The American company for 14 years hid a colossal oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico

The horrific oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 was widely reported in the press and attracted public attention. Then the explosion on the oil platform caused the leak of more than 5 million barrels of oil, which led to tremendous consequences for the marine ecosystem. But few people know that in the same Gulf of Mexico for almost 15 years another environmental drama has been unfolding. We are talking about an oil leak that has continued since the moment the flooded platform in 2004 was owned by Taylor Energy.

Mining was carried out on a platform located 14 km from the US coast, on the sea shelf. But after the tragic incident, the company made every effort to avoid publicity and unavoidable lawsuits in such cases. And for a long time, management was able to hide the fact that about 700 barrels of crude oil fall into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico every day. Oddly enough, they could only detect a hydrocarbon leak in 2010, after environmentalists began to closely monitor the state of the bay in connection with the events described above and the explosion of another platform. At that moment, it was discovered that there were more than enough problems at the bay. But the true extent of the disaster only became known recently.

The largest oil eco-catastrophes in the history of the Gulf of Mexico

Long litigation awaited the company, while oil continued to flow into the bay. Only in May of this year began to receive reports that measures were being taken in the bay to collect the resulting oil products. Near Louisiana, oil traps were installed that partially collect oil-contaminated water and send it for further processing. Since Taylor Energy has long concealed accidental oil emissions, environmentalists do not have accurate data on the extent of the disaster. But judging by the available data, experts suggested that over the past 14.5 years since the disaster, from 1.5 to 3.5 million barrels of oil fell into the gulf. But since the leak has still not been eliminated, the damage from this accident may soon be equal to the results of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform that happened in 2010.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Platform Fire 2010

Environmentalists note that the water area of the Gulf of Mexico is not the best place to place oil production platforms. The fact is that dozens of tropical cyclones pass here annually, some of which turn into real hurricanes. It is they who pose the main threat to platforms that, having become a victim of the elements, lead to the pollution of the waters of the bay with oil products. But, alas, the economic benefits in the modern world prevail over common sense, and several deposits belonging to both the USA and neighboring Mexico are currently being developed in the Gulf.