Deepwater Horizon Disaster Leaves Destructive Legacy 15 Years Later
Oceana analysis shows long-lasting harms of worst oil spill in U.S. history
Press Release Date: April 17, 2025
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contact:
Cory Gunkel, Megan Jordan | email: cgunkel@oceana.org, mjordan@oceana.org | tel: Cory Gunkel, 202.868.4061
April 20 marks the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which remains the worst oil spill in U.S. history. An analysis released by Oceana shows that the destructive legacy of this disaster is still felt by people, wildlife, and coastal and ocean habitats today.
Eleven people were tragically killed in the rig explosion that caused one of the most damaging environmental catastrophes the United States has ever seen. Oil gushed from the seafloor for 87 days, ultimately spewing 134 million gallons into the Gulf of Mexico. Toxic sludge washed up on 1,300 miles of shoreline, from Texas to Florida, oiling beaches and wetlands and killing tens of thousands of birds, sea turtles, and dolphins, among other marine life.
Key findings from Oceana’s analysis of recent research include:
- The deep-sea footprint of the oil spill covered an area almost nine times greater than previously reported. The spill spread over 1,105 square miles of ocean — nearly 50 times the size of Manhattan;
- The impact of the spill led to the loss of more than 25,000 jobs and $2.3 billion in industry output;
- Small dolphin population densities declined by up to 43%, while those of sperm whales declined up to 31%. The population density of Cuvier’s beaked whales and Gervais’ beaked whales declined by 75% and 83%, respectively;
- U.S. Coast Guard service members involved in the cleanup suffered from long-term endocrine and metabolic conditions; and
- Some Gulf fish species, such as white marlin, showed little to no recovery, as of a 2021 study.
“The Deepwater Horizon disaster left a tragic legacy of destruction that our nation must never forget,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “On this solemn 15th anniversary, we face a new deluge of misguided efforts to expand offshore drilling into new and deeper areas that would risk more catastrophes. Oceana calls on lawmakers to reject any drilling expansion and permanently protect our coasts from offshore drilling. The fate of America’s coastal communities, and their vibrant economies, depends on protecting our oceans from more devastating oil spills.”
“Fifteen years after the BP oil disaster, the scars still linger across the Louisiana and Texas coasts — scars on our wetlands, our fisheries, and our communities.,” said Breon Robinson, Southwest Louisiana/Southeast Texas Organizer for Healthy Gulf. “This anniversary is not just a memory of what was lost, but a call to protect what remains and fight for a healthy Gulf free from fossil fuels.”
There are significant risks with offshore drilling today. More than 7,300 oil spills occurred in federal waters between 2010 and 2022 — an average of over one spill every day. Offshore oil and gas drilling causes harmful pollution at every phase of the process, including exploration, production, and transportation.
Despite these threats, several oil companies are trying to push the limits and drill even deeper than ever before, where the risk of a catastrophic spill is higher because spills are harder and more costly to clean up.
A poll released by Oceana in July 2024 revealed that two-thirds of American voters (64%) support their elected officials protecting U.S. coastlines from new offshore drilling, with similar support among registered voters in coastal states (66%).
For more information about Oceana’s campaign to prevent the expansion of offshore drilling in the United States, please click here.
Background
A 2021 analysis by Oceana found that ending new leasing could prevent more than $720 billion in damage to people, property, and the environment. The oil industry currently holds more than 2,000 leases, according to a 2023 Oceana report, with 75% of that ocean acreage currently unused. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “The United States produced more crude oil than any other nation at any time for the past six years in a row.”
