Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

This April marks 15 years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill — the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The incident resulted in the tragic loss of 11 lives, the release of approximately 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of America, and unprecedented impacts to coastal resources and the people who depend on them.

NOAA was on the scene from the earliest moments of the event to guide emergency response and environmental assessment efforts; and has continued to work over the past 15 years to restore the Gulf, advance oil spill science and technologies, and improve preparedness to support future events.

Explore the resources below to learn more about the progress we've made 15 years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill: A case study

Learn more about the incident, response efforts and tools, and the advancements in science that better enable teams to support future events.

Restoring the Gulf: 15 years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Explore the many ways NOAA Fisheries and partners are restoring the Gulf and the progress that’s been made 15 years after the spill.

Restoring deep habitats in and around Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Read about how a team of experts embarked on an unprecedented restoration expedition offshore from Texas and Louisiana.

From the seafloor to the museum collection

Follow the fantastic journey of a sample of orange sea fan — a type of soft coral — from the Gulf of America to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.