The deal would settle roughly 100,000 claims filed by individuals and businesses affected by the spill. Academy Directory. If that proves to be the case, the sheen can be expected to eventually disappear. But this was only the start of the disaster. [104] USGS director Marcia McNutt stated that the riser pipe could hold at most 1,000bbl (160m3) because it is open on both ends, making it unlikely to hold the amount of oil being observed. Bioremediation for marine oil spills. [215] [187] The U.S. 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. [142][143][144] BP reduced Corexit use by 25,689 to 23,250USgal (97,240 to 88,010L) per day, a 9% decline. [59], On 25 July 2013, Halliburton pleaded guilty to destruction of critical evidence after the oil spill and said it would pay the maximum allowable fine of $200,000 and will be subject to three years of probation. BP will pay $4.5billion in fines and other payments, the largest of its kind in US history. The effects of a small spill can take 15 . [59], It was estimated with plus-or-minus 10% uncertainty that 4.9Mbbl (780,000m3) of oil was released from the well; 4.1Mbbl (650,000m3) of oil went into the Gulf. [123], For a time, a group called Matter of Trust, citing insufficient availability of manufactured oil absorption booms, campaigned to encourage hair salons, dog groomers and sheep farmers to donate hair, fur and wool clippings, stuffed in pantyhose or tights, to help contain oil near impacted shores, a technique dating back to the Exxon Valdez disaster. Responding to the report, Transocean and Halliburton placed all blame on BP. The U.S. State Department listed 70 assistance offers from 23 countries, all being initially declined, but later, 8 had been accepted. Bioremediation was used extensively to combat the devastating effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 and British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. [3], From April to mid-July 2010, 411controlled in-situ fires remediated approximately 265,000bbl (11.1million USgal; 42,100m3). [3] For offshore, more than 60open-water skimmers were deployed, including 12purpose-built vehicles. The scientists said that their findings would most likely apply to other large predator fish and "even to humans, whose developing hearts are in many ways similar." The organization Smithsonians National Zoological Park also helped to rescue the remaining marine life. [232], By June 2010, 143spill-exposure cases had been reported to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; 108 of those involved workers in the clean-up efforts, while 35 were reported by residents. This coalition gained significant influence in the clean-up of the oil spill to try to gain some control over the situation. BP and the Department of Justice agreed to a record-setting $4.525billion in fines and other payments. Investigations continue into the public health effects on coastal residents and responders who investigated and cleaned up the mess. It fouled the coasts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas and launched a six-year long environmental and legal battle. Early response to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion (USCG). Although that method did not remove the oil completely, chemicals called dispersants were used to hasten the oil's degradation to prevent the oil from doing further damage to the marine habitats below the surface water. [181] They also said that they wanted to provide access to the information while maintaining safety. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. It uses microorganisms or biological agents to treat oil spills, and soils contaminated 4. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection . The deepwater oil plume was greater than 35 km in distance and 30% was still in the water column. "[151][152], The three basic approaches for removing the oil from the water were: combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. [364][365][366] Three more BP employees were charged in November 2012. [56] In October, weathered oil reached Texas. [266][267], On 30 April 2010, President Barack Obama ordered the federal government to hold the issuing of new offshore drilling leases and authorized the investigation of 29oil rigs in the Gulf in an effort to determine the cause of the disaster. Not only was BP required to pay both criminal and civil court ordered penalties of more than $20.8 billion, they funded $500 million in additional research in 2010. The number of barrels was in dispute at the conclusion of the trial with BP arguing 2.5million barrels were spilled over the 87 days the spill lasted, while the court contends 4.2million barrels were spilled. The oil well over which it was positioned was located on the seabed 4,993 feet (1,522 metres) below the surface and extended approximately 18,000 feet (5,486 metres) into the rock. The spill area hosts 8,332species, including more than 1,270fish, 604 polychaetes, 218birds, 1,456mollusks, 1,503crustaceans, 4sea turtles and 29marine mammals. [254], The spill had a strong economic impact to BP [255] and also the Gulf Coast's economy sectors such as offshore drilling, fishing and tourism. The North American Wetlands Conservation Fund received $100 million from the court fines to support projects on wetlands restoration and conservation in the United States, Canada and Mexico. [198] Chemicals from the spill were found in migratory birds as far away as Minnesota. [173] Notwithstanding restrictions, there were 800 to 1,000flights per day during the operations. These projects allowed restoration of the Gulf to begin immediately. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Physical Health among Adult Women in Southern Louisiana: The Women and Their Childrens Health (WaTCH) Study. "[351][352] The Supreme Court of the United States later refused to hear BP's appeal after victims and claimants, along with numerous Gulf coast area chambers of commerce, objected to the oil major's efforts to renege on the Settlement Agreement. The ever-growing increase in deep-sea oil explorations in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) has been raising concerns with regard to future oil spills. [81][324] This fund was set aside for natural resource damages, state and local response costs, and individual compensation, but could not be used for fines or penalties. [15][69] Although only "minute" quantities of oil continued to wash up in 2013, patches of tar balls were still being reported almost every day from Alabama and Florida Panhandle beaches. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill | Gulf of Mexico | April 2010 What Happened? For example, genes for hydrocarbon degradation (ex: alkB) are found in uncontaminated samples from the Gulf of Mexico more commonly than in other regions around the world. "[281] Some observers suggested that the Obama administration was being overly aggressive in its criticisms, which some BP investors saw as an attempt to deflect criticism of his own handling of the crisis. The oil firm alleged failed safety systems and irresponsible behaviour of contractors had led to the explosion, including claims that Halliburton failed to properly use modelling software to analyze safe drilling conditions. For the Deep Horizon oil spill, cleanup workers used 1,400,000USgal (5,300,000l; 1,200,000impgal) of various chemical dispersants to further breakdown the oil. [124][125], The spill was also notable for the volume of Corexit oil dispersant used and for application methods that were "purely experimental. [228] A 2015 study of the relative toxicity of oil and dispersants to coral also found that the dispersants were more toxic than the oil. He apportioned 67% of the blame for the spill to BP, 30% to Transocean, and 3% to Halliburton. Crude oil is a heterogeneous hydrophobic compound that contains four classes of molecules: saturates, aromatics, asphaltenes, and resins [10] . In addition to the private lawsuits and civil governmental actions, the federal government charged multiple companies and five individuals with federal crimes. [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. His ruling stated that BP "employees took risks that led to the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history", that the company was "reckless", and determined that several crucial BP decisions were "primarily driven by a desire to save time and money, rather than ensuring that the well was secure." MOEX Offshore 2007 agreed to pay $45million to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, $25million to five Gulf state and $20million to supplemental environmental projects. This is the preferred method when members of the indigenous microbial community are capable of degrading oil [10]. On beaches the main techniques were sifting sand, removing tar balls, and digging out tar mats manually or by using mechanical devices. Though the leak had slowed, it was estimated by a government-commissioned panel of scientists that 4,900,000 barrels of oil had already leaked into the gulf. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. (2001). Selective pressure placed upon communities of organisms by the large increase of petroleum and other petroleum derivatives selects for the survival of organisms that can use petroleum and derivatives as energy, electron, and or carbon source [5]. In March 2014, BP was again allowed to bid for oil and gas leases. [326][327] Until this more than one million claims of 220,000 individual and business claimants were processed and more than $6.2billion was paid out from the fund. [179][183][184] Some members of Congress criticized the restrictions placed on access by journalists. [353], In September 2014, Halliburton agreed to settle a large percentage of legal claims against it by paying $1.1billion into a trust by way of three installments over two years. Marisa Taylor and Renee Schoof for McClatchy Newspapers, 18 May 2010. Subsurface oil remained offshore and in fine silts. This included its own estimate of both the remaining business economic loss claims and the claims of businesses that opted out of the private settlement agreement, as well as the $20.8 billion settlement with the federal government and five states. 1752 N St. NW. ", "BP Buys 'Oil' Search Terms to Redirect Users to Official Company Website", "BP buys 'oil spill' sponsored links for search engines", "Bob Dudley: Profile of the new BP chief executive", "Why we disrupted Tony Hayward's award at the University of Birmingham", "Honorary degree for ex-BP Gulf of Mexico boss is a sick joke", "University defends degree for Deepwater Horizon boss Tony Hayward", "Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: International Offers of Assistance", "U.S. not accepting foreign help on oil spill", "Jones Act: Maritime politics strain Gulf oil spill cleanup", "Salazar Launches Safety and Environmental Protection Reforms to Toughen Oversight of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations", "Weekly Address: President Obama Establishes Bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling", "Attorney General Eric Holder on Gulf Oil Spill", "Anadarko and Mitsui executives set to testify", "Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer 'faulty' Congress", Transocean, Halliburton blast BP report on cause of blowout, oil spill, "Gulf oil spill: President's panel says firms complacent", "Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling", "BP and firms made risky decisions before spill: report", "Blunders Abounded Before Gulf Spill, Panel Says", "BP, Transocean, Halliburton blamed by presidential Gulf oil spill commission", "Panel: Without changes in oil industry and government, BP-like spill could happen again", "DNV report on Deepwater Horizon BOP concluded", "Gulf oil spill report: BP ultimately responsible in Gulf spill", "Comment. [66] In April 2012, oil was still found along as much as 200mi (320km) of Louisiana coastline and tar balls continued to wash up on the barrier islands. BP issued a statement strongly disagreeing with the finding, and saying the court's decision would be appealed. They used this assessment to develop a science-based, comprehensive restoration plan for the Gulf of Mexico, which will be funded through a settlement with BP for up to $8.8 billion. [157][158] After one week of testing, BP began to proceed[159] and by 28 June, had removed 890,000bbl (141,000m3). As a result, about $64million of additional payments was made. [62] Estimates of the residual ranged from a 2010 NOAA report that claimed about half of the oil remained below the surface to independent estimates of up to 75%. Post-oil spill samples on the other hand, contain mostly oil-degrading organisms with drastic decrease in diversity. Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In early July the LMRP cap was removed for several days so that a more permanent seal could be installed; this capping stack was in place by July 12. There was a microbial shift in the deepwater community as the chemistry and nature of the oil changed. 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. [192] The oil contained approximately 40% methane by weight, compared to about 5% found in typical oil deposits. [302], In July 2013, Hayward was awarded an honorary degree from Robert Gordon University. However, it was verified in June that the plumes were in fact from the Deepwater spill. Court order granting partial summary judgment of liability for the spill, criminal plea agreement with BP Exploration & Production, Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc., Transocean Deepwater Inc., Transocean Holdings LLC, and Triton Asset Leasing GmbH (Transocean), Phase One Trial: Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law on Gross Negligence and Willful Misconduct, Phase Two Trial: Findings of Fact on Source Control and the Amount of Oil Spilled, Ruling on Maximum Dollars-Per-Barrel Penalty Amount, as Adjusted by the Penalty Inflation Act, $14.9 billion civil settlement with BP Exploration & Production. "[18] Another peer-reviewed study, released in March 2014 and conducted by 17 scientists from the United States and Australia and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that tuna and amberjack that were exposed to oil from the spill developed deformities of the heart and other organs that would be expected to be fatal or at least life-shortening. [319][321] It criticized BP for its failure to run a cement bond log test. NOAA led development of the preliminary restoration planning, along with the U.S. As oil spread, did BP battle to contain the media? Bioremediation. Fortunately, unlike higher organisms that are adversely impacted by oil spills, microorganisms are able to . A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. 2. [290][291], In July 2010, President Obama issued an executive order, specifically citing the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, that adopted recommendations from the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and established the National Ocean Council. argument that the Gulf region is "undergoing a robust recovery". Under the Clean Water Act fines can be based on a cost per barrel of up to $4,300, at the discretion of the judge. Both cores were likely too weak to withstand the pressure because they were composed of a concrete mixture that used nitrogen gas to accelerate curing. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.. On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Gulf Coast, killing 11 people and injuring 17. [105], In October 2012, BP reported that they had found and plugged leaking oil from the failed containment dome, now abandoned about 1,500ft (460m) from the main well. [165] However, biogeochemist Chris Reddy said natural microorganisms are a big reason why the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was not far worse. In a New York Times opinion piece, Stephen Teague, staff attorney at the Mississippi Center for Justice, argued that BP had become "increasingly brazen" in "stonewalling payments." That 80 percent resulted in $5.3 billion going to the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Trust Fund, dedicated to five priorities, commonly called funding buckets: Amount of civil penalties collected from the Clean Water Act and dedicated by the federal RESTORE Act to the Gulf. [113] In 2012, Markus Huettel, a benthic ecologist at Florida State University, maintained that while much of BP's oil was degraded or evaporated, at least 60% remains unaccounted for. [172], During the spill response operations, at the request of the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a 900sqmi (2,300km2) temporary flight restriction zone over the operations area. 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. [318] The report stated that "whether purposeful or not, many of the decisions that BP, Halliburton, and Transocean made that increased the risk of the Macondo blowout clearly saved those companies significant time (and money). Brown pelicans and laughing gulls were among the species most affected. 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. Now, a team of American scientists led by Terry Hazen have shown that just a. Government officials acting on behalf of the public when there is injury to, destruction of, loss of, or threat to natural resources. "[318] BP released a statement in response to this, saying, that "even prior to the conclusion of the commission's investigation, BP instituted significant changes designed to further strengthen safety and risk management. [176], Local and federal authorities citing BP's authority denied access to members of the press attempting to document the spill from the air, from boats, and on the ground, blocking access to areas that were open to the public. 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. Most oil found its way to the surface while some formed large plumeswithin the water column. Dan Zak for the Washington Post, 3 June 2010. Fish and Wildlife Service and the. As of January2013[update], 935personnel were still involved. [41] The oil flowed for 87 days. In the case of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, clean-up workers treated the oil with over 1.4 million gallons of various chemical dispersants. [16][71], First, BP unsuccessfully attempted to close the blowout preventer valves on the wellhead with remotely operated underwater vehicles. [287] The American Petroleum Institute (API) stated that the offshore drilling industry is important to job creation and economic growth. [117][118][119], The Louisiana barrier island plan was developed to construct barrier islands to protect the coast of Louisiana. Number of adult oysters lost to the marketplace because of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill. [312], On 8 September 2010, BP released a 193-page report on its web site. BP responded that the concentrations of oil in the study were a level rarely seen in the Gulf, but The New York Times reported that the BP statement was contradicted by the study.[19]. [59][162] By mid-September, other research claimed that microbes mainly digested natural gas rather than oil. The trusteesGovernment officials acting on behalf of the public when there is injury to, destruction of, loss of, or threat to natural resources. [28] In April 2016, BP agreed to pay $20.8billion in fines, the largest corporate settlement in United States history.
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