BP Oil Spill Fouls Gulf of Mexico

BP oil spill

In April a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico owned by the British oil company BP exploded. Eleven workers were killed, and oil began spewing into the Gulf from the ruptured wellhead on the ocean floor. The drilling platform burned and sank, and containment systems failed. As the true extent of the leak became known, estimates of how much oil was spilling into the Gulf were revised upward, to more than 40,000 barrels per day, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In less than two weeks, a thick, brown sludge began contaminating Louisiana’s fragile coastal wetlands. The BP oil spill has inflicted devastating damage on beaches, vegetation, wildlife, and people from Louisiana to Florida.

BP’s engineers attempted several methods of plugging the leaking well, only to fail repeatedly. In early June, a cap placed on the wellhead allowed the recovery of significant amounts of oil and gas to ships on the surface. but oil continued leaking until the second week in July, when the well was finally capped. The company continued to work on measures to permanently block the damaged well.

Years of intensive cleanup efforts will be needed to recover from what is the worst ecological catastrophe in U.S. history. The fishing and tourism industries may take decades to recover, and some water and bird species and fringes of coastland may never recover. BP has paid for efforts to cap the well, contain the spreading oil, and clean up the coastal wetlands and beaches. The company set aside $20 billion to pay cleanup costs and compensation to victims for their economic losses.
Image © Julie Dermansky/Corbis

Related Links

  • Timeline: BP Oil Spill
    This BBC Web page includes a time line beginning with the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig through the recent successful capping of the well.
    (Source: BBC News, July 23, 2010)
  • BP Says Oil Has Stopped Leaking
    This BBC article provides an up-to-date account of the oil spill, its effects, and the measures being taken to control it.
    (Source: BBC News, July 16, 2010)
  • Deepwater Horizon/BP Oil Spill Response
    The Web site of NOAA, the nation’s leading scientific resource for oil spills, provides coordinated weather and biological response services to federal, state, and local organizations.
    (Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); accessed August 1, 2010)
  • Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster
    The Web site of the WWF includes links to numerous environmental organizations assisting in the cleanup from the BP oil spill on the Gulf Coast.
    (Source: World Wildlife Fund; accessed August 1, 2010)
  • Bringing the Oil Slick Home
    This interactive map lets you compare the size of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico to your state or region.
    (Source: Maps.com, InCarto blog; accessed August 1, 2010)

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Summarize What are the consequences of the BP oil spill for the Gulf Coast region’s environment and economy?
  2. Compare In what ways is the BP oil spill similar to and different from the disaster of Hurricane Katrina in 2005?
  3. Form and Support Opinions Given the level of U.S. consumption of oil and of energy in general, what role do you think offshore drilling should have in future energy policy?

25 Comments

  1. Justin says:

    This news gives me a sinking feeling in my gut. We have destroyed so much of mother natures wonders for our own special needs.

  2. zach says:

    again we did that about a year ago

    • Elsa says:

      America and the rest of the world are addicted to petorleum oil. And politicians are addicted to oil money from the lobbyists in the oil industry. I don’t read many books, but the next book that I am going to read is the book titled Why We Hate The Oil Companies, by John Hoffmeister. It seems to me that the oil industry dictates that the conventional auto industry makes and uses dirty, inefficient, complicated, and expensive reciprocating infernal combustion engine powered, transmission driven vehicles, but in my opinion, automobiles need to start to be made as absolutely efficient as possible, and they also need to be made with modular parts and components too, with minimalism in mind, for ease of maintenance, as well as to reduce purchasing costs and minimizing maintenance costs too. I think that future automobiles need to be powered by modular microturbines to maximize efficiency, and that they should be hybrids with four wheel transmissionless electric drive. Apart from this issue, I support and commend Tesla Motors, in California, for creating probably the worlds most efficient vehicles on the road today. I just wish that the purchasing price could be brought way down, to help lift poor people out of poverty and desperation!And seperate oil and state, stop subsidizing oil, you dirty politicans out there..!

  3. me says:

    wow this is cool

  4. lil wane says:

    bp stand fo beach ploters

    • Yuri says:

      TO PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE from gloriana casey 6/23/2010Oh, Oily Corporate Welfare Kings,inscrutable accnuntiog!Your profits rise so very high,GIANT, your discountings.NET OPERATING LOSS CARRY,is such a quaint, sad term. Our Government runs out of cash,yet YOU have piles to burn.ExxoxMobil, paid no taxin year two thousand nine.A country’s loss their profits grew.They are no friend of mine.Now Congress gives them lots of cuts,yet PEOPLE, they bleed dry.So Congress, please explain yourself,or Nation, it will die.Jurassic time, oil’s birth began,in pressure all those plants.Then heat and time produce results,in Titusville’s first lance.The first oilwell upon our soilin 1859.One hundred fifty-one whole years,our money loss, a crime.If BUSINESS of America,is business just for THEM.How will we build ECONOMY,in which to share this win?An army on its belly moves,so does entire nation.When Business takes the biggest bite,we’re left with consternation!The effort you put forth for us,one BTU in strength,is equal to just one match tip,Yes, Congress, a short length!OIL’s prospered much, and it has grown,so exponentially!The PEOPLE cry, out loud to you,you misuse Land of FREE. RESOURCES are the Nation’s gift,to grow a nation strong.For Corporate welfare is a sham,and simply, simply wrong! The GENERAL WELFARE, yes those words,PREAMBLE gave it voice.So use RESOURCES for our GOOD,that is the PEOPLES’ Choice!

  5. michelle says:

    sorry for the fishes!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Michelle Malpica Salgado says:

    So sorry, what happen.

  7. bob says:

    not cool

    • Sudha says:

      There isn’t enough money in the world to pay for all the gamade this is doing, and that has already done. That area will not be whole again for maybe 50-100 years, if ever. Species may be lost. BP is already pointing at Transocean, and Transocean is pointing at BP, and they’re both pointing at Halliburton, who is pointing back. You get the picture. The lawsuits will go on for years to come, and in the end We the People will pay for it. Some, with everything they’ve got, but all will pay in some way or other. Higher gas prices, higher fish prices, higher food prices. You know how it goes.The greasy buzzard who is guilty (there may be one or more) will no doubt get a fat bonus for it.##

  8. Anonomyous says:

    its been nearly a year now, and most of the oil has been cleaned. there are still dead animals. that is terrible.

  9. salvador says:

    this story rocks

  10. MR.GAUMER says:

    I HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

  11. Ashtash3000 says:

    This is horrible.I hope this never happens again. We should really step back and look at all the mess we have made on this world.!

  12. jayjay3333 says:

    @ justin you are so right 🙁

  13. blahblah456 says:

    Devistating! I feel bad for the animals 🙁

  14. Ida says:

    I feel terrible for the families of the 11 killed. We NEED to realize what we are doing to the Mother Earth!

    • Alianza says:

      Please add this capture to the This group is acltauly from “Lower Alabama” but I wouldlove to have any of your shots showing the oil spill andhow it’s affected the wildlife and the environment.Thanks ~ Judy

  15. Very Dirty ^ says:

    All Yall Very Dirty

  16. Danny says:

    Who’s the author of this article?
    Can someone tell me? 😀

    • Current Events Editor says:

      Danny,
      The articles on hmcurrentevents.com are written by editors in the Social Studies dept of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

  17. Lily says:

    thats so bad.We are slowly destroying mother nature and all the poor animals!