The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the largest in history, resulting from an explosion at the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana while it sank on April 22, 2010. The rig’s owner, Transocean, leased it to BP oil, which prospected oil in the Mississippi Canyon at the Macondo valley. A rush of natural gas erupted and blasted the rig’s concrete core on April 20, 2010. Halliburton installed the core to maintain the well for future use. Investigations indicate that a similar incident happened with another one of BP’s rigs in the Caspian Sea in 2008. Assumptions indicated that BP’s cores were probably weak and could not withstand the enormous pressure as their structure included a concrete mixture with nitrogen gas to hasten the curing process.
The natural gas ignited after rising to the Deepwater rig’s platform, killing 11 employees and causing injuries to 17 others while it capsized, damaging the riser holding drilling mud to oppose rising pressure by oil and natural gas. This resulted in oil dissemination in the Gulf as it did not have an opposing force. BP estimated the volume of escaping oil at about 1,000 barrels daily, rising to 60,000 barrels daily as per the US government’s estimates. The company’s efforts to use the blowout preventer (BOP) were fruitless, leading to more oil spillage in the Gulf. This issue relates to course materials due to the devastating effects of oil on natural ecologies. Human beings are dependent on fossil fuels despite such incidences taking place. Canada’s efforts to mine bitumen in Alberta are similar to environmental degradation, albeit consciously. Governments should restrict prospecting companies to ensure they have a failsafe for malfunctions to avoid environmental disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon Blowout.
