Oil+Rig+Bursts

In 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico, an oil rig by the name of Deepwater Horizon burst killing eleven workers. This event outraged and shocked Americans from multiple different facets. The first aspect that was a surprise was the initial shock of the burst. America as a whole was confused and in awe over the whole event. Scientists determined that deep in the rig there was either an oil or gas leak that combusted and ignighted causing a fireball-type explosion. Many workers were able to escape, but broke bones jumping from the 80 foot rig base. With much of the American focus on Healthcare, Iraq and Obama, this more or less natural event came as a gigantic shock. The second aspect that surprised Americans was the lack of response from BP, the company that funded the rig. BP did not respond to stop the leaking oil exposed from the broken rig till much later than they should have. The video below depicts the issues with BP’s slow response, which is the enviromental issue.

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Oil leaked into the Gulf for over three weeks, and the enviromental setbakcs and problems were shocking. Entire species were severely exposed to the oil; some researchers even said that dolphins that washed ashore had oil seeping through their pores. This enviromental downfall was equal if not more influential than any other shock caused by the burst rig.