With respect to liability and compensation for oil pollution from offshore platforms, recent developments
related to the Deep water Horizon disaster, one of the largest accidental marine oil spills in the world and the
largest environmental disaster in United States history, are also worth noting. The disaster, which occurred in
the Gulf of Mexico about 40 miles south-east of the Louisiana coast on 20 April 2010, was a result of the
explosion, sinking of and subsequent massive oil spill from the Deep water Horizon drilling rig, owned and
operated by the company Trans ocean and drilling for British Petroleum (BP). The explosion killed 11 workers,
injured 16 others and the total discharge was estimated at 4.9 million barrels (210 million United States gallons;
780,000 cubic metre). In June 2015, more than five
years after the disaster, BP’s $18.7 billion settlement
with various United States Government agencies of
claims resulting from the explosion was announced.
This was reportedly in addition to $29.1 billion in
costs associated with the initial and ongoing clean-up
operations and the settlement of civil claims brought
by businesses damaged by the oil spill, bringing the
final bill to approximately $50 billion.57