Deepwater Horizon oil spill — oil spill that began in April 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico
The largest marine oil spill in petroleum industry history, discharging 4.9 million barrels into the Gulf of Mexico and resulting in a $20.8 billion settlement.
Key Facts
- Total discharge
- 4.9 million barrels barrels
- Well sealed
- 19 September 2010
- Oil dispersant used
- 1,840,000 US gallons US gal
- Criminal fines (2012)
- $4.525 billion USD
- Total environmental settlement
- $20.8 billion USD
- Total company costs by 2018
- Over $65 billion USD
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
On 20 April 2010, a blowout and explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform operating on BP's Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico. Investigations later attributed the disaster to defective well cement, cost-cutting decisions by BP and its partners, and systemic failures in both industry safety practices and government oversight.
The explosion triggered the largest marine oil spill in petroleum industry history, with the U.S. federal government estimating 4.9 million barrels discharged into the Gulf of Mexico. Response efforts employed skimmer ships, floating booms, controlled burns, and nearly 1.84 million gallons of dispersant. The well was not declared sealed until 19 September 2010, nearly five months after the initial blowout.
Extensive damage was inflicted on marine and wildlife habitats, fisheries, and tourism industries across the Gulf Coast. BP pleaded guilty to 11 counts of manslaughter and agreed to record settlements totaling $20.8 billion by 2016, the largest environmental damage settlement in U.S. history. Cleanup operations and ecological impacts persisted for years, with oil and dispersant residue detected as far as Tampa Bay and dolphin mortality rates remaining elevated.