Deepwater Horizon Site

On , while drilling an exploration well (Macondo Prospect) in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana, a catastrophic blowout occurred. The resulting explosion killed 11 workers and injured 17 others. The rig burned for 36 hours before sinking on April 22, 2010.

1. Overview The Deepwater Horizon was a semi-submersible, ultra-deepwater, dynamically positioned drilling rig. Built in 2001 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and owned by Transocean, it was leased by BP (British Petroleum) until September 2013. Deepwater Horizon