Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Essay

Deepwater Horizon is a Korean built oil rig platform that sat in the Gulf of Mexico. It arrived and became operation in the Gulf of Mexico in 2001 (Crandall, Parnell & Spillian, 2014). Although it functioned as a living quarters for employees, its main function was to drill for oil (Crandall, et al., 2014). The United States began using deepwater drilling as an alternative to offshore oil production in response to depleting oil reserves in more shallow waters off the United States’ coastline.

Days before the well exploded, BP, Macondo, and Halliburton, the owners and builders of the well, ran tests to ensure that the well was functioning properly and did not have any leaks (Crandall, et al., 2014). The results of their tests proved that there was not a good seal to contain the oil (Crandall, et al., 2014). Ultimately, they ran the tests three separate times, achieving the same results each time, and finally decided the results were incorrect and there was a good seal. They deemed Deepwater Horizon safe and properly functioning.

There were concrete pillars which supported the rig above the water. On April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico (Crandall, et al., 2014). Although there was a blowout preventer, it failed due to operator error. It spewed nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, killed 11 and injured 17 severely (Crandall, et al., 2014). Not only were human lives lost, but also various sea life was affected as well. In addition, this incident had crippling effects on the economy of the Gulf Coast, including tourism. Although Deepwater Horizon had a blowout preventer, an employee inadvertently affected its functionality (Crandall, et al., 2014). The fire from the explosion burned for 36 hours and was impossible to extinguish with water