Gulf oil spill
Millions of BP settlement funds go to tourism industry
By E.P. Bannon, 13 May 2013
Out of the $94 million granted to the state of Alabama, $85.5 million will go toward refurbishing the Gulf Shores State Park, including the building of a convention center and 300-room hotel.
BP civil trial opens
By Bryan Dyne, 27 February 2013
BP is going to trial over civil claims under the Clean Water Act related to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Transocean settles for $1.4 billion in criminal and civil charges
By Bryan Dyne, 8 January 2013
Transocean is being required to pay a modest fine, over the course of five years, for its part in the 2010 explosion.
Deadly oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico
By Bryan Dyne, 19 November 2012
An explosion on board an oil rig owned by Black Elk Energy in the Gulf of Mexico has killed at least one worker, with another missing and presumed dead as of Sunday afternoon.
BP settles for $4.5 billion in federal criminal charges
By Bryan Dyne, 17 November 2012
BP has reached a settlement on all criminal claims with the US Department of Justice and on all securities claims with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
Government charges low-level BP employee in Gulf oil spill
By Tom Hall, 28 April 2012
The prosecution will be aimed not at exposing the real culpability for the BP disaster, but at covering it up. This has been the role of the Obama administration from the beginning.
Two years since the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster
By Andre Damon, 21 April 2012
Two years after the worst environmental disaster in US history, BP is making billions in profits while its executives go unpunished.
BP settles for $7.8 billion in Gulf blowout
By Tom Eley, 6 March 2012
Oil giant BP will pay only $7.8 billion to settle with victims of the 2010 Gulf oil blowout.
Obama green lights new BP Gulf oil drilling
By Tom Eley, 3 November 2011
The Obama administration has allowed BP to start new deep-sea oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico.
Report cites BP responsibility in Gulf blowout
By Tom Eley, 24 September 2011
A new government report attributes the blowout on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig to “poor risk management” by oil giant BP.
Gulf slick matches oil from BP spill
By Hiram Lee, 30 August 2011
Scientists confirm that oil observed in the Gulf of Mexico last week is a chemical match to oil from BP's Macondo well.
Obama opens up delicate Alaska ecosystem for drilling
By Bryan Dyne, 16 August 2011
A federal agency has approved the first new oil drilling in the Beaufort Sea since the Gulf oil spill last year.
One year since the BP oil spill: Obama “claims czar” provides no relief for the people of the Gulf
By Tom Eley, 26 April 2011
The Obama administration’s Gulf “claims czar,” Kenneth Feinberg, has blocked the vast majority of those hurt by the BP Gulf oil disaster from compensation.
One year since the BP oil spill: The environmental disaster continues
By Tom Eley, 23 April 2011
This is the third installment in a four-part WSWS series marking the first anniversary of the BP Gulf oil disaster. The catastrophic ecological and human health consequences will last for decades.
One year since the BP oil spill: A colossal failure of the “free market”
By Tom Eley, 21 April 2011
This second installment in a four-part WSWS series marking the first anniversary of the BP Gulf oil disaster focuses on the role of deregulation in creating conditions for the Deepwater Horizon oil rig blowout.
One year since the BP oil spill: Covering up a catastrophe
By Tom Eley, 20 April 2011
This article, the first of a four-part series marking the first anniversary of the BP Gulf oil disaster, reviews the systematic corporate and government cover-up of the BP disaster and its consequences.
BP asks permission to resume drilling in Gulf of Mexico
By Peter Daniels, 6 April 2011
Oil giant BP is negotiating with US regulators to secure permission to resume oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Obama administration approves first deepwater drilling permit since BP oil spill
By Hiram Lee, 2 March 2011
The Obama administration has approved the first deepwater drilling permit for the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon disaster that caused the worst oil spill in history.
In effort to limit BP payout, compensation fund head says gulf recovery imminent
By Andre Damon, 8 February 2011
Kenneth Feinberg, the head of the BP oil spill compensation fund, last week published a document that paves the way for a drastic reduction in BP’s payments to fishermen and business owners hurt by the oil spill.
Commission report whitewashes BP’s role in oil spill
By Andre Damon, 13 January 2011
The national commission on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill released its final report Wednesday, a key step in the Obama administration’s program to continue unregulated offshore drilling after the greatest man-made ecological disaster in US history.
BP claims czar: $10 billion “more than enough” to compensate oil spill victims
By Kate Randall, 7 January 2011
”Independent claims czar” Kenneth Feinberg says that only about $10 billion will be necessary to compensate victims of the BP oil spill.
Over 300,000 affected by boil-water advisory in New Orleans
By E. P. Bannon, 27 November 2010
The first boil-water advisory in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina was put into effect late last Friday night, lasting most of the weekend for a total of 41 hours.
Struggling California condor population suggests persistence of DDT
By Frances Gaertner and Kristina Betinis, 23 November 2010
Recent reports of a struggling California condor population indicate the persistence of DDT contamination, threatening animal life and human health.
New report on Gulf oil spill shows BP ignored warning signs
By Hiram Lee, 19 November 2010
A new report on the causes of the Deepwater Horizon disaster provides new evidence of negligence on the part of BP.
Marine biologist denounces BP commission findings
By Andre Damon, 11 November 2010
The findings of the White House commission into the BP oil spill are a cover-up of BP’s culpability in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to Rick Steiner, a biologist specializing in oil spills.
Presidential commission whitewashes BP disaster
By Jerry White, 9 November 2010
President Obama’s commission on the BP oil disaster claims there is no evidence the oil giant sacrificed safety to save money.
BP spill claims czar throws out thousands of applications
By Tom Eley, 3 November 2010
The Independent Claims Facility responsible for distributing money to those who lost their homes and jobs as a result of the BP oil blowout has blocked 20,000 applications, up from 150 at the end of September.
Halliburton tests warned of cement problems before BP well blowout
By Kate Randall, 30 October 2010
Weeks before the April 20 explosion, Halliburton and BP were aware of test results showing problems with the cement mixture designed to temporarily seal the Macondo well.
Six months of the Gulf oil disaster
By Hiram Lee, 25 October 2010
October 20 marked the six-month anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, which killed 11 workers and led to worst oil spill in history.
Obama lifts moratorium on deepwater oil drilling
By Hiram Lee, 14 October 2010
The Obama administration has lifted the moratorium on deepwater oil drilling six weeks ahead of schedule.
Reports expose White House cover-up of BP spill
By Tom Eley, 8 October 2010
A damning new report reveals that the Obama administration suppressed information regarding the size of the BP oil spill, handicapping response efforts and confusing public perception of the catastrophe.
BP seals well, but environmental disaster continues
By Hiram Lee, 20 September 2010
BP has successfully completed its “bottom kill” procedure, sealing the Macondo well, but the environmental consequences of the oil spill continue.
Scientists find large amounts of oil on Gulf of Mexico seafloor
By Hiram Lee, 16 September 2010
Researchers with the University of Georgia have found large amounts of oil at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
BP report whitewashes oil disaster
By Hiram Lee, 10 September 2010
A report on the Deepwater Horizon disaster issued by BP seeks to place blame for the oil blowout on corporations Transocean and Halliburton while minimizing BP’s own role in the disaster.
BP warns Congress offshore drilling regulations will threaten compensation fund
By Hiram Lee, 7 September 2010
BP has warned Congress that new legislation placing limits on offshore drilling would prevent it from settling claims through the $20 billion compensation fund for victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Oil rig explodes off the Louisiana coast
By Kate Randall, 3 September 2010
Another offshore oil rig exploded and caught fire Thursday morning off the shore of Louisiana, just more than four months since the April 20 blowout of BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig.
Hearing reveals confusion aboard Deepwater Horizon rig
By Hiram Lee, 25 August 2010
Testimony Tuesday from Transocean employees who were aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig revealed enormous confusion in the aftermath of the April 20 blowout.
Claims fund designed to limit payouts, shield BP from lawsuits
By Tom Eley, 23 August 2010
The escrow claims fund to compensate victims of the BP Gulf oil disaster has set even more stringent restrictions than had been previously indicated.
Massive oil plumes remain in the Gulf, study shows
By Hiram Lee, 21 August 2010
A new study on oil plumes in the Gulf of Mexico by independent scientists contradicts the Obama administration’s claims that the remaining oil in the Gulf is rapidly biodegrading.
White House numbers on oil spill challenged at congressional hearing
By Hiram Lee, 20 August 2010
Scientists and commercial fishermen appearing before a congressional hearing on Thursday challenged assertions from the Obama administration that the “vast majority” of the oil dumped into the Gulf of Mexico is gone.
Scientists estimate nearly 80 percent of oil remains a threat
By David Walsh, 18 August 2010
Two new reports from independent scientists expose the BP and Obama administration campaign to convince the public that the Deepwater Horizon disaster is effectively over and done with.
Relief wells delayed over fears of a new spill
By Tom Eley, 17 August 2010
As of Monday, BP had yet to resume drilling of two relief wells which aim to permanently seal off its Macondo well. The latest delay arose over concerns that the operation might create a new spill.
Obama mortgages the Gulf of Mexico to BP
By Patrick Martin, 12 August 2010
The Obama administration has agreed to base the payments by BP into the “independent” oil disaster fund on the oil giant’s profits from its drilling operations in the Gulf.
BP and White House conclude negotiations on compensation fund
By Hiram Lee, 10 August 2010
BP and the Obama administration concluded negotiations on the $20 billion compensation fund for victims of the oil spill on Monday. The fund is grossly inadequate for meeting the social need in the Gulf.
A massive crime compounded by a massive cover-up
By Hiram Lee, 9 August 2010
The Obama administration is in full propaganda mode in an effort to declare an end to the Gulf oil disaster and cover up its massive environmental and economic consequences.
Socialist Equality Party holds public meetings in New Orleans, Mobile
By a WSWS reporting team, 9 August 2010
The Socialist Equality Party held two public meetings in the Gulf Coast last week, centering on the political implications of the BP oil spill.
BP scales down cleanup efforts
By Hiram Lee, 7 August 2010
BP has begun drawing down cleanup operations in the Gulf of Mexico while the Obama administration is considering bringing its offshore drilling moratorium to an end sooner than expected.
Scientists criticize White House minimization of Gulf disaster
By Tom Eley, 6 August 2010
Scientists have sharply criticized a new Obama administration report that seeks to minimize the extent of the Gulf oil disaster.
Obama declares Gulf disaster “coming to an end”
By Tom Eley, 5 August 2010
Obama's remarks on Wednesday, along with a three-page National Incident Command report, are part of a concerted campaign to downplay the effects of the worst environmental disaster in US history and support BP's shutdown of clean up operations.
Gulf disaster largest oil spill ever
By Tom Eley, 4 August 2010
A team of government-sponsored scientists has concluded that the BP blowout has dumped 206 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, making the disaster the worst oceanic oil spill in world history.
EPA holds public meeting on Michigan oil spill
By a WSWS reporting team, 4 August 2010
World Socialist Web Site reporters attended a public meeting on the oil spill in Marshall, Michigan and spoke with residents affected by the accident.
“Independent claims czar” on BP payroll
By Tom Eley, 3 August 2010
Gulf disaster “independent claims czar” Kenneth Feinberg is on the payroll of BP, he has admitted. He has not revealed how much BP pays him for his work on the Independent Claims Facility.
Economic crisis deepens in Gulf
By Tom Eley, 2 August 2010
Recent studies continue to point to the devastating economic effects of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf region.
As BP winds down cleanup, environmental impact spreads
By Tom Eley, 31 July 2010
BP announced Friday it will scale back cleanup operations, in spite of fresh evidence of environmental catastrophe in the Gulf.
Corporate media downplays Gulf oil spill
By Josué Olmos, 30 July 2010
A number of recent articles in the corporate media have sought to minimize the effects of the Gulf oil spill and purge the event from the consciousness of the American people.
Michigan oil spill forces evacuations
Regulators warned Enbridge of pipeline corrosion
By Tom Eley and Dwight Stoll, 30 July 2010
Dozens of families have been evacuated from their homes along streams and rivers in central Michigan in the wake of an oil spill from a ruptured pipeline, which likely took place on Sunday. Local health officials have also warned residents against drinking water from wells that may be contaminated by the oil.
Gulf oil spill: 100 days of disaster
By Tom Eley, 29 July 2010
The first 100 days of the BP Gulf oil catastrophe have provided an object lesson in the destructiveness and irrationality of capitalism.
800,000 gallons of oil spilled into Michigan river
By Josué Olmos, 29 July 2010
On Sunday, July 25, a leak at an oil pipeline pump near Marshall, Michigan sent over 800,000 gallons of crude oil spilling into the Kalamazoo River. The health and environmental effects of the spill have already begun to take their toll.
BP’s Hayward out, with golden parachute
By Tom Eley, 28 July 2010
BP announced that CEO Tony Hayward will be replaced by American Robert Dudley on October 1. Hayward will be given a multi-million dollar pension and a lucrative new position with a BP venture in Russia.
BP to take $10 billion tax write-off for cleanup
By Tom Eley, 28 July 2010
BP’s billions of dollars in tax write-offs in the US and UK will essentially shift the burden of paying for much of the cleanup and compensation onto the public.
BP attempts to buy silence of Gulf Coast scientists
By Josué Olmos, 27 July 2010
As part of its campaign to cover up the devastating effects of the Gulf oil spill, BP offered contracts to public university scientists that stipulated strict secrecy and lawyer-dictated research assignments.
Alarm on BP oil rig disabled prior to explosion
By Josué Olmos, 26 July 2010
A technician has testified that the general alarm system on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig was partially disabled, one of a series of decisions sacrificing safety that led up to the April 20 explosion.
Most oil industry lobbyists in US worked for government
By Josué Olmos, 24 July 2010
Data from the Center for Responsive Politics show the extensive influential reach of BP and the oil industry through their lobbyists and campaign contributions. There is no clear line of division between the US government and the oil industry.
Fishermen on strike against BP
By Hiram Lee, 23 July 2010
Gulf fishermen employed as cleanup workers walked off the job on Tuesday in protest against BP’s decision to force them to sleep on quarter ships known as “flotels” without pay.
Deepwater Horizon workers knew of problems before explosion
By Josué Olmos, 23 July 2010
Two internal Transocean reports reveal that Deepwater Horizon workers were well aware of mechanical and safety problems aboard the rig, but they feared reprisal should they speak out.
Cameron negotiates BP-Libya minefield in Washington
By Julie Hyland, 22 July 2010
Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron’s first official visit to Washington was trailed in the British media as signalling a more “pragmatic” approach to the transatlantic “special relationship.”
Public health crisis looms in Gulf
By Tom Eley and Dwight Stoll, 22 July 2010
Experts warn of a long-term public health crisis on the US Gulf Coast as a result of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
BP considers “static kill” procedure
By Hiram Lee, 21 July 2010
BP has announced that it is preparing yet another new procedure called a “static kill” to stop the oil flowing from beneath the sea floor, as concerns continue about possible damage to well casing.
Job losses in Gulf region could reach 100,000 or more
By Josué Olmos, 21 July 2010
A report by Moody’s estimates that as many as 100,000 jobs and $7.4 billion could be lost as a direct result of the BP oil spill, while another report warns of nearly 200,000 jobs lost in Florida alone under a worst case scenario.
US government bows to BP on well cap
Seepage and “undetermined anomalies” found near Macondo well
By Tom Eley, 20 July 2010
The Obama administration has backed down before BP after earlier demanding that it remove a cap on the Macondo oil well. Seepage and “undetermined anomalies” have been found near the wellhead indicating possible damage to the well casing.
Seepage found near BP’s capped Macondo well
By Tom Eley, 19 July 2010
An oil seep was found at the ocean floor near BP’s Macondo well, which was fully capped last Tuesday as part of what was originally billed as a 48-hour pressure test.
Feinberg to fishermen: “Don’t blame the spill—life is unfair!”
Workers angry over decision to subtract “cleanup pay” from claims
By Tom Eley and Josué Olmos, 19 July 2010
Gulf fishermen are angry over “claims czar” Kenneth Feinberg’s decision to subtract their cleanup pay from any restitution they might realize from BP.
As BP claims success in capping well
Gulf economy in ruins
By Tom Eley, 17 July 2010
If the erupting Macondo well has in fact been successfully capped, the media will quickly drop the story, politicians will wind down their investigations, and BP will go back to raking in enormous profits on reckless drilling operations. But what will be left of the Gulf Coast?
BP begins two-day pressure test of new capping device
Possible damage to well casing
By Tom Eley, 16 July 2010
After two days of delay, BP on Tuesday afternoon began its 48-hour pressure test to determine whether or not the runaway Macondo well can withstand a new capping system.
Researchers predict oil spill could reach Atlantic Ocean
By Hiram Lee, 16 July 2010
A computer model created by researchers at the University of Hawaii shows the possibility of the spread of oil from the Deepwater Horizon site to the east coast of the United States and the Atlantic Ocean.
Major seabird nesting area in Louisiana contaminated by oil
By Hiram Lee, 16 July 2010
Researchers with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology report oil contamination of a major seabird nesting area in Louisiana.
BP abruptly suspends testing on new well cap
By Hiram Lee, 15 July 2010
Without explanation, BP delayed testing of the new capping system placed over its runaway Macondo well on Tuesday.
Presidential commission denounces deep sea drilling moratorium
By Hiram Lee, 15 July 2010
The co-chairs of the White House-appointed commission appointed to investigate the Gulf oil disaster have come out against the deep-sea drilling moratorium after just two days of public hearings.
Obama, BP seek new “turning point” with well-capping effort
By Tom Eley, 14 July 2010
BP began pressure testing today on a new cap it lowered over the erupting Macondo oil well. It follows the start of hearings of the Obama administration’s toothless presidential commission on the blowout and a revised “moratorium” on Gulf oil drilling this week.
BP cuts benefits to victims of Gulf oil disaster
“Claims czar” urges residents not to sue BP
By Tom Eley, 14 July 2010
BP has set to work both reducing settlements and dismissing tens of thousands of claims from the victims of the Gulf oil crisis, while “independent” claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg has asked residents not to sue BP.
National Commission on oil spill covers up for BP, government
By Hiram Lee, 13 July 2010
The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling held its first public meeting in New Orleans on Monday. Committee members presented no challenges to the testimony of BP executive Kent Wells or Coast Guard Admiral Peter Neffenger.
While BP replaces cap on well, millions of gallons of oil flow into Gulf
By David Walsh, 12 July 2010
Oil giant BP began replacing a cap over its leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday, aimed at creating a tighter seal and containing the spill.
More oil contaminates parts of Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana
By Hiram Lee, 10 July 2010
Oil continues to wash ashore in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, contaminating new regions of those states, including areas important to the fishing industry and scientific research into coastal habitats.
BP workers exposed to chemical linked to Exxon Valdez spill illnesses
By Hiram Lee, 10 July 2010
A new report on air quality conducted by BP in the Gulf of Mexico shows oil spill cleanup workers have been exposed to a toxic chemical known to have caused illnesses in spill workers from the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster.
US appeals court rejects moratorium on deepwater drilling
By Patrick Martin, 9 July 2010
A federal appeals panel ruled late Thursday against the Obama administration’s request to maintain its temporary ban on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The 2-1 decision demonstrates the enormous power of the oil industry over every branch of government.
Coast Guard media liaison works for PR firm hired by BP
By Hiram Lee, 9 July 2010
A public affairs specialist for the US Coast Guard, working as a member of the Deepwater Horizon Response team, also works for a PR firm hired by BP for a major marketing campaign.
27,000 abandoned oil wells in Gulf of Mexico
By Hiram Lee, 8 July 2010
There are 27,000 abandoned oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico, according to an investigation conducted by the Associated Press. The wells are not inspected by the government and present a significant environmental hazard.
Oil spill reaches Texas and Lake Pontchartrain
By Tom Eley, 7 July 2010
Oil from the Deepwater Horizon blowout has now washed ashore in Texas and entered Lake Pontchartrain, near the city of New Orleans. As the disaster spreads, efforts to remove the oil have largely failed.
Censorship and cover-up in the Gulf oil disaster
By Tom Eley, 6 July 2010
The Obama administration has intensified its cover-up of the BP oil disaster.
Oil industry benefits from billions in tax breaks
By Hiram Lee, 6 July 2010
A Sunday report in the New York Times reveals that the oil industry has been the beneficiary of enormous tax breaks and incentives.
Video series: The Gulf oil spill
Part 5—Residents respond to the disaster
By C. W. Rogers and Andre Damon, 5 July 2010
This video, the last in a WSWS series, features interviews with residents and visitors of the Gulf of Mexico. Leanne Odonnel of Moorseville, North Carolina, expresses her shock at finding a beach covered in tarballs. Patricia Landry and Pamela Odom, who lost their homes during Hurricane Katrina, share their grief at having to relocate if a hurricane brings oil inland.
BP oil disaster at 75 days
By David Walsh, 3 July 2010
For 75 days now, crude oil has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from the wreck of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Estimates of the amount of oil that has spilled out range as high as 150,000,000 to 200,000,000 gallons.
Video series: The Gulf oil spill
Part four—The environment
By C.W. Rogers and Andre Damon, 3 July 2010
This video, the fourth in a series, explores the environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Experts say the disaster is likely to wipe out whole species, and may put an end to fishing and shrimping in the gulf for decades.
BP “claims czar”: No compensation for most victims of oil spill
By Tom Eley, 2 July 2010
Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama administration’s BP spill “claims czar,” has made clear that the majority of those affected by the oil spill should expect no compensation. He has insured investors on the continued profitability of the company.
Who is Kenneth Feinberg?
By Tom Eley, 2 July 2010
Obama’s “claims czar” Kenneth Feinberg has been called upon repeatedly by Washington to protect the interests of the wealthy and the powerful.
BP oil spill now worst ever in Gulf of Mexico
By Hiram Lee, 2 July 2010
At more than 140 million gallons, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is now the worst ever in the Gulf of Mexico, based on government estimates of the flow rate.
Video series: The Gulf oil spill
Part 3—The social impact
By C. W. Rogers and Andre Damon, 1 July 2010
This video, part three of a series, explores the social consequences of the BP oil spill.
Hurricane Alex sends oil onto shores of Gulf states
By Hiram Lee, 1 July 2010
Hurricane Alex pushed oil onto the shores of Gulf coast states and forced the suspension of cleanup efforts throughout the region.
Video series: The Gulf oil spill
Part 2—The effect on human health
By C.W. Rogers and Andre Damon, 30 June 2010
This video, the second in a series, explores the health consequences of the BP oil spill. It features interviews with Nathalie Walker, an attorney and co-director of Advocates for Environmental Human Rights, as well as environmental chemist Wilma Subra.
Video series: The Gulf oil spill
Part 1—The economic impact
By C. W. Rogers and Andre Damon, 29 June 2010
In this video, the first of a series on the Gulf Coast oil spill, the WSWS interviews Dean Blanchard, the owner of a shrimp processing and distribution company located in Grand Isle, Louisiana.
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