British Petroleum oil spill (Deepwater Horizon oil spill)
On April 20th 2010, and oil leak was found in the Gulf of Mexico. It started with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil drilling platform, which killed 11 crew on board the platform, and injured 17 others.
The oil spill happened just 64 kilometres from the coast of Louisiana, and is threatening the livelihoods of many shrimp farmers who live along the coast.
Also, the growing oil slick is threatening many bird species who live along the coast, and some oil dispersing chemicals may be harmful for wildlife in the area.
It is estimated that it will take years for the ocean to recover from the spill; currents may blow it into the Atlantic and a sudden growth in microbes used to consume oil could reduce the oxygen in the water.
Already, oil is hitting the fragile marshlands of Louisiana, and with scientists unable to plug the leak, more is coming.
