WHERE DID THE OIL GO? A DEEPWATER HORIZON FACT SHEET OIL AT THE SEAFLOOR Scientists estimate that 1,235 square miles of the seafloor around the well contained oiled sediments. PATHWAYS TO THE SEAFLOOR Oil made its way to the seafloor by binding or combining with sand, burned byproduct, or other particles in the water, causing it to sink. Some animals ate oil droplets or particles and then excreted oil- containing fecal pellets, which sank to the seafloor. During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, approximately 200 million gallons of oil flowed from the Macondo well. Due to the size and scope of the spill, people wanted to know where the oil would travel. Some oil accumulated at the shoreline, on the ocean’s surface, in an underwater plume, and on the seafloor. 20 - 25% evaporated 10 - 20% chemically dispersed 11 - 25% unaccounted for 12 - 13% naturally dispersed 3 - 5% oil on the seafloor 16 - 17% recovered at the wellhead 2 - 4% skimmed 5 - 6% burned underwater oil plume NATURAL PROCESSES After the spill, oil weathered due to environmental exposure. It evaporated, emulsified into foam, naturally dispersed, and/or dissolved. A significant, but unknown, portion was broken down by microbes and the sun. RESPONSE ACTIONS Responders recovered oil at the wellhead, burned, skimmed, and used dispersants on some of the surface oil out at sea, but some oil still lingered in the environment.
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WHERE DID THE OIL GO? A DEEPWATER HORIZON FACT SHEET
OIL AT THE SEAFLOORScientists estimate that 1,235 square miles of the seafloor around the well contained oiled sediments.
PATHWAYS TO THE SEAFLOOROil made its way to the seafloor by binding or combining with sand, burned byproduct, or other particles in the water, causing it to sink. Some animals ate oil droplets or particles and then excreted oil-containing fecal pellets, which sank to the seafloor.
During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, approximately 200 million gallons of oil flowed from the Macondo well. Due to the size and scope of the spill, people wanted to know where the oil would travel. Some oil accumulated at the shoreline, on the ocean’s surface, in an underwater plume, and on the seafloor.
20 - 25%evaporated
10 - 20%chemicallydispersed
11 - 25%unaccounted
for
12 - 13%naturallydispersed
3 - 5%oil on the seafloor
16 - 17%recovered at the wellhead
2 - 4%skimmed
5 - 6%burned
underwater oil plume
NATURAL PROCESSESAfter the spill, oil weathered due to environmental exposure. It evaporated, emulsified into foam, naturally dispersed,
and/or dissolved. A significant, but unknown, portion was broken
down by microbes and the sun.
RESPONSE ACTIONSResponders recovered oil at the wellhead, burned, skimmed, and used dispersants on some of the surface oil out at sea, but some oil still lingered in the environment.
This work was made possible in part by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, and in part by the Sea Grant programs of Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi-Alabama. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.GOMSG-G-18-003
Texas • Louisiana • Florida Mississippi-Alabama
g u l f s e a g r a n t . o r g / o i l s p i l l o u t r e a c h
WANT TO LEARN MORE?Read Deepwater Horizon: Where did the oil go? and Microbes and oil: What’s the connection? at gulfseagrant.org/oilspilloutreach
O
ILED
SH
ORELIN
E BY STATE/PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL O
ILING
(Map: Environmental Response Management Application)
OILING BY HABITAT
Wetlands – 687 miles of wetlands were oiled, making up more than half (52%) of the oiled shoreline. Most of the wetlands that were oiled were in Louisiana. Plant cover decreased by 11 to 53% in heavily oiled sites in Louisiana after the spill.
Beaches – 600 miles of sandy beaches were oiled, 46% of the oiled shoreline. During the spill, thick, weathered oil washed up on beaches in patches. Some of the oil was buried by sand and re-exposed when wind and waves moved sand around. Responders removed approximately 100 million pounds of oiled waste material.
The two shoreline habitats primarily affected were beaches and coastal wetlands.
(Front and back watercolors: Anna Hinkeldey)
Map of shoreline oiling
1,313 miles of oiled shoreline Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida coasts experienced different amounts of shoreline oiling. The oil impacted 1,313 miles of the 3,540 miles of the U. S. Gulf of Mexico coastline.
Louisiana847 miles
64% Alabama95 miles
7%
Mississippi158 miles
12%
Florida178 miles
14%
Texas35 miles
3%
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Special thanks to the many external reviewers who contributed to the betterment of this oil spill science outreach publication.
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