He described BP's actions as "reckless." [13] 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. [347] The settlement includes payments of $2.394billion to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, $1.15billion to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, $350million to the National Academy of Sciences for oil spill prevention and response research, $100million to the North America Wetland Conservation Fund, $6million to General Treasury and $525million to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Clean Water Act, RESTORE Act, Oil Pollution Act and criminal statutes lead to $20.8B settlement, largest in U.S. history, Unprecedented funding to support Gulf-wide restoration and research, Major restoration programs funded for next 30 years, NOAA, Department of the Interior and Gulf states developing a 15-year plan, Explosion triggered economic, environmental devastation, and a legal battle, The RESTORE Act results in funding buckets, Settlement to fund a coordinated restoration effort, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Number of adult oysters lost to the marketplace because of the, What resulted from this one incident was an economic, political, scientific and legal nightmare. Claims by several research groups that subsurface plumes of dispersed hydrocarbons had been detected in May were initially dismissed by BP and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). [75][76], 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. [20] 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. ", "National Contingency Plan Product Schedule", "Dispersant Monitoring and Assessment Directive Addendum", "BP is sticking with its dispersant choice", "BP Used Much Dispersant Despite E.P.A. 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. Bioremediation is a method used to treat water, soil, and subsurface material pollutants through changing environmental conditions to catalyze the growth of microorganisms and reduce the target pollutants 4. Environ Sci Technol 45(16):6709-6715. Washington, DC 20036. A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. Draft, National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, "For BP Cleanup, 2013 Meant 4.6 Million Pounds Of Oily Gunk", "Oil from BP spill pushed onto shelf off Tampa Bay by underwater currents, study finds", "Record Dolphin, Sea Turtle Deaths Since Gulf Spill", "Toxins released by oil spills send fish hearts into cardiac arrest", "Fish Embryos Exposed to Oil From BP Spill Develop Deformities, a Study Finds", "Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Team Releases Final Report", "BP Mostly, But Not Entirely, to Blame for Gulf Spill National", "Obama oil spill commission's final report blames disaster on cost-cutting by BP and partners", "BP Will Plead Guilty and Pay Over $4 Billion", "BP pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2010 gulf oil spill", "BP suspended from new US federal contracts over Deepwater disaster", "BP Deepwater Horizon costs balloon to $65 billion", "BP May Be Fined Up to $18 Billion for Spill in Gulf", "Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlements: Where the money went", "Transocean:: Deepwater Horizon Drills World's Deepest Oil & Gas Well", "Deepwater Horizon Sinks Offshore Louisiana", "At least 11 workers missing after La. Pelican eggs contained "petroleum compounds and Corexit". [26][27], 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. An alternative technique that has longer-term remediating effect is the use of microbes in oil cleaning. Pre-oil spill samples are what someone would expect in other beaches of similar location without contamination, which include a variety of diverse organisms that exhibit high level of interactions [5]. [15] Oil continued to be found as far from the Macondo site as the waters off the Florida Panhandle and Tampa Bay, where scientists said the oil and dispersant mixture is embedded in the sand. Brown pelicans and laughing gulls were among the species most affected. [112] The report led by the Department of the Interior and the NOAA said that "75% [of oil] has 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. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill added roughly 800 million liters of hydrocarbons to the Gulf of Mexico. [33][34] 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.[35]. The study is run by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and will last at least five years. [85][86][87] On 3 August 2010, first test oil and then drilling mud was pumped at a slow rate of approximately 2bbl (320L) per minute into the well-head. Executive Summary, "Gulf residents to get extra $64M for 2010 oil spill claims", "Judge hears details of Gulf oil spill settlement", "BP Class-Action Settlement Exceeds $1 Billion in Payments Over Gulf Oil Spill", http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/21/2465881/following-complaints-from-gulf.html, "Judge Rules Against BP Over Settlement Payout Request", "Lloyd's syndicates launch legal action over BP insurance claim", "BP, Transocean Lawsuits Surge as Oil Spill Spreads in Gulf", "BP 24bn lawsuits claim contractors failed to use modelling software properly", "BP begins to put spill behind it with settlement", "Accord Reached Settling Lawsuit Over BP Oil Spill", "Federal judge approves BP Gulf oil spill medical settlement", "BP, plaintiffs reach billion dollar deal in Gulf oil spill", "BP appeal to stop 'fictitious' U.S. oil spill claims fails", "DOJ accuses BP of 'gross negligence' in Gulf oil spill", "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA IN RE: OIL SPILL BY THE OIL RIG: MDL NO. We will now begin implementing restoration as laid out in the Trustees final comprehensive restoration plan. Only about 800,000 barrels had been captured. [57] As of July2011[update], about 491mi (790km) of coastline in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida were contaminated by oil and a total of 1,074mi (1,728km) had been oiled since the spill began. How did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affect birds? Construction of two such wells had begun in May. Now, a team of American scientists led by Terry Hazen have shown that just a. '"[341] The Court then went further, calling BP's position "nonsensical. [45] According to a group presenting the plaintiffs, the deal has no specific cap. "[280] Interior Secretary Ken Salazar stated, "Our job basically is to keep the boot on the neck of British Petroleum. [155] Due to use of Corexit the oil was too dispersed to collect, according to a spokesperson for shipowner TMT. A report from the University of Florida said that many locations showed 20% of fish with lesions, while later estimates reached 50%. ", EPA slams Jindal's sand berm plan | wwltv.com New Orleans, "How can human hair mop up the oil spill? [148] 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, 40F (4C) water at depths of 3,000ft (900m). BP was also faced with growing private claim payments estimated at $14.8 billion in October 2016. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Major oil spills in the GoM such as the Deepwater Horizon (DWH 2010) and the Ixtoc 1 (1979) resulted in extensive pollution of the pelagic, sea-floor, and coastal ecosystems. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has established the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill website for this purpose. 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. $159.5 million Civil Penalty Ruling Against Anadarko Petroleum Co. Under the final consent decree, BP will pay the trustees up to $8.8 billion, the largest recovery of damages ever for injuries to natural resources, to restore the Gulf. The Deepwater Horizon accident has brought oil contamination of deep-sea environments to worldwide attention. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [336] BP originally expected to spend $7.8billion. [38][39] Ninety-four crew members were rescued by lifeboat or helicopter, 17 of whom were treated for injuries. 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. There was a report detailing the release of thousands of tons of hydrocarbon gases (HC) into the atmosphere. [305][306] The USCG actively requested skimming boats and equipment from several countries.[307]. As of January2013[update], 935personnel were still involved. Have a comment on this page? [270] The moratorium suspended work on 33rigs,[270] and a group of affected companies formed the Back to Work Coalition. 4 million barrels of oil flowed from the damaged Macondo well over an 87-day period, before it was finally capped on July . Bioremediation for marine oil spills. It set five goals: In 2011, one year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The well is situated in the Macondo Prospect in Mississippi Canyon Block 253 (MC253) of the Gulf of Mexico, in the United States' exclusive economic zone. 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 to protect British interests in the United States. [233] 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. At the same time, organisms able to digest light components of the oil began to multiply, starting the process of converting the pollutant to carbon dioxide . Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Crude oil is shown in the Pacific Ocean offshore of Orange County, California, Oct. 3, 2021. On 20th April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig lost control of a well as a cement plug installed to temporarily abandon the well hole failed. $1 billion already allocated during early restoration which began in 2011. Many low-wage workers in the fishing and service industries, for example, have been seeking compensation for lost wages and jobs for three years. [4][49] By early June 2010, oil had washed up on 125mi (201km) of Louisiana's coast and along the Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama coastlines. [citation needed] Other studies have reported a variety of mental health issues, skin problems, breathing issues, coughing, and headaches. This webpage is limited to EPAs enforcement-related activities only, and does not cover all legal or other actions against BP Exploration & Production and other parties for the spill, such as private party/class action settlements for medical claims and economic damages, or other actions against those responsible for the spill. 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