The Deepwater Horizon Tragedy: 15 Years Of Ecological Restoration Are Underway - CleanTechnica

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion 15 years ago resulted in the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history, releasing approximately 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days. This disaster caused extensive ecological damage across 1,300 miles of shoreline from Texas to Florida, killing tens of thousands of marine animals including birds, sea turtles, and dolphins. The spill also had severe economic and health impacts, including the loss of over 25,000 jobs, $2.3 billion in industry output, and long-term health issues among cleanup workers. Recent studies reveal the spill’s deep-sea footprint was nearly nine times larger than initially reported, with significant declines in populations of dolphins, sperm whales, and beaked whales. In response, a $20.8 billion settlement was reached in 2016 involving BP, the U.S. government, and Gulf states, with BP obligated to pay up to $8.8 billion for natural resource damages through 2032