How many miles from shore was the oil rig Deepwater Horizon?
Emma Payne
Published Jan 07, 2026
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also called Gulf of Mexico oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig—located in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles (66 km) off the coast of Louisiana—and its subsequent sinking on April 22.
How far was the Deepwater Horizon oil rig from the shore?
The distance from the farthest point of the Florida shoreline that experienced oiling from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was 207.6 miles. The average of these two distances is 154.9 miles.
How far offshore are the oil rigs from Gulf Shores?
They start at the state waterline (nine nautical miles out) and go all the way to the edge of the continental shelf, 100 miles offshore.
How many crew members were on the rig Deepwater Horizon?
When the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank, 11 workers lost their lives. 17 others were injured. In total, there were 126 crew members on the rig at the time of the explosion. 94 of the workers who survived were taken by lifeboat and 17 were evacuated by helicopter.
How far was BP drilling for oil?
In September 2009, the rig drilled the deepest oil well in history at a vertical depth of 35,050 ft (10,683 m) and measured depth of 35,055 ft (10,685 m) in the Tiber Oil Field at Keathley Canyon block 102, approximately 250 miles (400 km) southeast of Houston, in 4,132 feet (1,259 m) of water.
30 related questions foundHow much money did the survivors of Deepwater Horizon get?
It was largely settled when a Federal District judge approved the largest environmental damage settlement in United States history – $20.8 billion – on April 4, 2016.
What is currently the largest oil spill in recorded history?
On April 20, 2010, the oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, operating in the Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, exploded and sank resulting in the death of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon and the largest spill of oil in the history of marine oil drilling operations.
Did Mike Williams jump off Deepwater Horizon?
Did Mike Williams really jump from an incredible height to escape the burning rig? Yes, the chief electronics technician on the Deepwater Horizon, Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg in the movie), jumped 10 stories into the Gulf of Mexico in order to escape the flames that had engulfed the rig.
How accurate is the movie Deepwater Horizon?
But, unlike many films based on true events, Deepwater Horizon actually stays remarkably close to real life. The film chronicles the last moments on the drilling rig for which the movie is named in remarkable detail.
Did Jimmy survive Deepwater Horizon?
Jimmy Harrell, the man in charge of drilling on the Deepwater Horizon when the mobile rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico 11 years ago, has died at his home in Morton, Mississippi.
How many abandoned oil rigs are in the Gulf of Mexico?
More than 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells lurk beneath the Gulf of Mexico, and more than 1,000 oil rigs and platforms sit idle.
How big are offshore oil rigs?
They're enormous. The BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that exploded April 20 was 400 feet by 250 feet—roughly the size of two football fields—with a crew of 130. Some rigs are even larger. In fact, many of today's oil platforms are essentially floating cities that employ and house hundreds of people.
How many oil rigs are in the Gulf of Mexico 2020?
Today, there are more than 4,000 production platforms and drilling rigs off the coast of Louisiana.
How did Andrea Fleytas survive?
Williams valiantly saves her by throwing her from the rig, then jumps himself. Six years ago, the real Williams told 60 Mintues' Scott Pelley that he jumped first and left Fleytas behind. Fleytas later told U.S. Coast Guard investigators she was last in the life raft and fell out as it descended.
Is Deepwater Horizon still leaking?
One oil well off the southeastern coast of Louisiana, owned by Taylor Energy, has been leaking since 2004, spilling between 300 and 700 barrels per day. The well's reserves could keep it leaking for the next 100 years if it isn't capped, meaning it will one day eclipse the Deepwater Horizon spill in terms of volume.
How did they stop the BP oil spill?
Temporary closure. On July 15, 2010, BP announced that it had successfully plugged the oil leak using a tightly fitted cap. The cap, weighing 75 tons and standing 30 feet (9.1 m) high, is now bolted to the failed blowout preventer. It consists of a Flange Transition Spool and a 3 Ram Stack and is a temporary solution.
Did anyone from BP go to jail?
(Reuters) - A former BP Plc BP. L rig supervisor who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill was sentenced to 10 months of probation on Wednesday, concluding a federal criminal case in which no one received prison time over the disaster.
Where is Jimmy Harrell now?
(AP) — Jimmy Harrell, a supervisor on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, has died at age 65. Harrell, who worked for rig owner Transocean, died Monday, according to Wolf Funeral Home in Morton, Mississippi. He had battled cancer for a year.
Who was at fault for Deepwater Horizon?
In essence, that report states that the main cause was the defective cement job, and Halliburton, BP and Transocean were, in different ways, responsible for the accident. The report consists of two volumes. Volume I contains the report of the US Coast Guard.
What is Andrea Fleytas doing now?
Today, Fleytas sees the business growing. She does deliveries of bread, scones, muffins and cookies in the Long Beach, Seal Beach and Los Alamitos areas for $5 a delivery fee. She drops off her home-baked goodies for others who place online orders, at Make Collectives, located at 430 E. First St.
Why was pipe not cut on Deepwater Horizon?
However, because the drill pipe was buckled and off-center inside the blowout preventer, it was trapped and only partially cut. The video explains how this failure directly led to the massive oil spill and contributed to the severity of the incident on the drilling rig.
How much did BP pay the families?
Settlements with families of workers killed in last year's Deepwater Horizon oil-rig explosion are running at $8 million to $9 million so far, a range sharply inflated by companies' interest in avoiding another possible wave of bad publicity from the accident.
Was Deepwater Horizon the worst oil spill?
New Orleans, LouisianaOn April 20, 2010, an explosion at the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig released over 130 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. It was the biggest oil spill ever in U.S. waters and remains one of the worst environmental disasters in world history. Eleven rig workers lost their lives.
How much did it cost to clean up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?
In July 2016, BP announced Deepwater Horizon's total cost was $61.6 billion dollars. According to Reuters, however, as of September, the British oil and gas company has paid $63.4 billion in legal fees and cleanup costs.
What is the biggest oil disaster in the world?
The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill is officially the largest accidental spill in world history. It began when an oil well a mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico blew out, causing an explosion on BP's Deepwater Horizon rig. The explosion killed 11 people.