Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Essay

On April 22 the Deepwater Horizon’s rig capsized and sank (Pallardy, 2017). In 87 days there was a total of 3.19 million barrels of oil released into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Portal Team, 2016). During the spill a 22 mile long oil plume formed due to the chemical dispersants released allowed the oil and seawater to mix and stay just below the surface. Some oil floated on top of the water created an oil slick. About 20 percent of the spilled ended up on the top of and in the sea floor. This damaged sea corals and other unseen ecosystems. It was suggested that the core was too weak due to the concrete mixture using nitrogen gas to accelerate curing (Pallardy, 2017). In May different strategies were tried. First a containment dome was attempted and failed due to a reaction of natural gas and cold water known as gas hydrates. Then a “top kill” was attempted and failed, where drilling mud was pumped into the well to stop the oil flow. In June a Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) was used. It fit loosely over the BOP allowing some oil to escape, but also allowing BP to siphon oil to a tanker.

Then they try to skim or siphon what oil they can. Another option is to use sorbents, which are like sponges, made of many different materials. Dispersants are also used to break down the oil to mix with the water easier. In 2016 the courts approved a settlement with BP for $8.8 billion (NOAA, 2017). Some of the damage done to the local ecosystem and economy included 350 to 720 miles of shoreline, plant cover and vegetation reduces, between 4 and 8.3 billion harvestable oysters were lost, 51,000-84,000 birds were killed, between 56,000-166,000 juvenile sea turtles were killed, a 51 percent decrease in the dolphin population, 400-700 square miles of corals were impacted, and about $527 to $859 million was lost in recreation such as boating, fishing and beach