500m 1000m 1500m Plume Evaporation of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere Sand Patty Resins and asphaltenes Aromatics Saturates Dissolution of gases and hydrocarbons in the water Dissolution Infographie: Pascal Coderay / EPFL Beach 14% 31% 52% 29% 4% 14% 57% Composition of the original oil Macondo Oil Well The composition of a remnant oil sample, 19 months later Sand (oxygenated transformation products) mass removed (evaporation, dissolution, mineralization) Deepwater Horizon drilled a hole through the ocean’s floor into the Macondo oil field in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil was piped from under the sea up to the surface through 1500 meters of water. On 20 April 2010, just two months after drilling began, the floating oil rig exploded and the 9 year-old structure collapsed. The oil well was sealed 152 days later on 19 September 2010. Scientists estimate that about 535 000 metric tons leaked into the environment. Deepwater Horizon: Identifying Harmful Elements of Persisting Oil Despite clean-up efforts, many beaches are still contaminated with oil remnants. Scientists at EPFL (Switzerland) and the WHOI (United States) determined that about half of the oil leading to these remnants has dissipated into the environment. The other half accumulates into persistent oily residues. An oiled sand patty collected 19 months after the oil-spill consists of different types of potentially toxic hydrocarbons. Gulf of Mexico Oil on shoreline Switzerland scale 0 200 400 km Macondo Well Florida Mississipi Louisiana Alabama U.S.A.

Deepwater Horizon: Identifying Harmful Elements of

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Page 1: Deepwater Horizon: Identifying Harmful Elements of

500m

1000m

1500m

Plume

Evaporation of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere

Sand Patty

Resins and asphaltenes

Aromatics

Saturates

Carte

Dissolution of gases and hydrocarbons in the water

Dissolution

Infographie: Pascal Coderay / EPFL

Beach

14% 31%52%

29%4%

14%

57%Composition of the original oilMacondo Oil Well

The compositionof a remnant oil sample,

19 months later

Sand

(oxygenatedtransformationproducts) mass removed

(evaporation,dissolution,mineralization)

Deepwater Horizon drilled a hole through the ocean’s floor into the Macondo oil field in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil was piped from under the sea up to the surface through 1500 meters of water. On 20 April 2010, just two months after drilling began, the floating oil rig exploded and the 9 year-old structure collapsed. The oil well was sealed 152 days later on 19 September 2010. Scientists estimate that about 535 000 metric tons leaked into the environment.

Deepwater Horizon: Identifying Harmful Elements of Persisting Oil

Despite clean-up efforts, many beaches are still contaminated with oil remnants. Scientists at EPFL (Switzerland) and the WHOI (United States) determined that about half of the oil leading to these remnants has dissipated into the environment. The other half accumulates into persistent oily residues. An oiled sand patty collected 19 months after the oil-spill consists of different types of potentially toxic hydrocarbons.

Gulf of MexicoOil on shoreline

Switzerland scale0 200 400 km

MacondoWell

Florida

Mississipi

Louisiana

Alabama U.S.A.