Former BP America president Lamar McKay recently revealed in court that the company knew about the risk of explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig well before it took place. Engineers expressed concern as early as 2009 about the possibility of malfunction, but the company charged ahead anyway, resulting in the explosion that spilled roughly four million barrels of oil into the ocean. The spill itself caused untold damage, claimed nearly a dozen lives and, according to testimony, it could have been prevented.

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Post tags: BP Court Trial, BP Oil spill knowledge, BP President Lamar McKay, BP Rig Explosion, British Petroleum Spill, deepwater horizon explosion, Deepwater Horizon Spill, gulf of mexico oil spill, louisiana oil spill, Ocean Oil Spill

Although BP has plead guilty to manslaughter and agreed to pay a record $4.5 billion in criminal penalties for its role in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the British oil giant BP is now preparing to defend itself in court against “excessive” civilian penalties. The company could not reach an agreement with the Justice Department for up to $21 billion in fines which would be paid out to Gulf Coast states under the Clean Water Act.

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Post tags: BP civil penalties, BP Clean Water Act violation, BP oil company, BP oil spill civil claims, deepwater horizon oil spill, environmental destruction, gulf of mexico oil spill, Macondo well spill, oil destruction of environment, oil rig accident, oil spill clean up, U.S. Justice Department BP trial

In efforts to mitigate the devastating underwater petroleum leak caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in 2010, BP used controversial oil-dispersing chemicals that have long been suspected to do more harm than good. The clean-up—in which two million gallons of dispersant were combined with crude oil—created a mixture that could be 52-times more toxic than oil alone, according to new research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes (UAA), Mexico.

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Post tags: BP oil company, deepwater horizon disaster, ecological disasters, Georgia Institute of Technology, gulf of mexico oil spill, marine ecosystems, marine life protection, oil spill clean up, oil-dispersing chemicals, underwater petroleum leak, Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes

In the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill we explored several innovative methods to separate oil from water. Now a team from MIT has developed a new technique for magnetically separating oil and water that could be used to clean up oil spills in the future. The method is said to be so efficient that the recovered oil can even be reused to offset the cost of the clean-up.

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Post tags: alang, deep horizon oil spill, exxon valdez, exxon valdez oil spill, gulf of mexico oil spill, Indian ship-breaking yard, metal recycling, MIT, oil spill, oil spill clean up, ship breaking, toxic spill

The Exxon Valdez, the tanker that was responsible for the world’s worst oil spill (until the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010), is to be broken up in an Indian ship-breaking yard and sold for scrap. The decision was made by India’s Supreme Court and it will spell the end for the infamous tanker after a notorious career.

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Post tags: alang, deep horizon oil spill, exxon valdez, exxon valdez oil spill, gulf of mexico oil spill, Indian ship-breaking yard, metal recycling, oil spill, ship breaking, toxic spill

After the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, we’ve been on the look out for new technologies that could help clean up similar disasters. With that in mind, we were intrigued by the news that Rice University and Penn State University researchers have developed a new type of nanosponge blocks that are capable of repeatedly absorbing spilled oil from water.

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Post tags: carbon boron nanosponges, carbon nanosponges oil spill, carbon nanotubes, clean up technologies, daniel hashim, gulf of mexico oil spill, oil spill clean up, oil spill sponge, oil spills

The trial that will decide BP’s culpability in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was set to begin in the US District Court in New Orleans today, but has been postponed to allow the oil company to continue to discuss settlements with plaintiffs in the case. Experts say the oil company faces up to $52 billion in fines and liabilities, making this case the largest corporate offense in history that requires a fine paid to the U.S. government. The disaster is sure to become one of the most expensive environmental disasters in history and the postponed trial is set to decide exactly how expensive it will be. The new start date is set for March 5th and the trial is expected to last at least two years.

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Post tags: bp oil spill, bp on trial, bp settlements, bp trial, deepwater horizon, deepwater horizon oil spill, environmental destruction, environmental disaster, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, oil spill, worst oil spill in history

It is coming to fists again over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This time, however, it isn’t the people of the gulf against big oil, it is the oil companies against each other. BP is accusing Halliburton of knowingly destroying the results from a test on cement slurry at the site and seemingly losing computer modeling of the cement at the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Both are considered pieces of evidence that could prove Halliburton installed faulty cement at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, causing the well to rupture and spill 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

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Post tags: BP, bp oil spill, dangers of drilling for oil, deep water drilling for gas, deep water drilling for oil, deepwater horizon, faulty cement, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, halliburton, halliburton faulty cement, halliburton oil well, oil drilling safety, oil slick, oil spill

We recently reported on a new oil leak at the site of last year’s devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and now a massive slick of oil has been spotted that stretches for nearly 10 miles. Last year, nearly 210 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the gulf before it was finally stopped. Despite numerous sightings and heightened anxiety within the area, BP Spokesman Justin Saia announced last week that “Neither BP nor the Coast Guard has seen any scientific evidence that oil is leaking from the Macondo well, which was permanently sealed almost a year ago.”

Read the rest of BREAKING: New Oil Slick Near Deepwater Horizon Well Stretches for 10 Miles

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Post tags: deepwater horizon, deepwater horizon oil spill, gulf of mexico oil spill, oil, oil spill, renewed oil leak

It’s been more than a year since an explosion on BP’s Deepwater Horizon caused the worst offshore oil spill in the history of the United States, sending some 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Recovery efforts in the Gulf and its surrounding communities are still underway, and since the beginning, one of the biggest obstacles has been scientific uncertainty about how much oil spilled, what exactly the spill was made up of, and where it all went. But new research findings by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution explain just what came out of the Deepwater well, shedding light on what happened to it and how it affected the environment.

Read the rest of New Study Explains Chemical Makeup of the Gulf Oil Spill Plume

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Post tags: chemical makeup of the gulf oil spill, chris reddy, deepwater horizon, deepwater horizon explosion, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, national science foundation, new gulf oil spill study, new study of gulf oil spill, oil spill, studying the gulf oil spill, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

You’d think that if your company was responsible for the worst oil spill in the history of the United States, bonuses for the year would be out the window. But that’s not the mindset of BP, the company at the center of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. According to its annual report, the company awarded two senior executives bonuses of more than $160,000. WTF?!

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Post tags: 2010 oil spill, bp executive bonuses, bp executives, BP oil, bp oil spill, bp oil spill disaster, deepwater horizon, deepwater horizon disaster, deepwater horizon explosion, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill

We recently learned that BP, who we all know for causing the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, has also been overlooking safety on their pipeline operation in Alaska and on their other massive gulf rig the Atlantis. The gulf response is still in full effect and though it was proven in late August that more than 79% of the oil was still floating in the Gulf, the US government opened some of the coastal waters to fishing. While workers are still toiling away cleaning coastal areas we’re finding out that nature has its own crafty ways of soaking up oil. Though fisherman have been given the go ahead to pull their catches from Gulf waters, scientists have now found that oil has officially entered the food chain.

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Post tags: bp disaster, bp oil spill, deepwater horizon, fisheries, fishing industry, gulf of mexico disaster, gulf of mexico fishing, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, gulf spill cleanup, how much oil is left in the gulf, how to clean an oil spill, oil spill, oil spill cleanup

Happiness Brussels is hoping to raise some cash to rehabilitate habitats destroyed by the Gulf Coast spill by selling art made from the area’s number one offender — oil from the disaster. The team is raising money to benefit the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) by selling posters that have been screen printed with crude oil gathered from Louisiana’s most troubled beaches.

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Post tags: Anthony Burrill, deepwater horizon, environmental art, green art, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, Happiness Brussels, oil and water do not mix, oil spill, sustainable art

Mired in the Bayou Opens TONIGHT – Join Us at 99% Gallery!

We’re all familiar with images of the Gulf Oil Spill – hazy waters, stained shorelines and blackened, lifeless animals — but what about the human faces of the lives destroyed? Tonight Inhabitat is teaming up with 99% Gallery to present Mired in the Bayou, a thought-provoking photography and sculpture exhibit that reveals the human face of the BP disaster. This art exhibit explores a number of towns along the Gulf Coast that have been left in ruin as a result of the spill, focusing on ten stories and oil-laden remnants collected from the coast. Mired in the Bayou is a small window to a greater scene revealing how our extreme oil consumption has led the way to a devastating man-made catastrophe.

OPENING RECEPTION: October 15, 2010, 7-10 PM

LOCATION: 99% Gallery, 99 North 10th, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211

+ Mired in the Bayou

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Post tags: 99% gallery, BP, BP oil, BP oil spill exhibit, deepwater horizon spill exhibit, erin sheehy, graham holly, gulf coast oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, gulf oil spill photos, gulf oil spill pictures, Inhabitat Events, inhabitat nyc, inhabitat photo exhibits, michael de pasquale, Mired in the bayou, nyc events, oil spill exhibit, photos of the gulf oil spill, pictures of the gulf oil spill, reed young

We’ve all seen the images of the exploded Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the depressing images of oil-covered birds and wildlife littered on the coast, but how many of us really grasp the full impact of the BP oil spill disaster on the individuals living on the Gulf Coast? Inhabitat is hoping to change all this and present the human face of the BP oil spill disaster with a groundbreaking new art exhibit we’re launching in NYC called ‘Mired in the Bayou‘, a mixed-medium exhibit explores the Gulf Coast communities that have been left in financial and emotional ruin as a result of the spill. This provocative art exhibit will be opening next Friday, October 15 at 99% Gallery in New York and will bring the human face of the BP oil disaster to light like no other media has done thus far. If you’re in town this day please join us for the opening reception, and if you can’t make the exhibit, or can’t wait to see the photos, click through our gallery and watch the video trailer ahead.

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Post tags: 99% gallery, BP, BP oil, BP oil spill exhibit, deepwater horizon spill exhibit, erin sheehy, graham holly, gulf coast oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, gulf oil spill photos, gulf oil spill pictures, Inhabitat Events, inhabitat nyc, inhabitat photo exhibits, michael de pasquale, Mired in the bayou, nyc events, oil spill exhibit, photos of the gulf oil spill, pictures of the gulf oil spill, reed young

Join Inhabitat for the Mired in the Bayou opening reception in NYC!

We’ve all seen images of the Gulf Oil Spill – filmy waters, desolate shorelines and blackened, lifeless animals — but what about the lives and livelihoods that have been destroyed? On October 15th at the 99% Gallery, Inhabitat will present Mired in the Bayou, a brand new mixed-medium exhibit premiering in New York City. Mired in the Bayou presents a thought-provoking portraiture project, audio narratives, and objects from the coast that reveal how the BP Spill has impacted and continues to impact individuals in the community of Bayou La Batre, Alabama’s once lucrative seafood capital. Watch our trailer above for a sneak peek into the exhibit and some behind the scenes footage of the project being made. You can also read about it here!

OPENING RECEPTION: October 15, 2010, 7-10 PM

LOCATION: 99% Gallery, 99 North 10th, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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Special thanks to Jonathan Wing for his amazing video and original music!

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Post tags: 99% gallery, BP, BP oil, BP oil spill exhibit, deepwater horizon spill exhibit, erin sheehy, graham holly, gulf coast oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, gulf oil spill photos, gulf oil spill pictures, Inhabitat Events, inhabitat nyc, inhabitat photo exhibits, michael de pasquale, Mired in the bayou, nyc events, oil spill exhibit, photos of the gulf oil spill, pictures of the gulf oil spill, reed young

Join Inhabitat for the opening reception October 15th in New York City!

There is no denying the sheer ecological destruction the the BP Oil Spill has inflicted on the Gulf waters and its coastline, since the wellhead first exploded in April. For five months and running, the media inundated us with images of the effects of catastrophe ranging from once blue waters cast murky, to lifeless animals whose remains have been left to rot covered in oil. As telling as these images are, what we’ve heard much less of is how this man-made disaster has destroyed livelihoods on the thousands of individuals living along the Gulf coast states. On October 15th Inhabitat with 99% Gallery will present ‘Mired in the Bayou’ a mixed-medium exhibit. Mired in the Bayou reveals how the BP Spill has impacted and continues to impact the community of Bayou La Batre, Alabama’s once lucrative seafood capital. This arresting exhibit not only reveals the current situation of this small town of 2,500, but the history and dynamics of a community now in despair. If you’re in New York City, please come and join us October 15th, from 7-10pm at 99% Gallery for drinks, food, discussion, and of course, what’s sure to be a thought-provoking exhibition. Jump ahead for a sneak peek!

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Post tags: 99% gallery, BP, BP oil, BP oil spill exhibit, deepwater horizon oil spill, deepwater horizon spill exhibit, graham holly, gulf coast oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, gulf oil spill photos, gulf oil spill pictures, Inhabitat Events, inhabitat nyc, inhabitat photo exhibits, michael de pasquale, Mired in the bayou, nyc events, oil spill exhibit, photos of the gulf oil spill, pictures of the gulf oil spill, reed young

Read the rest of PRESENTING: Mired in the Bayou, an Exhibit About the BP Oil Spill

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Post tags: 99% gallery, BP, BP oil, BP oil spill exhibit, deepwater horizon spill exhibit, graham holly, gulf coast oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, gulf oil spill photos, gulf oil spill pictures, Inhabitat Events, inhabitat nyc, inhabitat photo exhibits, michael de pasquale, Mired in the bayou, nyc events, oil spill exhibit, photos of the gulf oil spill, pictures of the gulf oil spill, reed young

Contrary to what the media is telling you, a report from the Georgia Sea Grant and the University of Georgia released yesterday says that a whopping 79% of the oil from the Gulf oil spill still remains in the waters there. The report concludes that the media is way off in their estimates — they are saying that a mere 25% of the oil remains — and that the effects of this spill will be following us for decades while the oil slowly dissipates. The report notes that the large plumes of oil present deep underneath the surface of the Gulf are most likely still present and perhaps will be for years to come.

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Post tags: bp oil spill, deepwater horizon, deepwater horizon oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, how much oil is still in the gulf, how much oil is still in the gulf of mexico, oil dissapation, oil in the gulf of mexico

Fortunately, for the last two weeks a temporary plug has been preventing oil from BP’s damaged Deepwater Horizon well from seeping into the Gulf of Mexico. But BP says they are ready to permanently plug the well that exploded in late April, killing 11 and pouring copious amounts of oil into the ocean — estimates are upwards of 200 million gallons. The procedure dubbed “a static kill,” will take place today, but the only problem is the “static” part of it isn’t fool proof. Like many of  BP’s other undertakings, this endeavor carries the warning that even this attempt to stop the oil might not work.

Read the rest of BP Will Attempt to Permanently Plug Leaking Oil Well Today

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Post tags: BP, bp oil spill, gulf coast oil spill, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil spill, Gulf oil spill, gulf oil spill photos, gulf oil spill pictures, photos of the gulf oil spill, pictures of the gulf oil spill