When was the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

The BP oil spill began on April 20, 2010, following the explosive failure of their Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil rig. It was not until July 15, 2010 that the well, which was dug 5,000 feet below sea level, was capped.

Thousands of animals died within months as a result of the 87-day oil spill, which leaked upwards of 200 million gallons (4.9 million barrels) of oil into the ocean.

Remembered as the worst oil spill in history, the clean-up operation was particularly difficult. One method employed was to spread dispersant chemicals to break the oil down into more easily evaporated and degraded particles.