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Science Behind the Spill “The way of science in disaster is to find out what needs to be done and do it. The rest we figure out later.” R. Eugene Turner, wetlands researcher
Figure 3.1 The wellhead gushed oil more than a mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, creating an unprecedented situation for scientists.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill presented an unprecedented situation. Drilling for oil miles below the surface is commonplace, especially in an oil-reliant state like Louisiana. But never before had a wellhead so far below the ocean’s surface been damaged this severely. The