Timeline of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Encyclopedia
The following is a timeline of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
(also referred to as the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill or the Macondo blowout). It was a massive oil spill
in the Gulf of Mexico
, the largest offshore spill in U.S. history. It was a result of the well blowout that began with the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion on April 20, 2010.
CDT – Gas, oil and concrete from the Deepwater Horizon explode up the wellbore onto the deck and then catches fire. The explosion kills 11 platform workers and injures 17 others; another 98 people survive without serious physical injury.
BP reports a leak 1000 bbl (42,000 US gal; 159 m³) a day. DeepWaterHorizonResponse.com domain
registered for one year by PIER Systems
in Bellingham, Washington
to be used by the United States Coast Guard
and other reporting agencies. Price of a barrel of oil (West Texas Intermediate
– Cushing, Oklahoma
) $84.34
Chris Oynes, offshore drilling director for the MMS, announces a hurried retirement.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed unabated for three months in 2010, and continues to leak fresh oil. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry...
(also referred to as the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill or the Macondo blowout). It was a massive oil spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, the largest offshore spill in U.S. history. It was a result of the well blowout that began with the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion on April 20, 2010.
2008
- March 2008 – The mineral rights to drill for oil at the Macondo wellMacondo ProspectThe Macondo Prospect is an oil and gas prospect in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone of the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana...
, located in Mississippi CanyonMississippi CanyonThe Mississippi Canyon is an undersea canyon in the Central Gulf of Mexico, south of Louisiana. According to the U.S. Geological Survey GLORIA Mapping Program, it is the dominant feature of the north-central Gulf of Mexico. According to GCAGS Transactions, it has an average width of , and a length...
Block 252 in the United States sector of the Gulf of Mexico about 41 miles (66 km) off the Louisiana coast, were purchased by BPBPBP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
at the Minerals Management ServiceMinerals Management ServiceThe Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement , formerly known as the Minerals Management Service , was an agency of the United States Department of the Interior that managed the nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf...
's (MMS) Lease Sale #206, held in New Orleans.
2009
- February – BP files a 52 page exploration and environmental impact plan for the Macondo wellMacondo ProspectThe Macondo Prospect is an oil and gas prospect in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone of the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana...
with the MMS. The plan stated that it was "unlikely that an accidental surface or subsurface oil spill would occur from the proposed activities". In the event an accident did take place the plan stated that due to the well being 48 miles (77.2 km) from shore and the response capabilities that would be implemented, no significant adverse impacts would be expected.
- April 6 – The Department of the Interior exempted BP's Gulf of Mexico drilling operation from a detailed environmental impact study after concluding that a massive oil spill was unlikely.
- June 22 – Mark E. Hafle, a senior drilling engineer at BP, warns that the metal casing for the blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
might collapse under high pressure.
- October 7 – The Transocean Marianas semi-submersibleSemi-submersibleA semi-submersible is a specialised marine vessel with good stability and seakeeping characteristics. The semi-submersible vessel design is commonly used in a number of specific offshore roles such as for offshore drilling rigs, safety vessels, oil production platforms and heavy lift cranes.The...
rig begins drilling the Macondo well.
- November 9 – Hurricane Ida damages Transocean Marianas enough that it has to be replaced.
February
- February 15, 2010 – Deepwater HorizonDeepwater HorizonDeepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater, dynamically positioned, semi-submersible offshore oil drilling rig owned by Transocean. Built in 2001 in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries, the rig was commissioned by R&B Falcon, which later became part of Transocean, registered in Majuro, Marshall...
drilling rig, owned by TransoceanTransoceanTransocean Ltd. is one of the world's largest offshore drilling contractors. The company rents floating mobile drill rigs, along with the equipment and personnel for operations, to oil and gas companies at an average daily rate of US$282,700...
, begins drilling on the Macondo Prospect. The planned well was to be drilled to 18000 feet (5,486.4 m) below sea level, and was to be plugged and suspended for subsequent completion as a subsea producer.
March
- March 8 – Target date for the completion of the well which had been budgeted to cost $96 million.
- March 17 – BP Chief Tony HaywardTony HaywardAnthony Bryan "Tony" Hayward is a British businessman, the former chief executive of oil and energy company BP. He replaced John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley on 1 May 2007. His tenure ended on 1 October 2010 in large part due to the circumstances of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill...
sells one third of his BP stock (223,288 shares). Closing BP price on March 17 on the New York Stock Exchange is 58.15.
- March – An accident damages a gasketGasketthumb|sright|250px|Some seals and gaskets1. [[o-ring]]2. fiber [[Washer |washer]]3. paper gaskets4. [[cylinder head]] [[head gasket|gasket]]...
on the blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
on the rig.
April
- April 1 – HalliburtonHalliburtonHalliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
employee Marvin Volek warns that BP's use of cement "was against our best practices."
- April 6 – MMS issues permit to BP for the well with the notation, "Exercise caution while drilling due to indications of shallow gas and possible water flow."
- April 9 – BP drills last section with the wellbore 18360 feet (5,596.1 m) below sea level but the last 1192 feet (363.3 m) need casing. Halliburton recommends liner/tieback casing that will provide 4 redundant barriers to flow. BP chooses to do a single liner with fewer barriers that is faster to install and cheaper ($7 to $10 million).
- April 9 – Halliburton agrees to buy Boots & Coots. (Reuters) - Halliburton (HAL.N) said on Friday it agreed to buy Boots & Coots WEL.A, a company that provides pressure control services for oil and gas wells, in a stock and cash deal worth about $240 million. The deal will be accretive in the first full year of operation, Halliburton said. The second largest oilfield services company will create a new product service line combining its existing coiled tubing and hydraulic workover operations with Boots & Coots' intervention services and its pressure control business. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63907A20100410
- April 14 – Brian Morel, a BP drilling engineer, emails a colleague "this has been a nightmare well which has everyone all over the place."
- April 15 – Morel informs Halliburton executive Jesse Gagliano that they plan to use 6 centralizersCementing equipmentCementing Equipment includes various items used while drilling oil/gas/water wells.Casing will be installed at various depths while drilling. It is held in place by cement, which also provides zone isolation. Down-hole equipment such as Centralizers and Turbolizers is used to ensure obtaining...
. Gagliano says they should use 21. Morel replies in an email, "it's too late to get any more product on the rig, our only option is to rearrange placement of these centralizers." Gagliano also recommends to circulate the drilling mud from the bottom of the well all the way up to the surface to remove air pockets and debris which can contaminate the cement, saying in an email, "at least circulate one bottoms up on the well before doing a cement job." Despite this recommendation, BP cycles only 261 barrels (41,495.7 l) of mud, a fraction of the total mud used in the well.
- April 15 – MMS approves amended permit for BP to use a single liner with fewer barriers.
- April 16 – Brett Cocales, BP's Operations Drilling Engineer, emails Morel confirming the 6 centralizer approach.
- April 17 – Deepwater Horizon completes its drilling and the well is being prepared to be cemented so that another rig will retrieve the oil. The blowout preventer is tested and found to be "functional." Gagliano now reports that using only 6 centralizers "would likely produce channeling and a failure of the cement job."
- April 18 – Gagliano's report says "well is considered to have a severe gas flow problem." SchlumbergerSchlumbergerSchlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
flies a crew to conduct a cement bond logCement bond logA cement bond log documents an evaluation of the integrity of cement work performed on an oil well. In the process of drilling and completing a well, cement is injected through the wellbore and rises up the annulus between the steel casing and the formation....
to determine whether the cement has bonded to the casing and surrounding formations. It is required in rules.
- April 19 – Halliburton completes cementing of the final production casing string.
- April 20 –
- 7 am – BP cancels a recommended cement bond log test. Conducting the test would have taken 9–12 hours and $128,000. By canceling the cement test BP paid only $10,000. Crew leaves on 11:15 am flight. BP officials gather on the platform to celebrate seven years without an injury on the rig. The planned moving of the Deepwater Horizon to another location was 43 days past due and the delay had cost BP $21 million.
- April 20, 2010 21:49 (CDT), Block 252, Mississippi Canyon Andrea Fleyras had been monitoring the dynamic positioning system on the bridge of the Horizon when she felt a jolt. Before she could make sense of it -- a rig shaking shock that came out of nowhere -- magenta warnings began flashing on her screen. Magenta meant the most dangerous level of combustible gas intrusion.
CDT – Gas, oil and concrete from the Deepwater Horizon explode up the wellbore onto the deck and then catches fire. The explosion kills 11 platform workers and injures 17 others; another 98 people survive without serious physical injury.
- April 21 Coast Guard rear admiral Mary LandryMary LandryMary E. Landry is a Rear Admiral in the United States Coast Guard. Rear Admiral Mary E. Landry serves as the Commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District and Commander of Task Force 189.8, headquartered in New Orleans. As District Commander, Rear Admiral Landry is responsible for U.S...
named Federal On Scene CoordinatorFederal On Scene CoordinatorThe Federal On Scene Coordinator , is a designation in the United States for an individual that:*Is responsible for providing access to federal resources and technical assistance...
. Coast Guard log reports “Potential environmental threat is 700,000 gallons of diesel on board the Deepwater Horizon and estimated potential of 8,000 barrels per day of crude oil, if the well were to completely blowout. Most of the current pollution has been mitigated by the fire. There is some surface sheening extending up to 2 miles from the source.” The log also reports that two attempts to shut the BOP using an ROV have failed.
- April 22 – Rig sinks. CNN quote Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashley Butler as saying that "oil was leaking from the rig at the rate of about 8000 bbl (336,000 US gal; 1,271.9 m³) of crude per day." 100000 gallons (378,541.2 l) of dispersants are pre-authorized by the United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) and placed in position even though there is no sign of a leak. Three Norwegian crews from Ocean Intervention III from Oceaneering InternationalOceaneering InternationalOceaneering International Inc. is an applied technology company based in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. that provides engineered services and hardware to customers who operate in marine, space, and other environments...
, Skandi NeptuneSkandi NeptuneSkandi Neptune is an Offshore Construction Vessel, now operated by Subsea 7.-History:The Skandi Neptune was built in 2001 as a cable layer...
from DOF ASADOF ASADOF ASA is a Norwegian supply shipping company that operates 67 vessels, of which 26 are owned. This includes 23 platform supply vessels, 21 anchor handling tug supply vessels and 23 multi purpose supply vessels. DOF ASA is the holding company for DOF Subsea AS in Norway and NorSkan Offshore Ltda...
, and Boa Sub C (from Boa International) begin using remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) to map the seabed and assess the damage to the wreck. The crews report "large amounts of oil that flowed out."
- April 23 – Coast Guard rear adm. Mary Landry tells CBS "At this time, there is no crude emanating from that wellhead at the ocean surface, er, at the ocean floor...There is not oil emanating from the riser either." Unified CommandUnified Command (Deepwater Horizon oil spill)The Unified Command provides Incident Command System/Unified Command for coordinating response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.The organization was initially headquartered at the Shell Robert Training and Conference Center in Robert, Louisiana. Robert has 20 streets and one stop light...
begins operating out of the Royal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
Training and Conference Center in Robert, LouisianaRobert, LouisianaRobert is an unincorporated community in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies east of Hammond, at the intersection of US 190 and LA 445, from which it has a signed exit on Interstate 12...
. Search and rescue suspended at 5 PM. Eleven of the 126 people on the rig have perished. Coast Guard log reports, “BP will establish an ICP at Houma, Louisiana today to monitor the response and prepare for potential release estimated potential of 64,000- 110,000 bbls (2 ,688,000- 4,620,000 gal) per day of crude oil if the well were to completely blowout.”
- April 24 – In accordance with the existing in situ burn plans, the OSC determined in situ burning was a viable response method for several reasons. First, weather and sea-state did not allow continuous skimming and alternatives were needed. Second, skimmers and dispersants could not completely remove the oil being released from the well. Finally, the OSC determined in situ burning (ISB) was a safe and effective way to remove large volumes of oil from the ocean surface, based on data for in situ burns from previous spills.
BP reports a leak 1000 bbl (42,000 US gal; 159 m³) a day. DeepWaterHorizonResponse.com domain
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
registered for one year by PIER Systems
PIER Systems
PIER Systems, Inc. is a company that develops and supports an on-demand, web-based, communications software called The PIER System. Their product is designed for information management, crisis communications, business continuity, disaster recovery, public relations, mass notification, news...
in Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
to be used by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and other reporting agencies. Price of a barrel of oil (West Texas Intermediate
West Texas Intermediate
West Texas Intermediate , also known as Texas light sweet, is a grade of crude oil used as a benchmark in oil pricing. It is a light and sweet crude oil...
– Cushing, Oklahoma
Cushing, Oklahoma
Cushing is a city in Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 8,371 at the 2000 census.The city was established after the Land Run of 1891 by Billy Rae Little. It was named for Marshall Cushing, private secretary to U.S. Postmaster General John Wanamaker...
) $84.34
- April 25 – Oil sheen seen covering 580 square miles (1,502.2 km²) and is 70 miles (112.7 km) south of Mississippi and Alabama coastlines and was 31 miles (49.9 km) from the ecologically sensitive Chandeleur IslandsChandeleur IslandsThe Chandeleur Islands are a chain of uninhabited barrier islands approximately long, located in the Gulf of Mexico. They form the easternmost point of the state of Louisiana, USA and are a part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge...
. BP begins process to establish two relief wells.
- April 26 – Oil reported 36 miles (57.9 km) southeast of Louisiana. Booms set up to keep oil from washing ashore. A huge containment chamber is moved to Superior Energy Services subsidiary Wild Well Control in Port Fourchon, LouisianaPort Fourchon, LouisianaPort Fourchon is Louisiana’s southernmost port, located on the southern tip of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a sea port, with significant petroleum industry traffic from offshore Gulf oil platforms and drilling rigs as well as the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port pipeline...
. BP closing stock price 57.91 Coast Guard log reports “attempts to actuate the blow preventer (BOP) middle rams and blind shears were ineffective due to a hydraulic leak on the valve. Repairs are being worked overnight. The well head continues to discharge approximately 1,000 barrels/day.
- April 27 – Slick grows to 100 miles (160.9 km) across and 20 miles (32.2 km) from Louisiana coast.
- April 28, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
estimated that the leak was likely 5000 bbl (210,000 US gal; 794.9 m³) a day, five times larger than initially estimated by BP. BP announces controlled test to burn oil off the surface was successful. Oil is 20 miles (32.2 km) east of the mouth of the Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. MMS postpones 2010 Offshore Industry Safety Awards scheduled to be May 3.
- April 29 – Louisiana Governor Bobby JindalBobby JindalPiyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
declares a state of emergency. 100000 feet (30.5 km) of containment boomsBoom (containment)A containment boom is a "temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill. Booms are used to reduce the possibility of polluting shorelines and other resources, and to help make recovery easier. Booms help to concentrate oil in thicker surface layers so that skimmers, vacuums, or other...
were deployed along the coast. By the next day, this nearly doubled to 180000 feet (54.9 km) of deployed booms, with an additional 300000 feet (91.4 km) staged or being deployed. Rush LimbaughRush LimbaughRush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
noting that explosion occurred the day before Earth DayEarth DayEarth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
tells his listeners that it's possible the rig could have been sabotage to encourage favorable votes for the carbon tax bill and cap and trade bills. "What better way to head off more oil drilling, nuclear plants, than by blowing up a rig? I'm just noting the timing here."
- April 30 – Oil washes ashore at Venice, LouisianaVenice, LouisianaVenice is an unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is 130 km south of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River at . It is the last community down the Mississippi accessible by automobile, and is the southern terminus of the Great River Road...
. President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
halts new offshore drilling unless safeguards are in place. – Coast Guard issues subpoena to Transocean "to maintain the blowout preventer and to not allow anyone or anything to tamper with it" without the Guard's permission. EPA establishes its website epa.gov/bpspill for its response. Sanford BernsteinSanford BernsteinSanford C. Bernstein & Co., also known as Bernstein, is the sell-side research unit of AllianceBernstein L.P.Sanford C. Bernstein was founded in 1967 as an investment-management firm for private clients. In October 2000, Alliance Capital acquired Sanford C...
estimates capping the leaks and cleaning up the spill may cost $12.5 billion. InnocentiveInnoCentiveInnoCentive is an "open innovation" company that takes research and development problems in a broad range of domains such as engineering, computer science, math, chemistry, life sciences, physical sciences and business and frames them as "challenge problems" for anyone to solve them...
launches a website asking people to submit their solutions to the crisis by June 30. On April 30, the United States House Committee on Energy and CommerceUnited States House Committee on Energy and CommerceThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
asked Halliburton to brief it as well as provide any documents it might have related to its work on the Macondo well.
May
- May 2 – Obama meets with fishermen and Coast Guard in Venice, LouisianaVenice, LouisianaVenice is an unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is 130 km south of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River at . It is the last community down the Mississippi accessible by automobile, and is the southern terminus of the Great River Road...
. Oil discovered in the South Pass. Transocean's Development Driller IIIDevelopment Driller IIIDevelopment Driller III is a fifth generation, Vanuatu-flagged dynamic positioning semi-submersible ultra-deepwater drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated under lease agreements by various petroleum exploration and production companies worldwide...
starts drilling a first relief well.
- May 3 – Shares of Nalco Holding CompanyNalco Holding CompanyNalco Holding Company supplies water treatment and process improvement services, chemicals and equipment programs for industrial and institutional markets. These products and services are marketed in some cases to prevent corrosion, contamination and the buildup of harmful deposits...
jump 18% in one day after it is revealed its dispersant products are being use for cleanup.
- May 5 – BP announces that the smallest of three known leaks had been capped allowing the repair group to focus their efforts on the remaining leaks.
- May 6 – Oil sheen discovered in south end of Chandeleur ChainChandeleur IslandsThe Chandeleur Islands are a chain of uninhabited barrier islands approximately long, located in the Gulf of Mexico. They form the easternmost point of the state of Louisiana, USA and are a part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge...
.
- May 7 – A 125 tonnes (275,577.8 lb) container dome is lowered over the largest of the well leaks and pipe the oil to a storage vessel on the surface.
- May 8 – BP reports that methaneMethaneMethane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
is freezing at the top of the dome making it ineffective.
- May 9 – Tar ballsTarball (oil)A tarball is a blob of petroleum which has been weathered after floating in the ocean. Tarballs are an aquatic pollutant in most environments, although they can occur naturally and as such are not always associated with oil spills....
reported on Dauphin Island in Alabama.
- May 10 – After failed containment dome BP announces plans to apply five feet in diameter containment vessel nicknamed "top hat". BP announces strategy of trying to push mud and debris down the tube to clog it. The strategy is nicknamed "junk shot."
- May 11 – BP, Transocean and Halliburton officials testify before Congress blaming each other for the incident. MMS and Coast Guard Joint Investigation Team chaired by USCG Capt. Hung Nguyen and MMS employee David Dykes begin a Joint Marine Board of Investigation into the accident holding the first hearings at the Crowne Plaza HotelCrowne PlazaCrowne Plaza is a chain of full service, upscale hotels catering to business travelers and to the meetings and conventions market. It forms part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands, which include InterContinental and Holiday Inn and operates in 52 countries, usually located in...
in Kenner, LouisianaKenner, LouisianaKenner is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 66,702 at the 2010 census....
where they interview survivors.
- May 12 – BP releases first public video of leak and others say the leak is significantly higher than what BP has been saying. One estimate says it could to be 20000 bbl (840,000 US gal; 3,179.7 m³) a day.
- May 13 – Tony HaywardTony HaywardAnthony Bryan "Tony" Hayward is a British businessman, the former chief executive of oil and energy company BP. He replaced John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley on 1 May 2007. His tenure ended on 1 October 2010 in large part due to the circumstances of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill...
calls the oil spill "relatively tiny" in comparison with the size of the "ocean." Transocean files in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to limit its liability under the Limitation of Shipowner's Liability Act to just its interest in the Deepwater Horizon which it values at $26,764,083.
- May 14 – BP inserts 4 inches (10.2 cm) wide riser into the 21-inch-wide burst pipe. It is initially dislodged when an underwater robot collides with the pipe.
- May 15 – Coast Guard and EPA authorize use dispersants underwater, at the source of the Deepwater Horizon leak.
- May 16 – GSF Development Driller IIGSF Development Driller IIGSF Development Driller II is a fifth generation, Vanuatu-flagged dynamic positioning semi-submersible ultra-deepwater drilling rig owned and operated by Transocean...
starts drilling second relief well.
- May 17 – BP begins burning off gas with the Discoverer EnterpriseDiscoverer EnterpriseDiscoverer Enterprise is a fifth generation deepwater double hulled dynamically positioned drillship owned and operated by Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc., capable of operating in moderate environments and water depths up to 3,049 m using an , 15,000 psi blowout preventer ,...
. BP says it will release a live feed of the leak hours after receiving a request from Congressman Edward Markey. Supporting his position is Steve Wereley from Purdue UniversityPurdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
who says the leak may be 70000 bbl (2,939,999.8 US gal; 11,129,110.7 l) a day.
Chris Oynes, offshore drilling director for the MMS, announces a hurried retirement.
- May 19 – Oil washes ashore on mainland Louisiana.
- May 21 – BP begins live underwater video broadcasts of the leak. Flow Rate Technical GroupFlow Rate Technical GroupThe Flow Rate Technical Group is a group of scientists and engineers from the United States federal government, universities, and research institutions created May 19, 2010, for an official scientific-based estimate of the flow of oil in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It issued an interim report...
established for "scientifically validated information about the amount of oil flowing from BP s leaking oil well." The average daily oil collection rates is 2000 bbl (84,000 US gal; 317,974.6 l) a day.
- May 22 – Obama signs an executive order establishing the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore DrillingNational Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore DrillingThe National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is a bipartisan presidential commission, established by Executive Order 13543 signed by Barack Obama on May 21, 2010, that is “tasked with providing recommendations on how the United States can prevent and mitigate...
- May 23 – BP rebuffs EPA order to change its dispersants. BP says that if oil reaches the shore, it would do more environmental harm than if it were dispersed off the coast. It notes that CorexitCorexitCorexit is a product line of solvents primarily used as a dispersant for breaking up oil slicks. It is produced by Nalco Holding Company which is associated with BP and Exxon. Corexit was the most-used dispersant in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, with COREXIT 9527 having...
is the only product that is available in sufficient quantities to deal with the spill.
- May 24 – BP says it currently has no plans to use explosives on the well. It also flatly denies it ever considered using a nuclear bomb on the well as some suggested.
- May 26 – BP announces plan to force feed heavy drilling mudDrilling fluidIn geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid is a fluid used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth. Often used while drilling oil and natural gas wells and on exploration drilling rigs, drilling fluids are also used for much simpler boreholes, such as water wells. Liquid drilling fluid...
in a project called "top killTop killA top kill is a procedure used as a means of regaining control over an oil well that is experiencing an uncontrolled eruption of crude oil or natural gas . The process involves pumping heavyweight drilling mud into the well...
". Doug Brown, the chief mechanic on the Deepwater Horizon, testifies at the joint U.S. Coast Guard and Minerals Management Service hearing that a BP representative overruled Transocean employees and insisted on displacing protective drilling mud with seawater just hours before the explosion.
- May 27 – Obama announces a six-month moratoriumMoratorium (law)A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law. In a legal context, it may refer to the temporary suspension of a law to allow a legal challenge to be carried out....
on new deepwater oil drilling permits in 500 feet (152.4 m) of water or more. Based on the oil flow estimates by the Flow Rate Technical Group, the United States government increased its estimate at 12000 bbl (504,000 US gal; 1,907,847.5 l) per day. Elizabeth Birnbaum resigns from MMS.
- May 28 – Obama visits Louisiana again.
- May 29 – BP declares Top Kill is a failure and moves on to their next contingency option, the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) Cap Containment System.
- May 31 – BP announces plan to slice the leaking pipe, placing a cap on it and channeling the oil to surface ships.
June
- June 1 – Oil began washing up on the beaches of Gulf Islands National SeashoreGulf Islands National SeashoreGulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. The protected regions include mainland areas and parts of 7 islands...
. - June 4 – Tar balls arrive on beaches in Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
. - June 5 – Obama makes third trip to Louisiana since the disaster began visits Grand Isle, LouisianaGrand Isle, LouisianaGrand Isle is a town in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, located on a barrier island of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico. The island is at the mouth of Barataria Bay where it meets the gulf. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,541; during summers, the population sometimes increases to...
for the second time in two weeks. - June 6 – BP abandons plans to close three remaining vents on the containment cap noting that with one vent it is capturing as much oil as it can handle.
- June 8 – BP releases the requested high resolutionHigh-definition televisionHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
images of the leak. - June 9 – BP's chief operating officer Doug SuttlesDoug SuttlesDoug Suttles is Chief Operating Officer of BP's Exploration and Production. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1983 with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, he joined the global oil and gas industry....
says the undewater plume is "in very minute quantities." - June 11 – Flow Rate Technical GroupFlow Rate Technical GroupThe Flow Rate Technical Group is a group of scientists and engineers from the United States federal government, universities, and research institutions created May 19, 2010, for an official scientific-based estimate of the flow of oil in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It issued an interim report...
says the leak could be 20000 bbl (840,000 US gal; 3,179,745.9 l) of oil a day. - June 15 – Obama in the first speech from the Oval OfficeOval OfficeThe Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
of his Presidency focuses on the spill. - June 16 – Obama meets with Svanberg, Hayward, McKay. BP agrees to fund a $20 billion escrow account administered by Kenneth FeinbergKenneth FeinbergKenneth Feinberg is an American attorney, specializing in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Feinberg was appointed Special Master of the U.S...
. - June 17 – Hayward addresses the United States House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and InvestigationsUnited States House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and InvestigationsThe U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is a subcommittee within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.-Jurisdiction:...
. - June 22 – Martin Leach-Cross FeldmanMartin Leach-Cross FeldmanMartin Leach-Cross Feldman is a United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on September 9, 1983, to a seat vacated by Jack M. Gordon. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 4,...
of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of LouisianaUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of LouisianaThe U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana is a federal trial court based in New Orleans. Like all U.S...
issues restraining orderRestraining orderA restraining order or order of protection is a form of legal injunction that requires a party to do, or to refrain from doing, certain acts. A party that refuses to comply with an order faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
in Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC v. SalazarHornbeck Offshore Services LLC v. SalazarHornbeck Offshore Services v. Salazar is an on-going case in United States federal court. In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the subsequent oil spill, the U.S. Department of the Interior issued a six month moratorium on exploratory drilling in deep water. Plaintiffs filed suit...
against the 6-month moratorium on drilling in the Gulf waters of 500 feet (152.4 m) or more. - June 23 – Oil appeared on Pensacola Beach and in Gulf Islands National SeashoreGulf Islands National SeashoreGulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. The protected regions include mainland areas and parts of 7 islands...
, and officials warned against swimming for 33 miles (53.1 km) east of the AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
line. - June 25 – Hurricane Alex (2010) causes relief rigs to disconnect and let the oil spill unchecked into the ocean.
July
- July 1 – The supertanker A WhaleA WhaleA Whale is a Liberian-flagged ore-oil carrier built in 2010 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Ulsan, South Korea for Taiwan Maritime Transport Co. Ltd. from the Republic of China...
, begins skimming tests at Boothville, Louisiana. - July 2 – * National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
issues models of the probability of oil coming ashore based on historical winds and currents noting that oil may come ashore in the Keys and Miami. - July 5 – Oil is reported at RigoletsRigoletsThe Rigolets is a 12.9 kilometer long strait in Louisiana.It begins at and follows a generally eastward course to Lake Borgne, which is a lagoon in the Gulf of Mexico, where it ends at . Along with nearby Chef Menteur Pass, the Rigolets connects Lake Pontchartrain and Lake St. Catherine to Lake...
raising fears it will hit Lake PontchartrainLake PontchartrainLake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
. - July 8 – United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
in 2–1 vote refuses to overturn oil drilling moratorium in Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC v. SalazarHornbeck Offshore Services LLC v. SalazarHornbeck Offshore Services v. Salazar is an on-going case in United States federal court. In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the subsequent oil spill, the U.S. Department of the Interior issued a six month moratorium on exploratory drilling in deep water. Plaintiffs filed suit...
. Administration says it will issue a new moratorium. - July 10 – Old cap removed from well at 12:37 p.m. CDT in preparation for a new cap. Oil is expected to flow unabated into the Gulf for 48 hours.
- July 12
- Three ram capping stack installed on the Deep Water Horizon LMRP at 7 p.m. CDT (0000 GMT). The stack completes the installation of the new 40-ton containment device sealing cap. Tests begin on testing well integrity.
- Salazar issues a new moratorium until November 30 on deepwater wells that use a blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
. - National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore DrillingNational Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore DrillingThe National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is a bipartisan presidential commission, established by Executive Order 13543 signed by Barack Obama on May 21, 2010, that is “tasked with providing recommendations on how the United States can prevent and mitigate...
begins two days of hearings at the Hilton New Orleans RiversideHilton New Orleans RiversideHilton New Orleans Riverside, located at 2 Poydras Street in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 29-story, -tall skyscraper. The hotel is part of the Hilton Hotels chain. A portion of the building complex overlooks the Mississippi River front... - July 15 – BP test cuts off all oil pouring into the Gulf at 2:25 pm. However Thad Allen cautions that it is likely that containment operations will resume following the test.
- July 16 – A Whale will not join the containment process after tests show that its skimming operations were "negligible" in comparison to the much smaller and more nimble skimmers.
- July 18 – Allen sends Dudley a letter to provide "written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible" noting tests have "detected seep a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well."
- July 19
- Kent Wells says BP is considering a "static kill" of the well using heavy mud bumped through the new cap in a process known as bullheadingWell killA well kill is the operation of placing a column of heavy fluid into a well bore in order to prevent the flow of reservoir fluids without the need for pressure control equipment at the surface. It works on the principle that the weight of the "kill fluid" or "kill mud" will be enough to suppress...
. - Donald Vidrine, who was the ranking BP representative on Deepwater Horizon, citing ill health refuses to testify at Coast Guard hearing into the accident.
- July 22
- Ships and personnel leave the spill site as Tropical Storm BonnieTropical Storm Bonnie (2010)Tropical Storm Bonnie was a weak tropical storm that brought squally weather to the northern Caribbean Sea and Gulf Coast of the United States in July 2010. The third tropical cyclone and second named storm of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, Bonnie developed as a tropical depression from a...
approaches. - NOAA reopens one-third of closed area of Gulf to fishing.
- July 24
- BP says an internal investigation has cleared itself of gross negligence in the spill and will publish the findings in the next month.
- Ships return after Bonnie turns out not to have been as strong as anticipated.
- July 27
- Towing vessel Pere Ana C pushing the barge Captain Beauford collides with Louisiana-owned oil and natural gas rig C177 in the northern part of Barataria BayBarataria BayBarataria Bay, also Barrataria Bay, is a bay of the Gulf of Mexico that is located in southeastern Louisiana, in Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish, United States....
south of Lafitte, LouisianaLafitte, LouisianaLafitte is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,576 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. 6,000 feet of boom are placed around rig while it is evaluated. - BP board formally announces that Bob DudleyBob DudleyRobert "Bob" Dudley is the CEO of BP. He had served as President and Chief Executive of TNK-BP and on June 18, 2010, was assigned to be BP executive in charge of the Gulf Coast Restoration Organisation responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.-Early life:Dudley was born in Queens, New York,...
will replace Tony Hayward as BP CEO effective October 1.
August
- August 2
- Flow Rate Technical GroupFlow Rate Technical GroupThe Flow Rate Technical Group is a group of scientists and engineers from the United States federal government, universities, and research institutions created May 19, 2010, for an official scientific-based estimate of the flow of oil in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It issued an interim report...
reports that the well initially was dumping 62,000 barrels of oil per day initially after the spill and that it dwindled to 53,000 barrels when it was capped as the well was depleted. This means that 4.9 million barrels were dropped into the Gulf. - Environmental Protection Agency releases a study of eight dispersantDispersantA dispersant or a dispersing agent or a plasticizer or a superplasticizer is either a non-surface active polymer or a surface-active substance added to a suspension, usually a colloid, to improve the separation of particles and to prevent settling or clumping...
s which concludes that Corexit 9500 "is generally no more or less toxic than mixtures with the other available alternatives" and that "dispersant-oil mixtures are generally no more toxic to the aquatic test species than oil alone." - August 4 – BP reports that the well achieved “static condition” shortly after midnight after drilling mud is said to now fill the well.
- August 14 – Obama on a one-night vacation stays at the Back Bay Marriott in Panama City, FloridaPanama City, Florida-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
. The White House releases a photo of Obama and Sasha Obama swimming in St. Andrew's Bay (Florida) near Alligator Point. The Press was not present during the swim.
September
- September 29 – Andy Inglis, who headed deepwater drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico at the time of the spill, steps down as head of the upstream business.
- September 30 – Dudley tells the Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, "We don't believe we have been grossly negligent in anything we've seen in any of the investigations." Dudley also announces BP will create a stronger safety division.
December
- December 15 - According to a feature Associated Press story on the homepage of Time Magazine, the U.S. federal government is suing BP Exploration and Production, Inc., and eight other corporations, for unlimited liability, in an effort to have them pay for the massive expenses involved in the cleanup and environmental recovery from the spill, including damages to natural resources; it also seeks civil penalties under the Clean Water ActClean Water ActThe Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that...
. - December 17 - Unified Area Command releases the report from the Operational Science Advisory Team (OSAT) regarding results of sampling and analyses of thousands of water column and sediment samples from the shoreline through deepwater areas. Reference OSAT report at Restorethegulf.gov