🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 42 (from laksa074)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa042.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill","crawl_time":1773063400,"first_indexed_time":1741127242,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,mobilebaynep!www,\/the_issues\/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill s443","src_root_hash":"8825738869188259842","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill - Mobile Bay National Estuary Program","meta_descriptions":[""],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"On April 20, 2010, the lives of residents of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico changed. An ultra-deep water, offshore oil-drilling rig, the\nDeepwater Horizon\n, owned by Transocean and leased to British Petroleum (BP), experienced an uncontrollable blowout, causing a fiery explosion that killed 11 crewmen. The fire could not be extinguished, and two days later, on April 22, the rig sank 5,000 feet and came to rest a quarter mile from the gushing wellhead on the seabed 41 miles off the southeastern Louisiana coast. The largest oil spill in U. S. waters ensued, with a total estimated discharge of 4.9 million barrels (or 210 million gallons) over 87 days and through repeated attempts to stop it. On July 15, 2010, a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe was bolted to the top, and valves were manually closed. On September 16, a relief well reached its destination, pumping of cement to seal the well began, and National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well “effectively dead” and posing no further threat to the Gulf.\nFundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal, and removal, involving approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels throughout the late spring and summer of 2010. Over 2,450 miles of containment and sorbent booms were deployed to corral oil or protect marshes, mangroves, or other ecologically-sensitive areas, but booms were criticized for washing up on vulnerable shorelines, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in rough conditions.\nThe volume and methods of application of Corexit oil dispersant remain a controversial topic. A total of 1.84 million gallons of dispersant were applied, with 771,000 gallons released directly at the wellhead and the rest sprayed from aircraft during 400 sorties. Concerns stemmed from several analyses demonstrating health risks associated with Corexit. Also, underwater dispersant injection may have created oil plumes that never reached the surface, and experts were concerned about the slow pace at which oil breaks down in cold water at great depths. Concerns were expressed that the dispersants contributed to the toxicity of the spill, and currents circulated this hazardous mixture throughout the Gulf.\nRemoval techniques included combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. An estimated 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface, and 3% was skimmed. Shoreline cleanup became the main task of responders following the July 15 capping. In Alabama, sandy beaches of Baldwin County and Mobile County’s Dauphin Island were sifted, tar balls were removed, and tar mats were dug manually or with excavators. In Louisiana, vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flushing, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used to treat oil-impacted marshes and wetlands. Mobile and Baldwin county impacts were more social and economic, rather than environmental, devastating the tourism and recreational fishing economies and the tax base used to fund schools and services.\nThis page contains a variety of informative links and reports detailing what MBNEP and our partners are doing to improve and protect water quality, living resources, habitats, and human uses in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.\nNews\nOur view: Is BP settlement a good deal for Alabama? We think not-\nopinion\nLaw professor says BP settlement a 'positive' for Alabama, but questions $1 billion to state's beleaguered General Fund\nAlabama Gulf Coast leaders sift through BP settlement confusion, prepare for possible regional divide\nAttorney General: BP settlement is justice for the Gulf Coast and all of Alabama-\nopinion\nRead Bradley Byrne's criticism of BP settlement: 'We deserve better'\nPress release from BP gives details to settlement\nGovernor Bentley, Attorney General Luther Strange announce multi-billion dollar settlement with BP\nRESTORE Council's Statement\nFull list of projects, with links to more specific information\nFunding\nDeepwater Horizon\nRestoration & Recovery: how much, going where, for what?\nTransocean Plea Agreement\nBP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster\nThe RESTORE Act and Additional Information\nThe RESTORE Act\nA Guide to the RESTORE Act By Jyotika I. Virmani\nThe RESTORE Act Flow Chart and Bill Comparison\nNRDA Related Links and Reports\nDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment\nGulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force\nGulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy\nEPA Links and Reports\nEPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico\nEstablishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Presidential documents\nAmerica's Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill\n(Mabus report)\nCoastal Recovery Commision Links and Reports\nCoastal Recovery Commission (CRC) of Alabama\nA Roadmap to Resilience: Towards a Healthier Environment, Society, and Economy for Coastal Alabama\nOther Great Links and Reports\nGulf Coast Oil Spill Response Power Point\nOil Pollution Act of 1990\nMississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Responding to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill\nGulf of Mexico: After the Spill\nMobile Baykeeper: BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to content](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill#content)\n\n- [Calendar](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/calendar)\\|\n- [News](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/news)\\|\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/contact)\n\n[Mobile Bay National Estuary Program A Division of The Dauphin Island Sea Lab](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/)\n\n- [Who We Are](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/who-we-are)\n  - 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[Bayou La Batre](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/bayou-la-batre-watershed)\n  - [Bon Secour](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/bon-secour-watershed)\n  - [Dauphin Island](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/dauphin-island-watershed)\n  - [Deer River](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/deer-river-watershed)\n  - [Dog River](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/dog-river-watershed)\n  - [D'Olive Creek](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/dolive-watershed)\n  - [Eastern Delta](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/eastern-delta)\n  - [Eastern Shore](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/eastern-shore)\n  - [Eight Mile Creek](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/eight-mile-creek-watershed)\n  - [Fowl River](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/fowl-river-watershed)\n  - [Grand Bay Swamp](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/grand_bay_swamp_watershed)\n  - [Gulf Frontal-Perdido](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/gulf-frontal)\n  - [Mobile Tensaw Delta](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/tensaw-apalachee-watershed)\n  - [Mon Louis Island](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/mon-louis-island-tip-restoration)\n  - [Three Mile Creek](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/three-mile-creek-watershed)\n  - [Weeks Bay](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/weeks-bay-watershed)\n  - [West Fowl River](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/west-fowl-river-watershed)\n  - [Western Delta](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/western-delta)\n  - [Western Perdido Bay](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/western-perdido-bay)\n  - [Western Shore](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/western-shore)\n  - [Wolf Bay](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds\/wolf-bay-watershed)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources)\n  - [AL Coastal Marine Planning Tool](http:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/Viewer\/index.html?appid=28ee2b81558d4aeab563164137b1cec7)\n  - [Alabama Water Watch](http:\/\/www.alabamawaterwatch.org\/)\n  - [Bays and Bayous Symposium](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources-2\/baysandbayous)\n  - [Clean Water Future](https:\/\/www.cleanwaterfuture.com\/)\n  - [Coastal Alabama Fisheries Fund](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources-2\/caff)\n  - [Educational Resources](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/what-we-do\/k-12-educational-resources)\n  - [Fish Consumption Advisories](https:\/\/aldem.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/MapSeries\/index.html?appid=a363906f419b423b857bb8a4a04750dd)\n  - [Habitat Mapping for Coastal Alabama](https:\/\/estuary.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/instant\/interactivelegend\/index.html?appid=1108010410bb4dde85edd22c98edcdb6)\n  - [Alabama's Real-Time Coastal Observing System (ARCOS)](https:\/\/www.disl.edu\/arcos\/)\n  - [Oysters Alabama](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources\/oysters-alabama)\n  - [Shellfish Aquaculture Siting Tool](http:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/webappviewer\/index.html?id=a32dad8dacd249ea86bcb80dd951a424)\n  - [Find Your Watershed](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources\/find-your-watershed)\n- [Library](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/library\/publications)\n  - [Publications](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/library\/publications)\n  - [Videos](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/library\/videos)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/mbnep-logo--division.svg)](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/)\n\n- [Who We Are](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/who-we-are)\n- [What We Do](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/what-we-do)\n- [What We Value](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_values)\n- [The Issues](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues)\n- [Watersheds](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources)\n- [Library](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/library\/publications)\n\n© 2026 Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. All rights reserved  \nWebsite by [Blue Fish](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/bluefishds.com)\n\n### Issues\n- [Apple Snails](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/apple-snails)\n- [Climate Change](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/climate_change)\n- [Coal Ash](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/coal-ash)\n- [Conversion of Natural Habitats](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/conversion-of-natural-habitats)\n- [Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill)\n- [Invasive Species](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/invasive-species)\n- [Legacy Contaminants](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/legacy-contaminants)\n- [Nutrients](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/nutrients)\n- [Pathogens](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/pathogens)\n- [Seagrass](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/sub_aquatic_vegetation)\n- [Sediments](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/sediments)\n- [Stormwater Runoff](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/stormwater-runoff)\n- [Submerged Aquatic Vegetation - Alabama’s Seagrass Beds](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/sub-aquatic-vegetation)\n\n# Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill\nOn April 20, 2010, the lives of residents of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico changed. An ultra-deep water, offshore oil-drilling rig, the *Deepwater Horizon*, owned by Transocean and leased to British Petroleum (BP), experienced an uncontrollable blowout, causing a fiery explosion that killed 11 crewmen. The fire could not be extinguished, and two days later, on April 22, the rig sank 5,000 feet and came to rest a quarter mile from the gushing wellhead on the seabed 41 miles off the southeastern Louisiana coast. The largest oil spill in U. S. waters ensued, with a total estimated discharge of 4.9 million barrels (or 210 million gallons) over 87 days and through repeated attempts to stop it. On July 15, 2010, a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe was bolted to the top, and valves were manually closed. On September 16, a relief well reached its destination, pumping of cement to seal the well began, and National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well “effectively dead” and posing no further threat to the Gulf.\n\nFundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal, and removal, involving approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels throughout the late spring and summer of 2010. Over 2,450 miles of containment and sorbent booms were deployed to corral oil or protect marshes, mangroves, or other ecologically-sensitive areas, but booms were criticized for washing up on vulnerable shorelines, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in rough conditions.\n\nThe volume and methods of application of Corexit oil dispersant remain a controversial topic. A total of 1.84 million gallons of dispersant were applied, with 771,000 gallons released directly at the wellhead and the rest sprayed from aircraft during 400 sorties. Concerns stemmed from several analyses demonstrating health risks associated with Corexit. Also, underwater dispersant injection may have created oil plumes that never reached the surface, and experts were concerned about the slow pace at which oil breaks down in cold water at great depths. Concerns were expressed that the dispersants contributed to the toxicity of the spill, and currents circulated this hazardous mixture throughout the Gulf.\n\nRemoval techniques included combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. An estimated 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface, and 3% was skimmed. Shoreline cleanup became the main task of responders following the July 15 capping. In Alabama, sandy beaches of Baldwin County and Mobile County’s Dauphin Island were sifted, tar balls were removed, and tar mats were dug manually or with excavators. In Louisiana, vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flushing, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used to treat oil-impacted marshes and wetlands. Mobile and Baldwin county impacts were more social and economic, rather than environmental, devastating the tourism and recreational fishing economies and the tax base used to fund schools and services.\n\nThis page contains a variety of informative links and reports detailing what MBNEP and our partners are doing to improve and protect water quality, living resources, habitats, and human uses in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.\n\n#### News\n[Our view: Is BP settlement a good deal for Alabama? We think not-*opinion*](http:\/\/www.al.com\/opinion\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/our_view_is_bp_settlement_a_go.html#incart_river)\n\n[Law professor says BP settlement a 'positive' for Alabama, but questions \\$1 billion to state's beleaguered General Fund](http:\/\/www.al.com\/news\/mobile\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/law_professor_says_bp_settleme.html#incart_river)\n\n[Alabama Gulf Coast leaders sift through BP settlement confusion, prepare for possible regional divide](http:\/\/www.al.com\/news\/mobile\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/alabama_gulf_coast_leaders_sif.html#incart_river)\n\n[Attorney General: BP settlement is justice for the Gulf Coast and all of Alabama-*opinion*](http:\/\/www.al.com\/opinion\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/ag_bp_settlement_is_justice_fo.html#incart_river)\n\n[Read Bradley Byrne's criticism of BP settlement: 'We deserve better'](http:\/\/www.al.com\/opinion\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/bradley_byrne_on_oil_spill_set.html#incart_river)\n\n[Press release from BP gives details to settlement](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/news\/press_release_from_bp_gives_details_to_settlement)\n\n[Governor Bentley, Attorney General Luther Strange announce multi-billion dollar settlement with BP](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/news\/gov_bentley_ag_strange_announce_multi_billion_dollar_settlement_with_bp)\n\n[RESTORE Council's Statement](http:\/\/www.restorethegulf.gov\/release\/2014\/12\/01\/read-council-selected-restoration-component-proposals-0)\n\n[Full list of projects, with links to more specific information](http:\/\/www.restorethegulf.gov\/ourwork\/council-selected-restoration\/fpl-development)\n\n[Funding *Deepwater Horizon* Restoration & Recovery: how much, going where, for what?](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/landing\/Funding-DH-Restoration-Recovery.pdf)\n\n[Transocean Plea Agreement](http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/documents\/transocean-plea-agreement.pdf)\n\n[BP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http:\/\/www.gulffuture.org\/latest-news\/bp-reaches-a-pleads-guilty-to-criminal-charges-in-the-2010-deepwater-horizon-oil-disaster.html)\n\n#### The RESTORE Act and Additional Information\n[The RESTORE Act](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/the_restore_act.pdf)\n\n[A Guide to the RESTORE Act By Jyotika I. Virmani](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/Guide_to_RESTORE_Act-virmani.pdf)\n\n[The RESTORE Act Flow Chart and Bill Comparison](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/RESTORE_ACT_flow_chart_and_bill_comparison.pdf)\n\n#### NRDA Related Links and Reports\n[Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment](http:\/\/www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Final-ERP-121311-print-version.pdf)\n\n#### Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force\n[Gulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/Gulf_of_Mexico_Regional_Ecosystem_Restoration_Strategy.pdf)\n\n#### EPA Links and Reports\n- [EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico](http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/bpspill\/)\n- [Establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Presidential documents](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/PresidentialDocumentGCERTF.pdf)\n- [America's Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gulfcoasttaskforce\/pdfs\/MabusReport.pdf) (Mabus report)\n#### Coastal Recovery Commision Links and Reports\n- [Coastal Recovery Commission (CRC) of Alabama](http:\/\/crcalabama.org\/)\n- [A Roadmap to Resilience: Towards a Healthier Environment, Society, and Economy for Coastal Alabama](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/ARoadmaptoResilience.pdf)\n#### Other Great Links and Reports\n- [Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response Power Point](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/Gulf_Coast_Oil_Spill_Response_Power_Point.pdf)\n- [Oil Pollution Act of 1990](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/opa90.pdf)\n- [Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Responding to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http:\/\/www.masgc.org\/page.asp?id=634)\n- [Gulf of Mexico: After the Spill](http:\/\/www.nature.org\/ourinitiatives\/regions\/northamerica\/areas\/gulfofmexico\/gulf-of-mexico-1-year-after-the-oil-spill.xml)\n- [Mobile Baykeeper: BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http:\/\/mobilebaykeeper.org\/environmental-matters-5)\n\n![footer MBNEP logo](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/mbnep-footer-logo--division.svg)\n\nMOBLE BAY NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM ASSOCIATED SITES:\n\n- [![DISL centered logo w Tag CMYK](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/uploads\/main\/DISL-centered-logo-w-Tag-CMYK_2024-09-04-185111_frup.png)](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https:\/\/www.disl.org\/)\n- [![Alabamas Real Time Coastal Observing System ARCOS 3](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/uploads\/main\/Alabamas-Real-Time-Coastal-Observing-System-ARCOS-3.png)](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https:\/\/arcos.disl.org\/)\n- [![CWF Logo color transparent background](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/uploads\/main\/CWF-Logo_color_transparent-background.png)](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https:\/\/cleanwaterfuture.com)\n\n- [Who We Are](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/who-we-are)\n- [What We Do](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/what-we-do)\n- [What We Value](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_values)\n- [The Issues](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues)\n- [Watersheds](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/resources)\n- [Library](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/library\/publications)\n- [NEWS](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/news)\n- [CONTACT](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/contact)\n\n© 2026 Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. All rights reserved [Blue Fish](http:\/\/bluefishds.com\/)\n\n- [![](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/who-we-are.svg) Who We Are](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/who-we-are)\n- [![](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/what-we-do.svg) What We Do](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/what-we-do)\n- [![](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/watersheds.svg) Watersheds](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/watersheds)\n- [![](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/book.svg) Library](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/library\/publications)\n- [![](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/images\/ellipse-menu.svg) Menu](https:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/the_issues\/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill)","attrs_readable_markdown":"On April 20, 2010, the lives of residents of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico changed. An ultra-deep water, offshore oil-drilling rig, the *Deepwater Horizon*, owned by Transocean and leased to British Petroleum (BP), experienced an uncontrollable blowout, causing a fiery explosion that killed 11 crewmen. The fire could not be extinguished, and two days later, on April 22, the rig sank 5,000 feet and came to rest a quarter mile from the gushing wellhead on the seabed 41 miles off the southeastern Louisiana coast. The largest oil spill in U. S. waters ensued, with a total estimated discharge of 4.9 million barrels (or 210 million gallons) over 87 days and through repeated attempts to stop it. On July 15, 2010, a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe was bolted to the top, and valves were manually closed. On September 16, a relief well reached its destination, pumping of cement to seal the well began, and National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well “effectively dead” and posing no further threat to the Gulf.\n\nFundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal, and removal, involving approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels throughout the late spring and summer of 2010. Over 2,450 miles of containment and sorbent booms were deployed to corral oil or protect marshes, mangroves, or other ecologically-sensitive areas, but booms were criticized for washing up on vulnerable shorelines, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in rough conditions.\n\nThe volume and methods of application of Corexit oil dispersant remain a controversial topic. A total of 1.84 million gallons of dispersant were applied, with 771,000 gallons released directly at the wellhead and the rest sprayed from aircraft during 400 sorties. Concerns stemmed from several analyses demonstrating health risks associated with Corexit. Also, underwater dispersant injection may have created oil plumes that never reached the surface, and experts were concerned about the slow pace at which oil breaks down in cold water at great depths. Concerns were expressed that the dispersants contributed to the toxicity of the spill, and currents circulated this hazardous mixture throughout the Gulf.\n\nRemoval techniques included combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. An estimated 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface, and 3% was skimmed. Shoreline cleanup became the main task of responders following the July 15 capping. In Alabama, sandy beaches of Baldwin County and Mobile County’s Dauphin Island were sifted, tar balls were removed, and tar mats were dug manually or with excavators. In Louisiana, vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flushing, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used to treat oil-impacted marshes and wetlands. Mobile and Baldwin county impacts were more social and economic, rather than environmental, devastating the tourism and recreational fishing economies and the tax base used to fund schools and services.\n\nThis page contains a variety of informative links and reports detailing what MBNEP and our partners are doing to improve and protect water quality, living resources, habitats, and human uses in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.\n\n#### News\n[Our view: Is BP settlement a good deal for Alabama? We think not-*opinion*](http:\/\/www.al.com\/opinion\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/our_view_is_bp_settlement_a_go.html#incart_river)\n\n[Law professor says BP settlement a 'positive' for Alabama, but questions \\$1 billion to state's beleaguered General Fund](http:\/\/www.al.com\/news\/mobile\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/law_professor_says_bp_settleme.html#incart_river)\n\n[Alabama Gulf Coast leaders sift through BP settlement confusion, prepare for possible regional divide](http:\/\/www.al.com\/news\/mobile\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/alabama_gulf_coast_leaders_sif.html#incart_river)\n\n[Attorney General: BP settlement is justice for the Gulf Coast and all of Alabama-*opinion*](http:\/\/www.al.com\/opinion\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/ag_bp_settlement_is_justice_fo.html#incart_river)\n\n[Read Bradley Byrne's criticism of BP settlement: 'We deserve better'](http:\/\/www.al.com\/opinion\/index.ssf\/2015\/07\/bradley_byrne_on_oil_spill_set.html#incart_river)\n\n[Press release from BP gives details to settlement](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/news\/press_release_from_bp_gives_details_to_settlement)\n\n[Governor Bentley, Attorney General Luther Strange announce multi-billion dollar settlement with BP](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/news\/gov_bentley_ag_strange_announce_multi_billion_dollar_settlement_with_bp)\n\n[RESTORE Council's Statement](http:\/\/www.restorethegulf.gov\/release\/2014\/12\/01\/read-council-selected-restoration-component-proposals-0)\n\n[Full list of projects, with links to more specific information](http:\/\/www.restorethegulf.gov\/ourwork\/council-selected-restoration\/fpl-development)\n\n[Funding *Deepwater Horizon* Restoration & Recovery: how much, going where, for what?](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/assets\/landing\/Funding-DH-Restoration-Recovery.pdf)\n\n[Transocean Plea Agreement](http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/documents\/transocean-plea-agreement.pdf)\n\n[BP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http:\/\/www.gulffuture.org\/latest-news\/bp-reaches-a-pleads-guilty-to-criminal-charges-in-the-2010-deepwater-horizon-oil-disaster.html)\n\n#### The RESTORE Act and Additional Information\n[The RESTORE Act](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/the_restore_act.pdf)\n\n[A Guide to the RESTORE Act By Jyotika I. Virmani](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/Guide_to_RESTORE_Act-virmani.pdf)\n\n[The RESTORE Act Flow Chart and Bill Comparison](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/RESTORE_ACT_flow_chart_and_bill_comparison.pdf)\n\n#### NRDA Related Links and Reports\n[Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment](http:\/\/www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Final-ERP-121311-print-version.pdf)\n\n#### Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force\n[Gulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/Gulf_of_Mexico_Regional_Ecosystem_Restoration_Strategy.pdf)\n\n#### EPA Links and Reports\n- [EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico](http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/bpspill\/)\n- [Establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Presidential documents](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/PresidentialDocumentGCERTF.pdf)\n- [America's Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gulfcoasttaskforce\/pdfs\/MabusReport.pdf) (Mabus report)\n#### Coastal Recovery Commision Links and Reports\n- [Coastal Recovery Commission (CRC) of Alabama](http:\/\/crcalabama.org\/)\n- [A Roadmap to Resilience: Towards a Healthier Environment, Society, and Economy for Coastal Alabama](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/ARoadmaptoResilience.pdf)\n#### Other Great Links and Reports\n- [Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response Power Point](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/Gulf_Coast_Oil_Spill_Response_Power_Point.pdf)\n- [Oil Pollution Act of 1990](http:\/\/www.mobilebaynep.com\/images\/uploads\/library\/opa90.pdf)\n- [Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Responding to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http:\/\/www.masgc.org\/page.asp?id=634)\n- [Gulf of Mexico: After the Spill](http:\/\/www.nature.org\/ourinitiatives\/regions\/northamerica\/areas\/gulfofmexico\/gulf-of-mexico-1-year-after-the-oil-spill.xml)\n- [Mobile Baykeeper: BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http:\/\/mobilebaykeeper.org\/environmental-matters-5)","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	On April 20, 2010, the lives of residents of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico changed. An ultra-deep water, offshore oil-drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon , owned by Transocean and leased to British Petroleum (BP), experienced an uncontrollable blowout, causing a fiery explosion that killed 11 crewmen. The fire could not be extinguished, and two days later, on April 22, the rig sank 5,000 feet and came to rest a quarter mile from the gushing wellhead on the seabed 41 miles off the southeastern Louisiana coast. The largest oil spill in U. S. waters ensued, with a total estimated discharge of 4.9 million barrels (or 210 million gallons) over 87 days and through repeated attempts to stop it. On July 15, 2010, a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe was bolted to the top, and valves were manually closed. On September 16, a relief well reached its destination, pumping of cement to seal the well began, and National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well “effectively dead” and posing no further threat to the Gulf. Fundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal, and removal, involving approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels throughout the late spring and summer of 2010. Over 2,450 miles of containment and sorbent booms were deployed to corral oil or protect marshes, mangroves, or other ecologically-sensitive areas, but booms were criticized for washing up on vulnerable shorelines, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in rough conditions. The volume and methods of application of Corexit oil dispersant remain a controversial topic. A total of 1.84 million gallons of dispersant were applied, with 771,000 gallons released directly at the wellhead and the rest sprayed from aircraft during 400 sorties. Concerns stemmed from several analyses demonstrating health risks associated with Corexit. Also, underwater dispersant injection may have created oil plumes that never reached the surface, and experts were concerned about the slow pace at which oil breaks down in cold water at great depths. Concerns were expressed that the dispersants contributed to the toxicity of the spill, and currents circulated this hazardous mixture throughout the Gulf. Removal techniques included combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. An estimated 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface, and 3% was skimmed. Shoreline cleanup became the main task of responders following the July 15 capping. In Alabama, sandy beaches of Baldwin County and Mobile County’s Dauphin Island were sifted, tar balls were removed, and tar mats were dug manually or with excavators. In Louisiana, vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flushing, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used to treat oil-impacted marshes and wetlands. Mobile and Baldwin county impacts were more social and economic, rather than environmental, devastating the tourism and recreational fishing economies and the tax base used to fund schools and services. This page contains a variety of informative links and reports detailing what MBNEP and our partners are doing to improve and protect water quality, living resources, habitats, and human uses in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. News Our view: Is BP settlement a good deal for Alabama? We think not- opinion Law professor says BP settlement a 'positive' for Alabama, but questions $1 billion to state's beleaguered General Fund Alabama Gulf Coast leaders sift through BP settlement confusion, prepare for possible regional divide Attorney General: BP settlement is justice for the Gulf Coast and all of Alabama- opinion Read Bradley Byrne's criticism of BP settlement: 'We deserve better' Press release from BP gives details to settlement Governor Bentley, Attorney General Luther Strange announce multi-billion dollar settlement with BP RESTORE Council's Statement Full list of projects, with links to more specific information Funding Deepwater Horizon Restoration & Recovery: how much, going where, for what? Transocean Plea Agreement BP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster The RESTORE Act and Additional Information The RESTORE Act A Guide to the RESTORE Act By Jyotika I. Virmani The RESTORE Act Flow Chart and Bill Comparison NRDA Related Links and Reports Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Gulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy EPA Links and Reports EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Presidential documents America's Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Mabus report) Coastal Recovery Commision Links and Reports Coastal Recovery Commission (CRC) of Alabama A Roadmap to Resilience: Towards a Healthier Environment, Society, and Economy for Coastal Alabama Other Great Links and Reports Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response Power Point Oil Pollution Act of 1990 Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Responding to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Gulf of Mexico: After the Spill Mobile Baykeeper: BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster
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All rights reserved Website by [Blue Fish](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/bluefishds.com) ### Issues - [Apple Snails](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/apple-snails) - [Climate Change](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/climate_change) - [Coal Ash](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/coal-ash) - [Conversion of Natural Habitats](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/conversion-of-natural-habitats) - [Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill) - [Invasive Species](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/invasive-species) - [Legacy Contaminants](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/legacy-contaminants) - [Nutrients](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/nutrients) - [Pathogens](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/pathogens) - [Seagrass](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/sub_aquatic_vegetation) - [Sediments](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/sediments) - [Stormwater Runoff](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/stormwater-runoff) - [Submerged Aquatic Vegetation - Alabama’s Seagrass Beds](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/sub-aquatic-vegetation) # Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill On April 20, 2010, the lives of residents of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico changed. An ultra-deep water, offshore oil-drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon, owned by Transocean and leased to British Petroleum (BP), experienced an uncontrollable blowout, causing a fiery explosion that killed 11 crewmen. The fire could not be extinguished, and two days later, on April 22, the rig sank 5,000 feet and came to rest a quarter mile from the gushing wellhead on the seabed 41 miles off the southeastern Louisiana coast. The largest oil spill in U. S. waters ensued, with a total estimated discharge of 4.9 million barrels (or 210 million gallons) over 87 days and through repeated attempts to stop it. On July 15, 2010, a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe was bolted to the top, and valves were manually closed. On September 16, a relief well reached its destination, pumping of cement to seal the well began, and National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well “effectively dead” and posing no further threat to the Gulf. Fundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal, and removal, involving approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels throughout the late spring and summer of 2010. Over 2,450 miles of containment and sorbent booms were deployed to corral oil or protect marshes, mangroves, or other ecologically-sensitive areas, but booms were criticized for washing up on vulnerable shorelines, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in rough conditions. The volume and methods of application of Corexit oil dispersant remain a controversial topic. A total of 1.84 million gallons of dispersant were applied, with 771,000 gallons released directly at the wellhead and the rest sprayed from aircraft during 400 sorties. Concerns stemmed from several analyses demonstrating health risks associated with Corexit. Also, underwater dispersant injection may have created oil plumes that never reached the surface, and experts were concerned about the slow pace at which oil breaks down in cold water at great depths. Concerns were expressed that the dispersants contributed to the toxicity of the spill, and currents circulated this hazardous mixture throughout the Gulf. Removal techniques included combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. An estimated 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface, and 3% was skimmed. Shoreline cleanup became the main task of responders following the July 15 capping. In Alabama, sandy beaches of Baldwin County and Mobile County’s Dauphin Island were sifted, tar balls were removed, and tar mats were dug manually or with excavators. In Louisiana, vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flushing, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used to treat oil-impacted marshes and wetlands. Mobile and Baldwin county impacts were more social and economic, rather than environmental, devastating the tourism and recreational fishing economies and the tax base used to fund schools and services. This page contains a variety of informative links and reports detailing what MBNEP and our partners are doing to improve and protect water quality, living resources, habitats, and human uses in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. #### News [Our view: Is BP settlement a good deal for Alabama? We think not-opinion](http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/our_view_is_bp_settlement_a_go.html#incart_river) [Law professor says BP settlement a 'positive' for Alabama, but questions \$1 billion to state's beleaguered General Fund](http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/07/law_professor_says_bp_settleme.html#incart_river) [Alabama Gulf Coast leaders sift through BP settlement confusion, prepare for possible regional divide](http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/07/alabama_gulf_coast_leaders_sif.html#incart_river) [Attorney General: BP settlement is justice for the Gulf Coast and all of Alabama-opinion](http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/ag_bp_settlement_is_justice_fo.html#incart_river) [Read Bradley Byrne's criticism of BP settlement: 'We deserve better'](http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/bradley_byrne_on_oil_spill_set.html#incart_river) [Press release from BP gives details to settlement](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/news/press_release_from_bp_gives_details_to_settlement) [Governor Bentley, Attorney General Luther Strange announce multi-billion dollar settlement with BP](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/news/gov_bentley_ag_strange_announce_multi_billion_dollar_settlement_with_bp) [RESTORE Council's Statement](http://www.restorethegulf.gov/release/2014/12/01/read-council-selected-restoration-component-proposals-0) [Full list of projects, with links to more specific information](http://www.restorethegulf.gov/ourwork/council-selected-restoration/fpl-development) [Funding Deepwater Horizon Restoration & Recovery: how much, going where, for what?](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/assets/landing/Funding-DH-Restoration-Recovery.pdf) [Transocean Plea Agreement](http://www.justice.gov/opa/documents/transocean-plea-agreement.pdf) [BP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http://www.gulffuture.org/latest-news/bp-reaches-a-pleads-guilty-to-criminal-charges-in-the-2010-deepwater-horizon-oil-disaster.html) #### The RESTORE Act and Additional Information [The RESTORE Act](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/the_restore_act.pdf) [A Guide to the RESTORE Act By Jyotika I. Virmani](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/Guide_to_RESTORE_Act-virmani.pdf) [The RESTORE Act Flow Chart and Bill Comparison](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/RESTORE_ACT_flow_chart_and_bill_comparison.pdf) #### NRDA Related Links and Reports [Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment](http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Final-ERP-121311-print-version.pdf) #### Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force [Gulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/Gulf_of_Mexico_Regional_Ecosystem_Restoration_Strategy.pdf) #### EPA Links and Reports - [EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico](http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/) - [Establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Presidential documents](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/PresidentialDocumentGCERTF.pdf) - [America's Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http://www.epa.gov/gulfcoasttaskforce/pdfs/MabusReport.pdf) (Mabus report) #### Coastal Recovery Commision Links and Reports - [Coastal Recovery Commission (CRC) of Alabama](http://crcalabama.org/) - [A Roadmap to Resilience: Towards a Healthier Environment, Society, and Economy for Coastal Alabama](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/ARoadmaptoResilience.pdf) #### Other Great Links and Reports - [Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response Power Point](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/Gulf_Coast_Oil_Spill_Response_Power_Point.pdf) - [Oil Pollution Act of 1990](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/opa90.pdf) - [Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Responding to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http://www.masgc.org/page.asp?id=634) - [Gulf of Mexico: After the Spill](http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/areas/gulfofmexico/gulf-of-mexico-1-year-after-the-oil-spill.xml) - [Mobile Baykeeper: BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http://mobilebaykeeper.org/environmental-matters-5) ![footer MBNEP logo](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/assets/images/mbnep-footer-logo--division.svg) MOBLE BAY NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM ASSOCIATED SITES: - [![DISL centered logo w Tag CMYK](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/assets/uploads/main/DISL-centered-logo-w-Tag-CMYK_2024-09-04-185111_frup.png)](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https://www.disl.org/) - [![Alabamas Real Time Coastal Observing System ARCOS 3](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/assets/uploads/main/Alabamas-Real-Time-Coastal-Observing-System-ARCOS-3.png)](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https://arcos.disl.org/) - [![CWF Logo color transparent background](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/assets/uploads/main/CWF-Logo_color_transparent-background.png)](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues/%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https://cleanwaterfuture.com) - [Who We Are](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/who-we-are) - [What We Do](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/what-we-do) - [What We Value](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_values) - [The Issues](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/the_issues) - [Watersheds](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/watersheds) - [Resources](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/resources) - [Library](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/library/publications) - [NEWS](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/news) - [CONTACT](https://www.mobilebaynep.com/contact) © 2026 Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. 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Readable Markdown	On April 20, 2010, the lives of residents of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico changed. An ultra-deep water, offshore oil-drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon, owned by Transocean and leased to British Petroleum (BP), experienced an uncontrollable blowout, causing a fiery explosion that killed 11 crewmen. The fire could not be extinguished, and two days later, on April 22, the rig sank 5,000 feet and came to rest a quarter mile from the gushing wellhead on the seabed 41 miles off the southeastern Louisiana coast. The largest oil spill in U. S. waters ensued, with a total estimated discharge of 4.9 million barrels (or 210 million gallons) over 87 days and through repeated attempts to stop it. On July 15, 2010, a chamber of larger diameter than the flowing pipe was bolted to the top, and valves were manually closed. On September 16, a relief well reached its destination, pumping of cement to seal the well began, and National Incident Commander Thad Allen declared the well “effectively dead” and posing no further threat to the Gulf. Fundamental strategies for addressing the spill were containment, dispersal, and removal, involving approximately 47,000 people and 7,000 vessels throughout the late spring and summer of 2010. Over 2,450 miles of containment and sorbent booms were deployed to corral oil or protect marshes, mangroves, or other ecologically-sensitive areas, but booms were criticized for washing up on vulnerable shorelines, allowing oil to escape above or below the boom, and for ineffectiveness in rough conditions. The volume and methods of application of Corexit oil dispersant remain a controversial topic. A total of 1.84 million gallons of dispersant were applied, with 771,000 gallons released directly at the wellhead and the rest sprayed from aircraft during 400 sorties. Concerns stemmed from several analyses demonstrating health risks associated with Corexit. Also, underwater dispersant injection may have created oil plumes that never reached the surface, and experts were concerned about the slow pace at which oil breaks down in cold water at great depths. Concerns were expressed that the dispersants contributed to the toxicity of the spill, and currents circulated this hazardous mixture throughout the Gulf. Removal techniques included combustion, offshore filtration, and collection for later processing. An estimated 5% of leaked oil was burned at the surface, and 3% was skimmed. Shoreline cleanup became the main task of responders following the July 15 capping. In Alabama, sandy beaches of Baldwin County and Mobile County’s Dauphin Island were sifted, tar balls were removed, and tar mats were dug manually or with excavators. In Louisiana, vacuum and pumping, low-pressure flushing, vegetation cutting, and bioremediation were used to treat oil-impacted marshes and wetlands. Mobile and Baldwin county impacts were more social and economic, rather than environmental, devastating the tourism and recreational fishing economies and the tax base used to fund schools and services. This page contains a variety of informative links and reports detailing what MBNEP and our partners are doing to improve and protect water quality, living resources, habitats, and human uses in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. #### News [Our view: Is BP settlement a good deal for Alabama? We think not-opinion](http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/our_view_is_bp_settlement_a_go.html#incart_river) [Law professor says BP settlement a 'positive' for Alabama, but questions \$1 billion to state's beleaguered General Fund](http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/07/law_professor_says_bp_settleme.html#incart_river) [Alabama Gulf Coast leaders sift through BP settlement confusion, prepare for possible regional divide](http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/07/alabama_gulf_coast_leaders_sif.html#incart_river) [Attorney General: BP settlement is justice for the Gulf Coast and all of Alabama-opinion](http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/ag_bp_settlement_is_justice_fo.html#incart_river) [Read Bradley Byrne's criticism of BP settlement: 'We deserve better'](http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/bradley_byrne_on_oil_spill_set.html#incart_river) [Press release from BP gives details to settlement](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/news/press_release_from_bp_gives_details_to_settlement) [Governor Bentley, Attorney General Luther Strange announce multi-billion dollar settlement with BP](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/news/gov_bentley_ag_strange_announce_multi_billion_dollar_settlement_with_bp) [RESTORE Council's Statement](http://www.restorethegulf.gov/release/2014/12/01/read-council-selected-restoration-component-proposals-0) [Full list of projects, with links to more specific information](http://www.restorethegulf.gov/ourwork/council-selected-restoration/fpl-development) [Funding Deepwater Horizon Restoration & Recovery: how much, going where, for what?](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/assets/landing/Funding-DH-Restoration-Recovery.pdf) [Transocean Plea Agreement](http://www.justice.gov/opa/documents/transocean-plea-agreement.pdf) [BP Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http://www.gulffuture.org/latest-news/bp-reaches-a-pleads-guilty-to-criminal-charges-in-the-2010-deepwater-horizon-oil-disaster.html) #### The RESTORE Act and Additional Information [The RESTORE Act](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/the_restore_act.pdf) [A Guide to the RESTORE Act By Jyotika I. Virmani](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/Guide_to_RESTORE_Act-virmani.pdf) [The RESTORE Act Flow Chart and Bill Comparison](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/RESTORE_ACT_flow_chart_and_bill_comparison.pdf) #### NRDA Related Links and Reports [Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment](http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Final-ERP-121311-print-version.pdf) #### Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force [Gulf of Mexico Regional Ecosystem Restoration Strategy](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/Gulf_of_Mexico_Regional_Ecosystem_Restoration_Strategy.pdf) #### EPA Links and Reports - [EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico](http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/) - [Establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Presidential documents](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/PresidentialDocumentGCERTF.pdf) - [America's Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http://www.epa.gov/gulfcoasttaskforce/pdfs/MabusReport.pdf) (Mabus report) #### Coastal Recovery Commision Links and Reports - [Coastal Recovery Commission (CRC) of Alabama](http://crcalabama.org/) - [A Roadmap to Resilience: Towards a Healthier Environment, Society, and Economy for Coastal Alabama](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/ARoadmaptoResilience.pdf) #### Other Great Links and Reports - [Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response Power Point](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/Gulf_Coast_Oil_Spill_Response_Power_Point.pdf) - [Oil Pollution Act of 1990](http://www.mobilebaynep.com/images/uploads/library/opa90.pdf) - [Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Responding to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill](http://www.masgc.org/page.asp?id=634) - [Gulf of Mexico: After the Spill](http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/areas/gulfofmexico/gulf-of-mexico-1-year-after-the-oil-spill.xml) - [Mobile Baykeeper: BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster](http://mobilebaykeeper.org/environmental-matters-5)
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