Posted on mayo, 02 2010

In one of the worst disasters in US off-shore drilling history, a huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from a BP offshore oil rig in the same region is threatening bio-diversity in an area the size of Puerto Rico.

Here is a summary of the events (latest first):

May 5, 2010: BP engineers stop the smallest of the three sources of leak. Good weather keeps the oil away from the shores and allows clean-up crews to conduct controlled burns. Weather conditions are expected to keep the oil from reaching land for the next few days.

BP Says One Oil Leak of Three Is Shut Off
Gulf oil spill: first leak capped, says BP

How the oil has spread
Approximate oil locations April 22 - May 6

©BBC
See the full slideshow on BBC website, scroll right to the bottom of this story


May 4, 2010: The weather has improved in the Gulf of Mexico aiding efforts to stop the oil from reaching the shore. Miles of protective floating boom continued to be laid. Aerial disbursement of chemicals has resumed, these chemicals are meant to break down oil on the water surface. Efforts are on course to put down containment domes above the leaks.

Weather Aids Crews in Oil Spill Cleanup Efforts
BP pins Gulf of Mexico oil clear-up hopes on funnel

 
May 3, 2010: BP has finished constructing the first of the three domes that it plans to place over the three leaks by this weekend. Meanwhile, some oil has reached the shores but most of it still remains some miles off the Louisiana coast. Bad weather has damaged miles of floating booms meant to keep the oil off the shoreline; the same reason that the early strategy of controlled burn, though successful, couldn't be expanded.

BP vows to clean up Gulf of Mexico oil slick
BP Says Crews Make Progress Stemming Oil Leaks
Burning the Oil Off? Weather Is the Hitch

May 2, 2010: Major environmental disaster awaits as heavy weather pushes the slick over the inflatable booms. US National Weather Service has said that strong winds, high tides and waves could push the oil into inlets, ponds and lakes in south-east Louisiana. A young gannett was found covered in thick oil indicating that the spill is now perilously close to wrecking heavy damage to the vulnerable coastal wetlands and marshlands in Louisiana which accounts for 40% of all US wetlands.


©BBC
See the full slideshow on BBC website, scroll right to the bottom of this story

May 1, 2010: Size of spill triples in a day from about 1,150 square miles to about 3850 square miles. Deteriorating weather hampers cleanup operations. Oil spill will reach US coast. Experts fear that the spill could spread to the East Coast stretching from Louisiana to Florida.

Satellite Images Shows Spill Tripling in Size
"Inevitable" Oil Slick Will Hit U.S., Obama to Visit
Oil 'reaches' coast in US spill
Experts Fear the Spill Could Spread to East Coast

April 30, 2010: Stormy weather has driven the oil spill closer to the marshlands and reefs of the Louisiana coast on Friday. BP prepares to try a new method to shut down the leaking pipeline.

Overhead and on the Ground, Waiting for a Potential Environmental Disaster to Hit
BP faces choppy waters after huge oil spill
Oil 'reaches' coast in US spill

April 29, 2010: White house takes greater role in managing the disaster. 210000 feet of inflatable boom had been laid down in several places along the Gulf Mexico. US Navy has been brought in to help with the clean-up operation.

White House Takes a Bigger Role in the Oil Spill Cleanup
US military joins oil leak effort

April 28, 2010: Size of the spill is now estimated to be 5 times more than initial estimates. The oil is leaking at the rate of 5000 barrels a day. A third leaks was discovered. Part of the oil slick is only 16 miles offshore.

Size of Spill in Gulf of Mexico Is Larger Than Thought
US oil slick 'five times bigger'

April 27, 2010: Officials consider a controlled burn to stop the slick from spreading towards the Louisiana shore. A third leaks is discovered closer to source.

‘Controlled Burn’ Considered for Gulf Oil Spill
US considers burning off oil leak

April 26, 2010: Under-water robots discover at least two leaks that are dumping about 1000 barrels of oil per day in the sea. Direction of winds keep the oil slick from moving towards the US shore.

Robots Work to Stop Leak of Oil in Gulf
Subs sent to stem US oil rig leak

April 22, 2010: Fire on the rig went out as it sank below the surface around 1500 GMT. Hopes of finding the missing crew were dim. An oil slick of around 5 miles had spread from the site of the accident.

Oil rig sinks in Gulf of Mexico after explosion
11 Remain Missing After Oil Rig Explodes Off Louisiana; 17 Are Hurt
Oil Rig Sinks, Raising Fears Of a Major Spill in the Gulf

April 20, 2010: Around 2300 EST, an explosion was reported from BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. 11 of the 126 crew on the rig were reported missing.