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:

8. Castillo de Bellver Oil Spill

When: August 6^th, 1983
Where: 80 km off Table Bay, South Africa
Casualties: None
Amount spilled: 1.88 million barrels (79 million gallons)

The Castillo de Bellver caught fire some 70 miles north west of Cape Town, South Africa, carrying a cargo of 250,000 tonnes of light crude oil. The tanker drifted until it capsized and broke in two 36km off the coast, unleashing a spill of just under half of its crude consignment. Despite the spill having taken place in an ecologically sensitive area, prevailing winds pushed the slick offshore, resulting in little coastal pollution and negligible environmental impact.

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