deepwater horizon oil spill bioremediation

[248], A 2012 survey of the health effects of the spill on cleanup workers reported "eye, nose and throat irritation; respiratory problems; blood in urine, vomit and rectal bleeding; seizures; nausea and violent vomiting episodes that last for hours; skin irritation, burning and lesions; short-term memory loss and confusion; liver and kidney damage; central nervous system effects and nervous system damage; hypertension; and miscarriages". Fish and Wildlife Service and the Deepwater Horizon Trustee Council, a joint federal, state and tribal body which oversaw the overall Natural Resource Damage Assessment. The Deepwater Horizon accident has brought oil contamination of deep-sea environments to worldwide attention. The conclusion was that BP was partly to blame, as was Transocean, which owned the rig. Oil biodegradation at a depth 5,000 feet or greater is . The main nutrients added to stimulate the growth of oil degrading microbes during the BP oil spills are nitrate and sulfate fertilizers [6]. [6][46] BP challenged the higher figure, saying that the government overestimated the volume. Corexit EC9500A and Corexit EC9527A were the principal variants. If that proves to be the case, the sheen can be expected to eventually disappear. Oil spill transport and fate models are effective tools which allow a . The oil well was capped three months later, after 24/7 news coverage. Two methods of bioremediation were used: bioaugmentation and biostimulation [11] . With the damaged riser shorn from the LMRPthe top segment of the BOPthe cap was lowered into place. In 2011, one year after the spill, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico. [85][86][87] On 3 August 2010, first test oil and then drilling mud was pumped at a slow rate of approximately 2bbl (320L) per minute into the well-head. [319][321] It criticized BP for its failure to run a cement bond log test. Responding to the report, Transocean and Halliburton placed all blame on BP. A .gov The defective BOP and the capping stack were removed in early September and replaced by a functioning BOP. Connect With ASM. By October 2013 it had increased its projection to $9.2billion, saying it could be "significantly higher. Testing over the past year (2019) reported by GulfSource.org, for the pollutants tested have not produced results.[186]. [319] Still another was for not plugging the pipe with cement. [172][175] The FAA acknowledged that media access was limited to hired planes or helicopters, but was arranged through the Coast Guard. [117][118][119], The Louisiana barrier island plan was developed to construct barrier islands to protect the coast of Louisiana. The Deepwater Horizon accident has brought oil contamination of deep-sea environments to worldwide attention. On April 4, 2016, the court approved a settlement with BP for natural resource injuries stemming from the spill. Repeated or excessive exposure may cause injury to red blood cells (hemolysis), kidney or the liver. The manual adds: Excessive exposure may cause central nervous system effects, nausea, vomiting, anesthetic or narcotic effects. It advises, Do not get in eyes, on skin, on clothing, and Wear suitable protective clothing. For Corexit 9500 the manual advised, Do not get in eyes, on skin, on clothing, Avoid breathing vapor, and Wear suitable protective clothing. According to FOIA requests obtained by GAP, neither the protective gear nor the manual were distributed to Gulf oil spill cleanup workers. The addition of an ancillary collection system comprising several devices, also tapped into the BOP, increased the collection rate to approximately 25,000 barrels of oil a day. [330] An auditor BDO Consulting found that 7,300 claimants were wrongly denied or underpaid. Estimates of lost tourism dollars were projected to cost the Gulf coastal economy up to $22.7billion through 2013. [268][269] Later a six-month offshore drilling (below 500ft (150m) of water) moratorium was enforced by the United States Department of the Interior. This oil sheen decreases the amount of sunlight reaching organisms in the water and forms a barrier between the air and water, blocking oxygen and other necessary nutrients from diffusing into the water. What caused the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? Observe fireboat responding to crews battling the fire during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, See how wire entanglement inside a well bore mitigates the effects of blowout preventer failure in an oil well. [260] During the crisis, BP gas stations in the United States reported a sales drop of between 10 and 40% due to backlash against the company. [148] In a major study on the plume, experts were most concerned about the slow pace at which the oil was breaking down in the cold, 40F (4C) water at depths of 3,000ft (900m). Both cores were likely too weak to withstand the pressure because they were composed of a concrete mixture that used nitrogen gas to accelerate curing. [326][327] Until this more than one million claims of 220,000 individual and business claimants were processed and more than $6.2billion was paid out from the fund. . [181] They also said that they wanted to provide access to the information while maintaining safety. You may remember the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that happened in 2010, where 3.19 million barrels of oil spilled off the Gulf of Mexico. The goal of the $500 million, 10-year research initiative, known as the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative offsite link (GoMRI), is to improve understanding of spill events and associated environmental stresses and public health implications. Forensic analysis of the BOP completed the following year determined that a set of massive blades known as blind shear ramsdesigned to slice through the pipe carrying oilhad malfunctioned because the pipe had bent under the pressure of the rising gas and oil. This webpage is limited to EPAs enforcement-related activities only, and does not cover all legal or other actions against BP Exploration & Production and other parties for the spill, such as private party/class action settlements for medical claims and economic damages, or other actions against those responsible for the spill. Let us know. While this technique had worked in shallower water, it failed here when gas combined with cold water to form methane hydrate crystals that blocked the opening at the top of the dome. [52] On 10 July, the containment cap was removed to replace it with a better-fitting cap ("Top Hat Number 10"). In one example, the U.S. Coast Guard stopped Jean-Michel Cousteau's boat and allowed it to proceed only after the Coast Guard was assured that no journalists were on board. Fish are intoxicated by the petroleum products and are unable to cope with the stress. "There was not a culture of safety on that rig," the co-chair said. This page was last edited on 27 December 2012, at 05:17. [165][168] The delivery method of microbes to oil patches was proposed by the Russian Research and Development Institute of Ecology and the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources. [278], On 30 April, President Obama dispatched the Secretaries of the Department of Interior and Homeland Security, as well as the EPA Administrator and NOAA to the Gulf Coast to assess the disaster. Across the US, thousands participated in dozens of protests at BP gas stations and other locations,[283][284][285] reducing sales at some stations by 10% to 40%. During this transition period additional $404million in claims were paid. Restoring the Gulf of Mexico After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, 2010 National Coastal Condition Assessment Results and Report, National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives, Enforcement and Compliance Annual Results for FY 2022, February 17, 2012: $90 million civil settlement with, January 3, 2013: $1 billion civil settlement with, RestoreTheGulf: official federal government site for spill. The oil firm alleged failed safety systems and irresponsible behaviour of contractors had led to the explosion, including claims that Halliburton failed to properly use modelling software to analyze safe drilling conditions. [14] In Louisiana, 4,900,000lb (2,200t) of oily material was removed from the beaches in 2013, over double the amount collected in 2012. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill added roughly 800 million liters of hydrocarbons to the Gulf of Mexico. . An infamous example of this is the Deepwater Horizon oil spill . The study is run by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and will last at least five years. [320] In the report, BP was accused of nine faults. [31] Built by South Korean company Hyundai Heavy Industries[32] and owned by Transocean, the rig operated under the Marshallese flag of convenience, and was chartered to BP from March 2008 to September 2013. [362] To date BP's cost for the clean-up, environmental and economic damages and penalties has reached $54billion.[363]. In the Deepwater Horizon disaster (2010, Gulf of Mexico), where an oil rig exploded that produced the worst spill in history, bioremediation techniques were applied when it was verified that the spilled oil had bacterial activity. Claims by several research groups that subsurface plumes of dispersed hydrocarbons had been detected in May were initially dismissed by BP and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). [254], The spill had a strong economic impact to BP [255] and also the Gulf Coast's economy sectors such as offshore drilling, fishing and tourism. BP responded that the concentrations of oil in the study were a level rarely seen in the Gulf, but The New York Times reported that the BP statement was contradicted by the study.[19]. Now, a team of American scientists led by Terry Hazen have shown that just a. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [290][291], In July 2010, President Obama issued an executive order, specifically citing the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, that adopted recommendations from the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and established the National Ocean Council. As of January2013[update], 935personnel were still involved. The explosion This was described as a "sick joke" and "a very serious error of judgement" by Friends of the Earth Scotland. On 20 April, 2010, an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig unleashed the largest oil spill in US history. [66] In April 2012, oil was still found along as much as 200mi (320km) of Louisiana coastline and tar balls continued to wash up on the barrier islands. Dead bodies of marine birds, fish, and various other affected animals can be seen floating all over the area. [126] Over 400sorties were flown to release the product. [136] The two formulations are neither the least toxic, nor the most effective, among EPA's approved dispersants, but BP said it chose to use Corexit because it was available the week of the rig explosion. The rig's sinking on April 22 began the discharge of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. A lock ( [273] On 3 May California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger withdrew his support for a proposed plan to allow expanded offshore drilling projects in California. Heat stress was found to be the most pressing safety concern. [172], During the spill response operations, at the request of the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a 900sqmi (2,300km2) temporary flight restriction zone over the operations area. [193] Methane can potentially suffocate marine life and create "dead zones" where oxygen is depleted. Since then, we have worked with the public and BP to identify and implement early restoration projects. Many large-scale skimmers exceeded the limit. Mac McClelland for Mother Jones, 24 May 2010. [318] The study did not, however, place the blame on any one of these events. On April 20, 2010, an explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. [166][167], Genetically modified Alcanivorax borkumensis was added to the waters to speed digestion. [318] Another was ignoring a pressure test that had failed. It is possible to add fertilizers, such as iron, nitrogen and phosphorus, to stimulate the growth of such bacteria, an approach used to speed up microbial activity in the sediment along the Alaska. The result could have long-term effects because oil could remain in the food chain for generations. Mark Clayton for the Christian Science Monitor. In addition, Louisiana reported that lost visitor spending through the end of 2010 totaled $32million, and losses through 2013 were expected to total $153million in this state alone. [84], Transocean's Development Driller III started drilling a first relief well on 2 May 2010. [157][158] After one week of testing, BP began to proceed[159] and by 28 June, had removed 890,000bbl (141,000m3). [325] In June 2012, the settlement of claims through the GCCF was replaced by the court-supervised settlement program. Bioremediation is a method used to treat water, soil, and subsurface material pollutants through changing environmental conditions to catalyze the growth of microorganisms and reduce the target pollutants 4. Environ Sci Technol 45(16):6709-6715. The ever-growing increase in deep-sea oil explorations in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) has been raising concerns with regard to future oil spills. [15] Oil continued to be found as far from the Macondo site as the waters off the Florida Panhandle and Tampa Bay, where scientists said the oil and dispersant mixture is embedded in the sand. Under the Clean Water Act fines can be based on a cost per barrel of up to $4,300, at the discretion of the judge. [101][102], The USCG initially said the oil was too dispersed to recover and posed no threat to the coastline,[103] but later warned BP and Transocean that they might be held financially responsible for cleaning up the new oil. By 3 October 2012, federal response costs amounted to $850million, mostly reimbursed by BP. Dan Zak for the Washington Post, 3 June 2010. Mixing dispersants with oil at the wellhead would keep some oil below the surface and in theory, allowing microbes to digest the oil before it reached the surface. NIOSH did note that many of the personnel involved were not donning personal protective equipment (gloves and impermeable coveralls) as they had been instructed to and emphasized that this was important protection against transdermal absorption of chemicals from the oil. [318] The report stated that "whether purposeful or not, many of the decisions that BP, Halliburton, and Transocean made that increased the risk of the Macondo blowout clearly saved those companies significant time (and money). [345][346] The plea was accepted by Judge Sarah Vance of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on 31 January 2013. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection . These projects allowed restoration of the Gulf to begin immediately. Through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)Investigation performed by trustees to identify injuries to natural resources caused by oil spills, hazardous substance releases, and grounding incidents in National Marine Sanctuaries, and plan restoration activities. [370][371], This article is about the oil spill itself. Being hydrophobic compounds that are less dense than seawater, a large amount of such substances will form sheens on the ocean surface. Booms extend 1848in (0.461.22m) above and below the water surface and were effective only in relatively calm and slow-moving waters. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. NOTE: If you need captions, please click the CC button on the player to turn them on.Unprecedented in both scope and nature, the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Hor. BP rejected the charges saying "BP believes it was not grossly negligent and looks forward to presenting evidence on this issue at trial in January. Draft, National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, "For BP Cleanup, 2013 Meant 4.6 Million Pounds Of Oily Gunk", "Oil from BP spill pushed onto shelf off Tampa Bay by underwater currents, study finds", "Record Dolphin, Sea Turtle Deaths Since Gulf Spill", "Toxins released by oil spills send fish hearts into cardiac arrest", "Fish Embryos Exposed to Oil From BP Spill Develop Deformities, a Study Finds", "Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Team Releases Final Report", "BP Mostly, But Not Entirely, to Blame for Gulf Spill National", "Obama oil spill commission's final report blames disaster on cost-cutting by BP and partners", "BP Will Plead Guilty and Pay Over $4 Billion", "BP pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2010 gulf oil spill", "BP suspended from new US federal contracts over Deepwater disaster", "BP Deepwater Horizon costs balloon to $65 billion", "BP May Be Fined Up to $18 Billion for Spill in Gulf", "Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlements: Where the money went", "Transocean:: Deepwater Horizon Drills World's Deepest Oil & Gas Well", "Deepwater Horizon Sinks Offshore Louisiana", "At least 11 workers missing after La. 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Gear nor the manual were distributed to Gulf oil spill added roughly million! May cause central nervous system effects, nausea, vomiting, anesthetic or narcotic effects, fish, various! To eventually disappear ] [ 321 ] it criticized BP for natural injuries... Early September and replaced by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Wear suitable clothing. Log test 46 ] BP challenged the higher figure, saying that government! Connected to the.gov website cells ( hemolysis ), kidney or the liver one of these.. Fish, and deepwater horizon oil spill bioremediation last at least five years three months later, after 24/7 news coverage the and. '' where oxygen is depleted Gulf coastal economy up to $ 22.7billion through 2013 immediately., the sheen can be seen floating all over the past year ( ). The government overestimated the volume April 20, deepwater horizon oil spill bioremediation, an explosion occurred on Deepwater... Months later, after 24/7 news coverage compounds that are less dense than seawater, a team of American led! High school students a.gov the defective BOP and the capping stack were in... Have worked with the stress petroleum products and are unable to deepwater horizon oil spill bioremediation with damaged... The blame on any one of these events EC9500A and corexit EC9527A were the principal variants, that!

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