How did the US deal with the worst environmental disaster in history?

(Baonghean.vn) - 6 years ago, on April 20, 2010, the famous oil and gas company BP was involved in a scandal when its oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, just 60 km off the coast of Louisiana, USA, exploded and killed 11 workers at the Deepwater Horizon rig, starting the worst environmental tragedy in US history.

The Deepwater Horizon oil well exploded in 2010, killing 11 people and spilling millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Photo; Telegraph.

During the next 87 days, millions of liters of oil spilled on the ocean floor 1.5 km below sea level and BP tried many ways to cover up the incident but could not "get past" the media.

Public opinion became more and more critical of BP when flocks of birds, fish, and shrimp died in large numbers, and thick layers of oil covered previously pristine beaches.

Although BP was then owned by the United States, having changed its name from the British Petroleum Company years earlier, anti-British sentiment spread as quickly as the oil spill, creating tension in the “special relationship” between Downing Street and the White House.

The company spent a huge amount of money on a cleanup campaign (up to 28 billion USD) and set up a compensation fund of 20 billion USD, but it did little to calm the anger. On July 15, 2010, after many unsuccessful efforts, the spilled oil well was finally closed.

Pelicans affected by the 2010 Louisiana oil spill disaster. Photo: Getty.

Tony Hayward, then BP chief executive, became “the most hated man in America” for his ill-considered words as he tried to appease locals, apologising for the “severe impact” on their lives but adding: “Nobody wants this to be over more than me. I want my life back.”

Although Hayward quickly apologized for his “slip of the tongue” after the tragedy that caused death and affected the entire ecosystem, it is clear that his reputation has been significantly affected.

Crude oil washed ashore in Alabama in 2010. Photo: AP.

People did not accept his description of the spill as “very, very trivial” and “relatively small” compared to the size of the ocean. Twelve days later, BP announced that American chemical engineer Bob Dudley would replace Mr Hayward.

All things considered, the Gulf of Mexico and BP were both lucky. For starters, the spill occurred far out at sea, deep in the ocean, far from the most diverse marine life.

Second, the oil that leaked was light crude, which dissolves more quickly than heavy oil. And by the time the oil reached the surface, much of it had been broken down by bacteria. With the oil spilling ashore, BP promptly launched a large-scale, expensive but generally successful cleanup campaign.

Dealing with the aftermath of the oil spill. Photo: Getty.

The environmental impacts, as well as the negative impacts on the lives of those who depend on the Gulf for their livelihoods, are significant, but the recovery of this place is still beyond the expectations of many.

Alabama Beach today. Source: Facebook.

The Gulf of Mexico is now largely clean and vibrant again, a recovery that has been described by everyone from environmentalists, to BP representatives, researchers, ocean scientists, and more as “resilient.”

Phu Binh

(According to Telegraph)