Deepwater Horizon: what was story of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill 2010 - when is Inferno at Sea on TV?

It has been 12 years since the BP oil slip which became one of the largest envionmental disasters in history.

The shocking scenes began when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, causing the death of workers and a number of other injured.

A new Channel 5 documentary titled ‘Inferno at Sea: The Deepwater Disaster’ is recounting the event as it happened.

But what was the true story behind the headlines?

What happened during the Gulf of Meixco 2010 oil spill?

Events kicked off after the ten-year old oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded in the Macondo Prospect oil field, 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana.

The explosion took place on 20 April 2010 after high-pressure methane gas rose into the drilling rig where it ignited.

The rig was quickly engulfed in flames, with eleven workers reported missing at the time.

A three-day search operation by the US Coast Guard was unable to find the missing workers, with all eleven presumed dead by emergency services.

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig eventually sank on 22 April.

Following the sinking of the rig, a large oil slick began to spread where it once stood.

BP were unable to block the leak, with oil flowing into the sea for a total of 87 successive days.

In June 2010, oil began washing up on the shore in Mississippi, Florida and Alabama. Four months later, oil was found washing up in Texas.

The well was declared to have been sealed in September 2010, however reports suggested that oil was still leaking from the site as late as 2012.

The oil spill also had an adverse effect on marine life in the area, with one 2014 study stating that Tuna and Amberjack fish in the area had developed deformities on organs, including the heart.

Oil continued to be found washing up on the southern USA coast up until 2013, with a reported 3.19 million barrels of oil said to have been spilled as a result of the incident.

Who was to blame for the Deepwater Horizon disaster?

BP were blamed for the oil spil, along with contractor Halliburton and rig operator Transocean, with a US report stating that defective cement on the oil well led to the inital explosion.

In November 2012, it was confirmed that the United States Department of Justice and BP had settled federal criminal charges.

The company pleaded guilty to 11 counts of manslaughter, two misdemeanors and a felony count of lying to the US Congress.

As a result, BP were subject to four years of close governmental monitoring, as well as paying $4.5billion in fine.

Additionally, BP have also to date paid more than $65billion in cleanup charges.

When is Inferno at Sea: The Deepwater Disaster on?

The shocking story of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is being retold in the new Channel 5 documentary ‘Inferno at Sea: The Deepwater Disaster’.

The show will air on 22 August at 9pm.

It will also be available on catch up on My5 shortly after it airs on television.