Top 10: Major Oil Spills in History
As I write this list the Mexican Gulf is tasting the bitter taste of perhaps one of the largest oil spills of the 21st century. If anything, The Gulf Oil Spill is nothing less than a crude reminder that the doom of Earth lies in the hands of man. And as history repeats itself with yet another large oil company (this time BP) on the brink of extinguishing a whole ecosystem, let this list simply show that this is not the first time.
10. MT Haven
On April 11, 1991, this tanker exploded, caught fire, and sank 7 miles off the coast of Genoa, Italy. The wreck, which is the largest shipwreck in the sea, leaked oil for the next 12 years. Much controversy followed as the owners of the ship were charged and later acquitted on various charges, including intimidating and attempting to bribe witnesses.
9. Amoco Cadiz
Amoco Cadiz broke into two near the coast of Brittany, France on March 16, 1978, after its rudder was damaged in a storm. Its entire load of 69 million gallons was released into the English Channel and millions of dead birds and sea creatures washed up ashore in the subsequent weeks.
8. Castillo de Bellver
This tanker caught fire about 70 miles off the coast of South Africa on August 6, 1983. The fire caused the ship to break into two and 79 million gallons of oil was spilled.
7. ABT Summer
On May 28, 1991, there was an explosion aboard the ABT Summer, a Liberian supertanker. The explosion resulted in five deaths and a burning 80 square mile oil slick about 900 miles off the coast of Angola.
6. Nowruz Oil Field
Several spills occurred at the Nowruz Oil Field in 1983. The initial spill was caused by an oil tanker hitting a platform. Further spills happened when more platforms were attacked by Iraqi helicopters. Ultimately, 20 people died and 80 million gallons of oil was spilled.
5. Mingbulak Oil Spill
The largest oil spill in the history of Asia occurred in 1992 in Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan. On March 2, there was a blowout at the Mingbulak Oil Field, which caught fire and burned for two months. The well released 35,000 to 150,000 barrels per day, totaling 2 million barrels.
4. Atlantic Empress and Aegean Captain Collision
On July 19, 1979, these two oil tankers collided off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago and caused the largest ship-based oil spill in history, spilling a total of 88 million gallons of oil into the Caribbean Sea.
3. IXTOC 1 Oil Spill
Permex, the oil company owned by the Mexican government, was drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, about 600 miles south of Texas, when a 1.9 mile deep exploratory oil well blew out on June 3, 1979. The resulting oil spill lasted almost 10 months and dumped nearly 150 million gallons of oil into the water. The spill reduced marine life in some areas by up to 80 percent.
2. Gulf War Oil Spill
On January 23, 1991, Iraqi forces opened valves at the Sea Island terminal, dumping oil from several tankers in an attempt to prevent a landing by U.S. Marines. Although U.S. air strikes destroyed pipelines in an effort to prevent further spillage, eco-terrorism of this magnitude could have only been combated by Captain Planet, and it is estimated that 750,000 to 1,500,000 tons of crude oil was released into the Persian Gulf, causing considerable damage to birds and sea life in the area.
1. Lakeview Gusher
The largest oil spill in history occurred in Kern Country, California, when the Lakeview Oil Company, partnered with the Union Oil Company, began drilling in the area for natural gas and crude oil. On March 14, 1910, the drilling hit a pressurized oil reserve and a massive oil gusher ensued, shooting oil 200 feet into the air and spreading a black mist over the area. Over 18 months, 9.4 million barrels (or 380 million gallons) of oil was released, flooding the valley with oil.
