Oil Spill Summary

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico occurred on April 20, 2010. Since then it has spread quickly throughout the gulf affecting the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle. The animation exercise shows where the oil has spread over time. A graph of the oil spread can be useful in predicting when and where the oil will go next and aiding in cleanup and preventative efforts. For the oil spill animation exercise useful data for graphing this might include the speed at which the oil spreads or travels toward the coast, how many gallons per day, weather conditions in the gulf which could affect the travel rates, and currents. As the oil moves closer to the coast local tide and weather information could help determine how far inland it goes.