Since the dawn of modern oil exploitation in the 19^th century, a sad but inevitable truth has rung true: accidents happen and oil spills. The ten biggest oil disasters in the oil and gas industry and gas industry in this list amount to a cumulative hydrocarbons loss of 40.8 million barrels and cost 53 lives:

7. Nowruz Oil Field Spill

When: January 24^th, 1983
Where: Persian Gulf, Iran
Casualties: 11 dead
Amount spilled: 80 million gallons (1.9 million barrels)

In the midst of the Iran - Iraq War, a supply vessel collided with a rig causing a risers from one of the wellheads to become severed, resulting in a crude oil loss of an estimated 1,500 barrels per day.

On-going hostilities meant that it would take nine months to cap the well with a cement plug, by which time almost 2 million barrels of crude had leaked into the Persian Gulf.

RELATED: Oil & Gas Special Report: Macondo Deepwater Horizon "Never Say Never Again"

[eventpdf]

<< PREVIOUS

NEXT >>

____________________________________________________________