Containing and Cleaning Up the Deepwater Oil Rig Disaster
On April 20, 2010, an explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico sank the oil rig and created a leak that has spewed millions of gallons into the water. This report contains our ongoing coverage of this disaster.
Drill BP, Drill: By Boring Relief Wells Closer to the Oil Reservoir BP Hopes to Up Odds of Success
The downside: by going deeper it will take another two months. In the meantime the oil company scrambles for temporary fixes
Gulf Spillover: Will BP's Deepwater Disaster Change the Oil Industry?
New York University sociologist Harvey Molotch compares the devastating 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill with Deepwater to see how far the U.S. government and the oil industry have--and have not--come
Slosh and Berm: Building Sand Barriers off Louisiana's Coast to Hold Back Oil Spill Has Low Probability of Success
The oil spill will not just have an environmental impact--the catastrophe, along with efforts to stop it, may reshape the geography of Louisiana's Gulf coast
Delisted and in danger: Gulf oil spill threatens brown pelicans months after they are dropped from endangered species list
Images of oil-caked brown pelicans ( Pelecanus occidentalis ) have hit the front pages of countless U.S. newspapers and other media in the past week, driving home the still-growing impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Scientists Will Monitor Deepwater Horizon Methane Plumes for Gulf Oil Spill Answers
A team of researchers is hoping that the study of methane will help more accurately calculate the extent of the oil spill and the Gulf's ability to break down the slick
How Will the Oil Spill Impact the Gulf's Dead Zone?
Microbial activity could end up exacerbating waters with little oxygen--as could the coating of oil
Slick Solution: How Microbes Will Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Bacteria and other microbes are the only thing that will ultimately clean up the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico
![Coast Guard Captures Deepwater Response to Oil Spill Disaster in Pictures [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/0C61BF06-740F-4D37-81A0FC6C03CDF895_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Coast Guard Captures Deepwater Response to Oil Spill Disaster in Pictures [Slide Show]
Crews from the Guard, BP and local fishermen have been hard at work in the Gulf of Mexico since the oil rig exploded and sank in April
How Bad Is the Oil Spill?
As bad as it is, BP's Gulf oil spill dwindles compared with gushers of the past. David Biello reports
![Oil in Gulf of Mexico Spells Disaster for Young Birds as Breeding Season Unfolds [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/15B8B404-C8B5-45D4-B87281992D1F0519_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Oil in Gulf of Mexico Spells Disaster for Young Birds as Breeding Season Unfolds [Slide Show]
How will the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf impact the bird populations of the South Coast?
"Top kill" goes on into the night [update]
After a 16-hour pause to evaluate the effects of the "top kill" operation, BP plans to start pumping mud again this evening in an attempt to staunch the flow of oil from the MC 252 well in the Gulf of Mexico.
Flood of oil, drought of research
Scientists frustrated as questions about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill go unanswered.
Where Will the Deepwater Horizon Oil End Up?
The short answer is everywhere--the sea surface, deep waters, the Gulf Coast, in deepwater corals and even as far as the Arctic
BP Suffers Multiple Lapses in Years Leading to Oil Spills
The global oil giant responsible for the fast-spreading spill in the Gulf of Mexico is no stranger to major accidents
No relief in sight for BP's Deepwater oil containment operations as hurricane season arrives
BP et al. have burned through more than five weeks and at least as many failed attempts to get control of the Mississippi Canyon 252 well spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Oil spill threatens endangered species at a critical time
The true impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico won't be known for weeks—if not months or years—but already the spreading oil presents a danger to the region's threatened and endangered species.
Gulf Oil Spill Highlights the Increasing Dependence on Deep-Sea Robots
Remotely operated subs have met with both success and failure in stanching the flow of crude, and the oil industry may need to rely on completely autonomous vehicles
Gulf Spill Cleanup Chemicals May Cause New Environmental Concerns
On Thursday BP began using the chemical compounds to dissolve the crude oil, both on the surface and deep below, deploying an estimated 100,000 gallons
Can Offshore Drilling Really Make the U.S. Oil Independent?
Even if U.S. energy policy goes "drill baby drill," there will be no escape from the vicissitudes of the global oil market
Oil spill endangers fragile marshland
Clean-up efforts begin after oil explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.
Drawing Lines in the Sea: Nations Stake Claims on Arctic Ocean Riches
The year 2009 will see a rendezvous between science, politics and big business in the high Arctic. Though frenzied seabed mapping clarifies the geology, economic incentives cloud the discussion
Nanotech Paper Sops Up Oil Spills
A nanotech material absorbs oil but repels water, making it a possibly perfect picker-upper for tanker spills. Cynthia Graber reports.
Awash in Oil
There's plenty of cheap oil, says the U.S. Geological Survey
Oil Spills, the Media and the Oil Industry
Do oil disasters happen less or does the media not prioritize them?
Prince William Sound and Fury: Oil Giant Dodges Punitive Damages for Valdez Spill
The U.S. Supreme Court capped damages for the Exxon Valdez oil spill at a fraction of what an Alaskan jury awarded
House votes to let offshore drilling ban expire
A 26-year moratorium on offshore drilling will expire on Wednesday, after the House approved a temporary-spending package today sans a planned extension of the ban.
The Future of Oil Is in Deep Water
That's not just because of the economic crisis slowing demand, remaining unexplored oil reservoirs are in deep waters offshore
Senate Advances Comprehensive Energy Bill
National renewable standards and offshore drilling still in question, however
How Long Will the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Last?
It's not just a matter of stopping the spill, it's also a matter of where the oil ends up
Oil spill worsens, offshore drilling plans in dire straits?
The Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill keeps getting worse—now gushing more than 200,000 gallons per day, according to NOAA estimates—five times more than original estimates and more than BP's absolute worst case scenario in disaster plans filed with the government.