{cite news , url=http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Oil-and-gas-industry-creates-offshore-safety-1690079.php , title=Oil and gas industry creates offshore safety institute , access-date=11 April 2011 , last1=Fowler , first1=Tom , last2=Dlouhy , first2=Jennifer , date=17 March 2011 , newspaper=
The Houston Chronicle ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
{{cite news , first=David , last=Teather , url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jul/14/british-companies-reputation-threat-us , title=British companies' reputation in the US is under threat, warns Washington overseas investment group , newspaper=
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
, date=14 July 2010 , access-date=16 July 2010 , location=London
{{cite news , first=Rowena , last=Mason , url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/7883303/UK-firms-suffer-after-BP-oil-spill.html , archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/7883303/UK-firms-suffer-after-BP-oil-spill.html , archive-date=11 January 2022 , url-access=subscription , url-status=live , title=UK firms suffer after BP oil spill , newspaper=The Daily Telegraph , access-date=19 July 2010 , date=10 July 2010 , location=London{{cbignore {{cite news , url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/7815713/Barack-Obamas-attacks-on-BP-hurting-British-pensioners.html , archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/7815713/Barack-Obamas-attacks-on-BP-hurting-British-pensioners.html , archive-date=11 January 2022 , url-access=subscription , url-status=live , title=Barack Obama's attacks on BP hurting British pensioners , newspaper=
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
, date=9 June 2010 , access-date=19 November 2011 , location=London , first1=Louise , last1=Armitstead , first2=Myra , last2=Butterworth{{cbignore
{{Cite news , url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/may/13/bp-boss-admits-mistakes-gulf-oil-spill , title=BP Boss Admits Job on the Line over Gulf oil spill , work=The Guardian , location=London , date=13 May 2010 , access-date=5 June 2010 , first=Tim , last=Webb {{Cite news , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/04/us/04image.html , title=Another Torrent BP Works to Stem: Its C.E.O. , last1=Mouawad , first1=Jad , last2=Krauss , first2=Clifford , newspaper=
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
, date=3 June 2010 , access-date=5 June 2010
{{cite video , url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37588890/ns/disaster_in_the_gulf/ , title=BP downplays government claim on oil plumes , format=Flash video , publisher=MSNBC , date=9 June 2010 , access-date=10 June 2010 , time=3:42 {{Cite news , url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Broadcast/bp-buys-search-engine-phrases-redirecting-users/story?id=10835618 , title=BP Buys 'Oil' Search Terms to Redirect Users to Official Company Website , work=ABC News , author=Emily Friedman , date=5 June 2010 , access-date=6 May 2010 {{Cite news , last=Morgan , first=Gareth , title=BP buys 'oil spill' sponsored links for search engines , url=https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/06/bp-turns-to-google-ads-to-save.html , access-date=13 June 2010 , newspaper=New Scientist , date=7 June 2010 {{cite news , first1=Terry , last1=Macalister , first2=Richard , last2=Wray , url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jul/26/tony-hayward-to-quit-bp , title=Tony Hayward to quit BP , newspaper=The Guardian , date=26 July 2010 , access-date=18 September 2010 , location=London {{cite news , first=Terry , last=Macalister , url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jul/25/bob-dudley-profile-bp-ceo , title=Bob Dudley: Profile of the new BP chief executive , newspaper=The Guardian , date=25 July 2010 , access-date=18 September 2010 , location=London {{cite press release , url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/143771.htm , publisher=
United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other na ...
, title=Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: International Offers of Assistance , date=29 June 2010 , access-date=19 January 2013
{{Cite news , last=Rogin , first=Josh , title=U.S. not accepting foreign help on oil spill , url=http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/05/06/us_not_accepting_foreign_help_on_oil_spill , access-date=12 June 2010 , newspaper=Foreign Policy , date=6 May 2010 {{Cite news , url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0619/Jones-Act-Maritime-politics-strain-Gulf-oil-spill-cleanup , title=Jones Act: Maritime politics strain Gulf oil spill cleanup , first=Patrik , last=Jonsson , date=19 June 2010 , access-date=27 June 2010 {{cite news , title=Obama oil spill commission's final report blames disaster on cost-cutting by BP and partners , url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8242557/Obama-oil-spill-commissions-final-report-blames-disaster-on-cost-cutting-by-BP-and-partners.html , access-date=6 January 2011 , newspaper=The Telegraph , date=5 January 2011 , agency=Reuters , location=London {{cite web , title=Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling , url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/pdf_final/DEEPWATER_ReporttothePresident_FINAL.pdf , author=National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling , publisher=US Government , date=January 2011 , access-date=12 January 2011 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315193621/https://s3.amazonaws.com/pdf_final/DEEPWATER_ReporttothePresident_FINAL.pdf , archive-date=15 March 2011 {{cite news , title=BP and firms made risky decisions before spill: report , url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oilspill-bp-causes-idUSTRE7045SX20110105 , first=Ayesha , last=Rascoe , access-date=19 January 2013 , work=Reuters , date=5 January 2011 {{cite news , last=Broder , first=John M. , title=Blunders Abounded Before Gulf Spill, Panel Says , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/science/earth/06spill.html , access-date=6 January 2011 , newspaper=The New York Times , date=5 January 2011 {{cite news , last=Mufson , first=Steven , title=BP, Transocean, Halliburton blamed by presidential Gulf oil spill commission , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/05/AR2011010504631.html , access-date=6 January 2011 , newspaper=The Washington Post , date=5 January 2011 {{cite news , title=Panel: Without changes in oil industry and government, BP-like spill could happen again , url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-us-gulfoilspill,0,7248032.story , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920151128/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-us-gulfoilspill%2C0%2C7248032.story , url-status=dead , archive-date=20 September 2011 , access-date=26 February 2011 , newspaper=Chicago Tribune , date=5 January 2011 , last1=Cappiello , first1=Dina , last2=Weber , first2=Harry R. {{cite journal , url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0914/Gulf-oil-spill-report-BP-ultimately-responsible-in-Gulf-spill , title=Gulf oil spill report: BP ultimately responsible in Gulf spill , journal=Christian Science Monitor , first=Dina Cappiello and Harry R. , last=Weber , date=14 September 2011 {{cite news , title=BP, Transocean Lawsuits Surge as Oil Spill Spreads in Gulf , date=1 May 2010 , agency= Bloomberg , url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-04-30/bp-transocean-face-at-least-23-lawsuits-over-gulf-rig-blast-crude-spill.html , access-date=1 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/it-business/3275978/bp-24bn-lawsuits-claim-contractors-failed-to-use-modelling-software-properly/ , title=BP £24bn lawsuits claim contractors failed to use modelling software properly , publisher= Computerworld UK , author=Leo King , date=21 April 2011 , access-date=26 April 2010 {{cite news , title=Accord Reached Settling Lawsuit Over BP Oil Spill , first1=John , last1=Schwartz , date=3 March 2012 , newspaper=
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
, url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/us/accord-reached-settling-lawsuit-over-bp-oil-spill.html , access-date=20 January 2013
{{cite news , title=US points to 'gross negligence' by BP , date=5 September 2012 , publisher=
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazee ...
, url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/09/2012959561858341.html , access-date=20 January 2013
{{cite news , first=Richard , last=Thompson , newspaper= The Times-Picayune , url=http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2013/01/federal_judge_approves_bp_gulf.html , date=11 January 2013 , title=Federal judge approves BP Gulf oil spill medical settlement , access-date=14 February 2013 "BP, plaintiffs reach billion dollar deal in Gulf oil spill"
CNN, 3 March 2012
{{cite news , title=BP Will Plead Guilty and Pay Over $4 Billion , first1=Clifford , last1=Krauss , first2=John , last2=Schwartz , date=15 November 2012 , newspaper=
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
, url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/business/global/16iht-bp16.html , access-date=3 February 2013
{{cite news , title=BP pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2010 gulf oil spill , first1=Michael , last1=Muskal , date=29 January 2013 , newspaper=
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
, url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-bp-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-in-2010-gulf-oil-spill-20130129,0,2609286.story , access-date=3 February 2013
{{Cite news , url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-28/business/sns-rt-us-bp-contractsbre8ar0m1-20121128_1_bp-plc-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill , title=U.S. bans BP from new government contracts after oil spill deal , first1=Roberta , last1=Rampton , first2=Timothy , last2=Gardner , agency=Reuters , date=28 November 2012 , newspaper=
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
, access-date=1 December 2012
{{Cite news , url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/11/28/news/economy/bp-ban/ , title=BP banned from federal contracts , first=Steve , last=Hargreaves , date=28 November 2012 , publisher= CNN , access-date=1 December 2012 {{cite web , url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/January/13-ag-004.html , title=Transocean Agrees to Plead Guilty to Environmental Crime and Enter Civil Settlement to Resolve U.S. Clean Water Act Penalty Claims from Deepwater Horizon Incident , publisher= Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs , date=3 January 2013 , access-date=11 January 2013 {{Cite press release , url=http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Launches-Safety-and-Environmental-Protection-Reforms-to-Toughen-Oversight-of-Offshore-Oil-and-Gas-Operations.cfm , title=Salazar Launches Safety and Environmental Protection Reforms to Toughen Oversight of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations , publisher=US department of Interior , date=11 May 2010 , access-date=13 May 2010 {{cite press release , url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/weekly-address-president-obama-establishes-bipartisan-national-commission-bp-deepwa , title=Weekly Address: President Obama Establishes Bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling , date=22 May 2010 , access-date=1 June 2010 , url-status=live , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203181053/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/weekly-address-president-obama-establishes-bipartisan-national-commission-bp-deepwa , via= National Archives , work= whitehouse.gov , archive-date=3 February 2017 {{cite press release , url=https://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2010/ag-speech-100601.html , title=Attorney General Eric Holder on Gulf Oil Spill , publisher=
United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...
, date=1 June 2010 , access-date=3 February 2013
{{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article221198.ece , title=Anadarko and Mitsui executives set to testify , newspaper=Upstream Online , publisher=NHST Media Group , date=9 July 2010 , access-date=10 July 2010 {{cite news , url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8679090.stm , title=Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer 'faulty' – Congress , date=13 May 2010 , work=BBC News , access-date=21 June 2010 {{cite press release , url=http://www.dnv.com/press_area/press_releases/2011/dnvreportondeepwaterhorizonbopconcluded.asp , archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121143502/http://www.dnv.com/press_area/press_releases/2011/dnvreportondeepwaterhorizonbopconcluded.asp , url-status=dead , archive-date=21 January 2013 , title=DNV report on Deepwater Horizon BOP concluded , date=23 March 2011 , access-date=3 February 2013 {{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/hardcopy/news/article1315668.ece , first=Anthony , last=Guegel , title=US court accepts BP's Macondo guilty plea , newspaper=Upstream Online , publisher=NHST Media Group , date=31 January 2013 , access-date=3 February 2013 , id={{subscription required {{Cite news , url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/15/bp-deepwater-horizon-gulf-oil-spill , title=BP to pay $4.5bn penalty over Deepwater Horizon disaster , first1=Suzanne , last1=Goldenberg , first2=Dominic , last2=Rushe , date=15 November 2012 , newspaper=
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
, access-date=17 November 2012 , location=London
{{Cite news , url=http://www.nature.com/news/dirty-blizzard-buried-deepwater-horizon-oil-1.12304 , title=Dirty blizzard buried Deepwater Horizon oil , first1=Mark , last1=Schrope , date=26 January 2013 , work=
Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...
, access-date=3 February 2013
{{cite news , url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57566171/study-dirty-bathtub-buried-oil-from-bp-spill/ , work=CBS News , title=Study: "Dirty bathtub" buried oil from BP spill {{cite news , url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/gulf-oil-spill-deaths_n_2139669.html , work=Huffington Post , first=Jessica , last=Leader , title=The 11 Workers Who Died During The Deepwater Horizon Explosion , date=15 November 2012 {{cite journal , title=Dispersed Oil Disrupts Microbial Pathways in Pelagic Food Webs , first1=Alice C. , last1=Ortmann , first2=Jennifer , last2=Anders , first3=Naomi , last3=Shelton , first4=Limin , last4=Gong , first5=Anthony G. , last5=Moss , first6=Robert H. , last6=Condon , journal= PLOS ONE , date=July 2012 , volume=7 , issue=7 , doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0042548 , pmid=22860136 , id=e42548 , pages=e42548 , bibcode=2012PLoSO...742548O , pmc=3409195, doi-access=free {{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2011/09/tropical_storm_lee_surge_revea.html , title=Tropical Storm Lee surge reveals tar mats on Fourchon Beach , publisher=NOLA {{cite web , url=http://www.wdsu.com/weather/hurricanes/Discovery-of-tar-mat-prompts-Gulf-closure/-/12848220/16480956/-/aonomq/-/index.html , title=Discovery of 'tar mat' prompts Gulf closure , publisher=WDSU , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616003233/http://www.wdsu.com/weather/hurricanes/Discovery-of-tar-mat-prompts-Gulf-closure/-/12848220/16480956/-/aonomq/-/index.html , archive-date=16 June 2013 {{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/10/about_565000_lbs_of_oiled_mate.html , title=About 565,000 pounds of oiled material from Deepwater Horizon stirred up by Hurricane Isaac , publisher=NOLA {{cite news , agency=Associated Press , title=BP costs for oil spill response pass $3 billion , last=Breen , first=Tom , date=5 July 2010 , access-date=5 July 2010 , url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/5/bp-costs-oil-spill-response-pass-3-billion/ {{cite news , url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38493212/ns/business-us_business/ , title=Time to scrap BP brand? Gas-station owners divided , last=Weber , first=Harry , agency=Associated Press , date=19 December 2010 , access-date=30 July 2010 {{cite news , url=http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs/2010/FB10-055_BP_Oil_Spill_Closure_062110.pdf , title=FB10-055: BP Oil Spill: NOAA Modifies Commercial and Recreational Fishing Closure in the Oil-Affected Portions of the Gulf of Mexico , date=21 June 2010 , publisher=NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, Southeast Fishery Bulletin , access-date=22 June 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705094139/http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs/2010/FB10-055_BP_Oil_Spill_Closure_062110.pdf , archive-date=5 July 2010 {{cite news , url=http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ClosureSizeandPercentCoverage.htm , title=Deepwater Horizon/BP Oil Spill: Size and Percent Coverage of Fishing Area Closures Due to BP Oil Spill , date=21 June 2010 , publisher=NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office , access-date=22 June 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618133909/http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ClosureSizeandPercentCoverage.htm , archive-date=18 June 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1986323,00.html , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503045805/http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1986323,00.html , url-status=dead , archive-date=3 May 2010 , title=Bryan Walsh. (1 May 2010). Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: No End in Sight for Eco-Disaster. ''Time''. Retrieved 1 May 2010 , work=Yahoo! News , access-date=3 May 2010 , date=1 May 2010 {{cite news , url=http://www.nivac.info/?p=824 , title=Big price tag for recovery of Gulf Coast , last=Proctor , first=Carleton , work=Pensacola News Journal , date=1 August 2010 , access-date=1 August 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427044922/http://www.nivac.info/?p=824 , archive-date=27 April 2011 {{cite news , url=http://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/page/2009/11/Gulf_Oil_Spill_Analysis_Oxford_Economics_710.pdf , title=Potential Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill on Tourism , work=Oxford Economics , date=21 July 2010 , access-date=1 August 2010 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507030043/http://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/page/2009/11/Gulf_Oil_Spill_Analysis_Oxford_Economics_710.pdf , archive-date=7 May 2012 {{cite press release , url=http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=5117 , title=Response To Oil on Gulf Island Beaches Continues , publisher=
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
, date=4 June 2010 , access-date=13 June 2010
{{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/10/massive_stretches_of_weathered.html , title=Massive stretches of weathered oil spotted in Gulf of Mexico , date=23 October 2010 , work=The Times-Picayune , publisher=Nola.com , access-date=23 October 2010 {{cite journal , author1=Adcroft, A. , author2=R. Hallberg , author3=J. P. Dunne , author4=B. L. Samuels , author5=J. A. Galt , author6=C. H. Barker , author7=D. Payton , name-list-style=amp , year=2010 , title=Simulations of underwater plumes of dissolved oil in the Gulf of Mexico , journal= Geophysical Research Letters , volume=37 , issue=18 , page=L18605 , doi=10.1029/2010GL044689 , url=http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/cms-filesystem-action?file=user_files/aja/2010gl044689-combined.pdf , bibcode=2010GeoRL..3718605A, doi-access=free {{Cite report , url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42942.pdf , title=Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Recent Activities and Ongoing Developments , first1=Jonathan L. , last1=Ramseur , first2=Curry L. , last2=Hagerty , publisher=
Congressional Research Service The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a public policy research institute of the United States Congress. Operating within the Library of Congress, it works primarily and directly for members of Congress and their committees and staff on a ...
, date=31 January 2013 , access-date=13 February 2013 , series=CRS Report for Congress , id=R42942
{{cite journal , title=Dynamic autoinoculation and the microbial ecology of a deep water hydrocarbon irruption , author=Valentine, David L. , journal=
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' (often abbreviated ''PNAS'' or ''PNAS USA'') is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal. It is the official journal of the National Academy of Sc ...
, url=http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/oil-gas/publications/Hydrates/2012reports/nt0005667-nas-valentine.pdf , year=2011 , volume=109 , issue=50 , doi=10.1073/pnas.1108820109 , pages=20286–20291 , access-date=13 February 2013 , bibcode=2012PNAS..10920286V , display-authors=etal , pmid=22233808 , pmc=3528554, doi-access=free
{{cite news , url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57559656/bp-finishes-latest-search-for-gulf-oil-leaks/ , title=BP finishes latest search for Gulf oil leaks , date=17 December 2012 , work=
CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the '' CBS Evening News'', '' CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 4 ...
, first=Sharyl , last=Attkisson , access-date=13 February 2013
{{cite news , url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57558916/oil-may-be-seeping-from-deepwater-horizon-site/ , title=Oil may be seeping from Deepwater Horizon site , date=13 December 2012 , work=
CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the '' CBS Evening News'', '' CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 4 ...
, first=Sharyl , last=Attkisson , access-date=13 February 2013
{{cite news , url=http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/12/coast_guard_releases_videos_of.html , title=BP Macondo well, Deepwater Horizon wreckage videos released by Coast Guard , first=Mark , last=Schleifstein , date=28 December 2012 , work= The Times-Picayune , access-date=13 February 2013 {{cite news , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/10/plan_to_cap_and_plug_containme.html , title=Source of new oil sheen near Deepwater Horizon site has been plugged, BP says , date=25 October 2012 , first=Mark , last=Schleifstein , work= The Times-Picayune , access-date=13 February 2013 {{cite news , url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57566991/unknown-substance-leaking-from-deepwater-horizon-site/ , title=Unknown substance leaking from Deepwater Horizon site , date=31 January 2013 , work=
CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the '' CBS Evening News'', '' CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 4 ...
, first=Sharyl , last=Attkisson , access-date=13 February 2013
{{cite web , url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/09/2011912175412109550.html , title=No end in sight for oil in the Gulf of Mexico , first=Dahr , last=Jamail , publisher=Al Jazeera {{cite news , url=http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/The-Cover-Up-E-mails-Show-BP-Lied-to-Authorities-on-The-Deepwater-Horizon-Spill.html , title=The Cover Up: E-mails Show BP Lied to Authorities on The Deepwater Horizon Spill , date=10 December 2012 , publisher=OilPrice.com , first=Charles Kennedy , last=Kennedy , access-date=14 February 2013 {{cite news , url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/30/AR2010053002195_pf.html , title=Oil could spew until August, officials say , date=31 May 2010 , first1=Steven , last1=Mufson , first2=David S. , last2=Hilzenrath , newspaper=
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
, access-date=14 February 2013
{{cite video , url=http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/42220680 , title=Fresh oil hits Louisiana coast , date=22 March 2011 , publisher=
MSNBC MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...
, access-date=14 February 2013
{{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2011/09/coast_guard_says_oil_sheen_16.html , title=Coast Guard says oil sheen 16 miles northeast of BP well too dispersed to be recovered , publisher=NOLA {{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/10/sheen_at_deepwater_horizon_dis.html , title=Sheen at Deepwater Horizon disaster site is BP oil, Coast Guard says , publisher=NOLA {{cite web , url=http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/01/bp_deepwater_horizon_spill_sci.html , title=BP Deepwater Horizon spill: Scientists say seafood safe, but health effects being measured , publisher=NOLA {{cite news , url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-11/coast-guard-says-sheen-near-macondo-site-matches-2010-bp-spill , title=Coast Guard Says Sheen Near Macondo Matches 2010 BP Spill , work=
Bloomberg Businessweek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...
, date=11 October 2012 , access-date=16 February 2013 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016084502/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-11/coast-guard-says-sheen-near-macondo-site-matches-2010-bp-spill , archive-date=16 October 2012
{{cite web , url=http://www.onwingsofcare.org/protection-a-preservation/gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-2010/gulf-2013/359-20130127-calm-seas-troubled-waters.html , title=20130127-Calm seas but troubled waters , publisher=Onwingsofcare.org , access-date=16 February 2013 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204195851/http://onwingsofcare.org/protection-a-preservation/gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-2010/gulf-2013/359-20130127-calm-seas-troubled-waters.html , archive-date=4 February 2013 {{cite news , url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/jun/19/naomi-klein-gulf-oil-spill , location=London , work=The Guardian , first=Naomi , last=Klein , title=BP oil spill Deepwater Horizon, BP (Business), Oil spills (Environment), Oil and gas companies (Business), Oil (environment), Oil (business), US news, Conservation (Environment), Pollution (Environment), World news, Environment, Business , date=19 June 2010 BP spill response plans severely flawed , MNN – Mother Nature Network
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517012006/http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/bp-spill-response-plans-severely-flawed , date=17 May 2013
"Slosh and Berm: Building Sand Barriers off Louisiana's Coast to Hold Back Oil Spill Has Low Probability of Success"
David Biello in ''
Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it ...
'' 8 June 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010
{{cite magazine , url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/infrastructure/sand-berm-oil-cleanup-bp-spill , title=Are the Sand Berms Really Stopping Oil? , date=22 July 2010 , magazine=Popular Mechanics "Sand berms partially political"
article by Amy Wold in '' The Advocate'' 11 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010 {{webarchive , url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712221629/http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/98183534.html , date=12 July 2010
EPA slams Jindal's sand berm plan , wwltv.com New Orleans
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726225738/http://www.wwltv.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/EPA-slams-Jindals-sand-berm-plan-102590289.html , date=26 July 2014
{{cite conference , url=http://www.energyclaims.net/assets/Macondo-well-PC&R.pdf , title=BP Macondo Well Incident. U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Pollution Containment and Remediation Efforts , first=J. Steven , last=Butler , conference=Lillehammer Energy Claims Conference , publisher= BDO Consulting , date=3 March 2011 , access-date=17 February 2013 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821001051/http://www.energyclaims.net/assets/Macondo-well-PC%26R.pdf , archive-date=21 August 2014 {{cite report , url=http://media.mcclatchydc.com/smedia/2010/10/06/18/_Staff_Report_No._4.source.prod_affiliate.91.pdf , title=The Use of Surface and Subsea Dispersants During the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Draft , publisher=
National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling The National Commission on the BP ''Deepwater Horizon'' Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is a bipartisan presidential commission, established by Executive Order 13543 signed by Barack Obama on May 21, 2010, that is "tasked with providing recommen ...
, date=6 October 2010 , access-date=17 February 2013
{{cite magazine , url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/03/120322-gulf-oil-spill-tar-balls-wash-up-on-beaches/ , title=Tar Balls from BP Oil Spill Wash Up on Gulf Beaches , date=22 March 2012 , magazine=National Geographic {{cite web , url=http://blog.al.com/wire/2010/11/bp_oil_burn_health_risk.html , title=Burning off oil from BP spill in Gulf posed little health risk, feds say in new report (video) , date=12 November 2010 {{cite news , first1=Margaret , last1=Cronin Fisk , first2=Allen Jr. , last2=Johnson , title=BP Managers Plead Not Guilty to Deepwater Horizon Criminal Charges , date=28 November 2012 , url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-28/three-bp-managers-appear-in-court-to-answer-spill-charges-1-.html , agency= Bloomberg , access-date=19 February 2013 {{cite news , last=Plume , first=Karl , url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-bp-spill-offer-idUKBRE91M0AG20130223 , title=U.S. Justice, Gulf states crafting BP spill settlement , work=Reuters , date=23 February 2013 , access-date=24 February 2013 {{cite report , title=Deepwater Horizon Marine Casualty Investigation Report , date=17 August 2011 , url=http://www.register-iri.com/forms/upload/Republic_of_the_Marshall_Islands_DEEPWATER_HORIZON_Marine_Casualty_Investigation_Report-Low_Resolution.pdf , publisher=Office of the Maritime Administrator , access-date=25 February 2013 {{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article1318253.ece , title=Macondo trial gets under way , newspaper= Upstream Online , publisher=
NHST Media Group NHST Media Group AS (previously Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende AS) is a Norwegian media conglomerate that publishes a number of newspapers and online tools. The company dates back to 1889 when it started the predecessor of '' Dagens Næring ...
, first1=Kathrine , last1=Schmidt , date=25 February 2013 , access-date=26 February 2013
{{cite news , url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article1318281.ece , title=Blame game kicks off in Macondo trial , newspaper= Upstream Online , publisher=
NHST Media Group NHST Media Group AS (previously Norges Handels og Sjøfartstidende AS) is a Norwegian media conglomerate that publishes a number of newspapers and online tools. The company dates back to 1889 when it started the predecessor of '' Dagens Næring ...
, date=26 February 2013 , access-date=26 February 2013
{{cite news , url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-02-25/bp-oil-spill-errors-trial-begins-in-new-orleans-court , title=BP, Transocean Accused of 'Reckless' Actions in Spill , first1=Jef , last1=Feeley , first2=Allen Jr. , last2=Johnson , agency= Bloomberg , date=26 February 2013 , access-date=26 February 2013 {{cite news , url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/pnj/access/2468189491.html?FMT=ABS&date=Sep+26%2C+2011 , work=Pensacola News Journal , first=Kimberly , last=Blair , title=DISPERANTS: Chemicals BP used may cause cancer , date=26 September 2011 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728141637/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/pnj/access/2468189491.html?FMT=ABS&date=Sep+26%2C+2011 , archive-date=28 July 2013 {{cite news , first=Erika , last=Blumenfeld , url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2011/05/2011512141926468292.html , title=Exposing the human side of BP's oil spill , publisher=
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazee ...
, date=17 May 2011 , access-date=3 March 2013
{{cite news , first=Dahr , last=Jamail , url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/03/201138152955897442.html , title=Gulf spill sickness wrecking lives , publisher=
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazee ...
, date=9 March 2011 , access-date=27 March 2013
{{cite news , first=Tom , last=Fowler , title=First Criminal Charges Filed in Deepwater Horizon Accident , date=4 April 2012 , url=https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/04/24/first-criminal-charges-filed-in-deepwater-horizon-accident/ , newspaper=The Wall Street Journal , access-date=19 February 2013 {{cite news , title=BP Oil Spill Cleanup Workers Getting Sick, Exxon Valdez Survivor Warns of Long-Term Health Effects , date=7 July 2010 , url=http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/7/bp_oil_spill_cleanup_workers_getting , work= Democracy Now! , access-date=1 June 2013 {{cite report , url=https://homeport.uscg.mil/Lists/Content/Attachments/119/DeepwaterHorizonReport%20-31Aug2011%20-CD_2.pdf , title=On Scene Coordinator Report on Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , date=September 2011 , access-date=10 August 2018 , archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120915094912/http://www.uscg.mil/foia/docs/dwh/fosc_dwh_report.pdf , archive-date= 15 September 2012 , url-status= live


Further reading

*{{cite magazine , last=Khatchadourian , first=Raffi , date=11 March 2011 , title=A Reporter at Large: The Gulf war , magazine=
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
, volume=87 , issue=4 , pages=36–59 , url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/03/14/110314fa_fact_khatchadourian , access-date=15 December 2013, ref=none *{{cite book , last1=Liu , first1=Yonggang , last2=MacFadyen , first2=Amy , last3=Ji , first3=Zhen-Gang , last4=Weisberg , first4=Robert H. , date=2011 , title=Monitoring and Modeling the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: A Record-Breaking Enterprise , journal=Washington DC American Geophysical Union Geophysical Monograph Series , series=Geophysical Monograph Series , volume=195 , url=http://www.agu.org/books/gm/v195/ , doi=10.1029/GM195 , bibcode=2011GMS...195.....L , isbn=978-0-87590-485-6 , ref=none , access-date=6 November 2014 , archive-date=6 November 2014 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106110617/http://www.agu.org/books/gm/v195/ , url-status=dead *{{cite journal , last=Marghany , first=Maged , date=15 December 2014 , title=Utilization of a genetic algorithm for the automatic detection of oil spill from RADARSAT-2 SAR satellite data , journal= Marine Pollution Bulletin , volume=89 , issue=1–2 , pages=20–29 , doi=10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.10.041 , pmid=25455367 , ref=none *{{cite journal , author=Erik Stokstad , url=https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.339.6120.636?sid=afdc38fe-36d8-4607-b42e-d0ee805ba72a , title=BP Research Dollars Yield Signs of Cautious Hope , journal=Science , volume=339 , issue=6120 , pages=636–637 , date=8 February 2013 , access-date=25 February 2013 , doi=10.1126/science.339.6120.636 , pmid=23393236, bibcode = 2013Sci...339..636S , ref=none * {{cite web , author1=Daniel Kaniewski , author2=James Carafano , url=http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/08/critical-lessons-from-the-federal-response-to-the-gulf-oil-spill , title=Critical Lessons from the Federal Response to the Gulf Oil Spill , publisher=The Heritage Foundation , date=9 August 2010 , access-date=31 July 2015, author1-link=Daniel Kaniewski , ref=none


External links

{{Commons category, Deepwater Horizon oil spill * {{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/energy-and-environment/deepwater-bp-oil-spill, title=Deepwater BP Oil Spill – at Whitehouse.gov
Deepwater Horizon Incident, Gulf of Mexico
from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditi ...
(NOAA)
RestoreTheGulf.gov
official U.S. Government Web site, taking over content and functions from Deepwater Horizon Response site
Smithsonian's Ocean Portal

Science in a Time of Crisis: WHOI's response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
a multimedia presentation from
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, acronym pronounced ) is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of marine science and engineering. Established in 1930 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, i ...

"Approaches for Ecosystem Services Valuation for the Gulf of Mexico After the ''Deepwater Horizon'' Oil Spill: Interim Report by the National Academy of Sciences"

CDC – Oil Spill Response Resources – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic

The Role of BP in the ''Deepwater Horizon'' Explosion and Oil Spill: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, June 17, 2010


Lead state agency websites


Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

Mississippi DEQ
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620074732/http://www.deq.state.ms.us/MDEQ.nsf/page/Main_OilSpillLinksandPublicInformation2010?OpenDocument , date=20 June 2010
State of Florida Oil Spill Academic Task Force


News media



from ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''
Full coverage
from '' The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)''
ScientificAmerican.com 2015-04020 BP Gulf Oil Spill: 5 Years Later Indepth Report


{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912025233/http://cnso.nova.edu/news/articles/-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-caused-lasting-damage,-report-says.html , date=12 September 2015
BP Oil Spill
NPR


Interactive maps


Gulf Oil Spill Tracker
interactive map and form for citizen reporting (SkyTruth.org)

(''New York Times'')

(''New York Times'')


Images


Rig fire at ''Deepwater Horizon'' 4/21/10
video at CNN iReport
GOES-13 satellite images
on the CIMSS Satellite Blog
Underwater Video Examines Multiple Leak Points Causing BP Oil Spill

''The Big Fix''. Documentary about the oil spill


Animations and graphics


Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Interactive: Smithsonian Ocean Portal

BBC News – interactive animation to the disaster and blocking efforts


exploded view diagrams on the methods used to stop the oil spill
Graphic: Where the oil and gas went
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812171014/http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20120109%2FGRAPHICS02%2F120109575&template=graphics&tc=ar , date=12 August 2014
CSB produced blowout animation and technical explanation of cause of disaster
{{Deepwater {{BP {{DISPLAYTITLE:''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill Oil platform disasters in the United States Oil spills in the United States Explosions in the United States 2010 controversies 2010 disasters in the United States 2010 industrial disasters 2010 in the environment Oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico Maritime incidents in 2010 Disasters in Louisiana Obama administration controversies BP Transocean Halliburton Articles containing video clips April 2010 events in North America April 2010 events in the United States 2010 in Louisiana