On April 20, 2010, there was an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig located off the coast of Louisiana that killed 11 workers. The rig was owned by Transocean and was drilling for BP. The explosion led to a massive offshore oil spill as the rig sank. Over the subsequent months, an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, causing significant environmental and economic damage along the coast. Investigations later found that failures in safety systems and irresponsible behavior by contractors like Transocean and Halliburton contributed to the disaster. BP faced massive costs and lawsuits in the aftermath.

1. Deepwater Horizon
Disaster 2010
Shahbaz Sardar
1633648

2. Deepwater Horizon Disaster 2010
 On April 20, 2010 explosion and subsequent fire on
the Deepwater Horizon.
 Its was owned and operated by Transocean and were
drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about
60 km southeast off the Louisiana coast.
 The explosion and subsequent fire resulted in the sinking
of the Deepwater Horizon and the deaths of 11 workers;
17 others were injured and also caused a
massive offshore oil spill.

3. Deepwater Horizon

4.  Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deep
water, dynamically positioned, semi-
submersible offshore drilling rig.
 Built in 2001 in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy
Industries.
 The rig owner, Transocean, had a "strong overall" safety
record with no major incidents for 7 years.
 Deepwater Horizon was a 5th
gen state of the art facility.
 In September 2009, the rig drilled the deepest oil well in
history at a vertical depth of 10,683 m and measured
depth of 10,685 m.

5. Blowout
 On 20 April 2010, during the final phases of drilling and
sealing it with cement, a geyser of seawater erupted
from the marine riser onto the rig, shooting 73 m into the
air followed by oil & gas.
 The gas quickly engulfed the
entire platform and was sucked
into the air intakes of the diesel
generators. Which was
suggested as the ignition
source.

6.  All 11 workers had died were
stationed on the drill floor and
the drill control room from the
initial blast.
 Transocean employees tried
to prevent the blowout initially
by shutting both the annular
preventer. But this did not
work and oil kept flowing
through the riser.
 Finally they tried to stop using
Blind Shear Ram, but it also
failed to stop the flow of oil.

7. Oil Spill
 It is also known as BP oil spill.
 On 22 April 2010, after the rig sank. Reports of Oil spill
were found.
 Attempts were made to shut the BOP using an ROV had
failed, since the pressure was so high.
 It was estimated that oil was leaking at the rate of 8000
barrels per day.
 It is estimated around 4.9 million barrels of oil was spilled
over 176,100 sq km.

8. Oil Spill and satellite image

9. Investigation into explosion
 Small diameter hole obstructed dirt circulation.
 Valves to prevent cement backflow did not close.
 Cementing inadequate.
 Pressure test wrongly interpreted.
 Rising oil and gas not monitored.
 Fail-safe on seabed wellhead was unable to close.

10. Lawsuits
 On April 21, 2011, BP filed $40 billion worth of lawsuits
against rig owner Transocean, cementer Halliburton and
blowout-preventer manufacturer Cameron.
 The oil firm alleged that failed safety systems and
irresponsible behaviour of contractors had led to the
explosion, including claims that Halliburton "negligently"
failed to use cement-modelling software OptiCem
properly to analyse safe well requirements.
 In July 2015 BP cost for the clean-up, environmental and
economic damages and penalties has reached $54bn.