Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Introduction


On April 20, 2010 the oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded. A British Petruleum (BP) run oil rig, it became the worst spill in history, and has effected both environment and economy in catastrophic ways. The fallout from this disaster has raised many questions about both the history and future of oil drilling; as well as our future in energy resources as a country. Releasing an estimated 4.4 million barrels, or 185 million gallons, of oil into the Gulf of Mexico*, BP’s oil spill is now a tragic example of the need for better energy technologies. To understand the current situation, researchers have been investigating past spills and drilling history, as ways to estimate the potential impacts the Gulf will still have in the years ahead.


This blog is meant to provide an overview of the history behind the BP oil spill, as well as bring a perspective surrounding other environmental disasters on the planet.  Created for POLT 909, Melvin Dubnick, University of New Hampshire. 


J. Furlone
A. Cullen