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Back Image 9 of 12
2011, Nature , 1st prize stories , Benjamin Lowy
Photo information

Oil on Water

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In April, the Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling rig, in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast, sunk after an explosion.
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Oil on Water

07 June 2010

Im April sank die Deepwater Horizon, eine Ölplattform im Golf von Mexiko vor der Küste von Louisiana, nach einer Explosion. In den folgenden vier Monaten flossen aus der Ölquelle auf dem Meeresboden fast 780 Millionen Liter Rohöl und verursachten die größte Ölkatastrophe der Geschichte. Das Meer und der Lebensraum der Tiere nahmen großen Schaden, ebenso wie der Tourismus und die Fischindustrie am Golf. Die von Transocean im Auftrag von BP betriebene Ölplattform bohrte in etwa 1.525 m Tiefe und verschob damit die Grenze für Tiefwasserbohrungen. Präsident Barack Obama verkündete sofort ein Moratorium für neue Bohrungen vor der amerikanischen Küste.

Louisiana, USA Crude oil mixes with sand sediment along the Grand Terre Island shoreline. In April, the Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling rig, in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast, sunk after an explosion. Over the next four months, the resultant sea-floor oil gusher released an estimated 4.9 million barrels (nearly 780 million liters) of crude oil, making it the biggest marine oil spill in history and causing extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats, as well as to tourism and fishing industries in the Gulf. The rig, operated by Transocean under contract for BP, was drilling in about 1,525 meters of water, pushing the boundaries of deepwater drilling. President Barack Obama placed an immediate moratorium on new drilling off the US coast.

Photo credit:
Reportage by Getty Images for GQ 

En abril se hundió, tras una explosión, la plataforma petrolífera Deepwater Horizon, situada en el golfo de México. Tras cuatro meses de fuga, los resultados se estimaron en 4,9 millones de barriles de crudo (unos 780 millones de litros) vertidos en el lecho marino, lo que lo sitúa en el mayor vertido de petróleo de la historia con enormes daños para la fauna y flora marinas así como para la industria turística y pesquera de la zona. La plataforma, operada por Transocean bajo contrato de BP, perforaba a unos 1.525 metros de la superficie, presionando los límites de perforación en aguas profundas. El presidente Barack Obama declaró una moratoria para nuevas perforaciones fuera de las costas estadounidenses.

En avril, la plate-forme pétrolière Deepwater Horizon explose et coule dans le Golfe du Mexique au large de la Louisiane. Pendant les quatre mois suivants, la fuite qui s’ensuit au fond de la mer a laissé échapper près de 4,9 millions de barils (près de 780 millions de litres) de pétrole brut, provoquant la plus importante marée noire de l’histoire et d’immenses dommages à la faune et à la flore marines, ainsi qu’à l’industrie du tourisme et aux pêcheries du golfe. La plate-forme, exploitée par Transocean pour le compte de BP, forait à 1 525 m de profondeur, repoussant les frontières du forage en eau profonde. Le président Barack Obama a immédiatement ordonné un moratoire sur les forages au large des États-Unis.

Ad aprile un’esplosione ha provocato l’affondamento della piattaforma petrolifera Deepwater Horizon al largo della Louisiana, nel Golfo del Messico. La fuoriuscita di greggio dal fondale marino nei 4 mesi seguenti equivale a circa 4,9 milioni di barili (780 milioni di litri): il più grave sversamento di petrolio in mare della storia e la più vasta catastrofe ambientale, con danni per gli habitat marini e faunistici, nonché per il turismo e l’industria ittica del Golfo. La piattaforma gestita dalla Transocean, in subappalto della BP, stava scavando il fondale a 1.525 m. di profondità, spingendosi ai limiti delle trivellazioni sott’acqua. Il presidente Obama ha subito imposto una moratoria su nuove operazioni offshore lungo la costa statunitense.

Het olieplatform Deepwater Horizon dat voor de kust van Louisiana in de Golf van Mexico lag, zonk in april na een explosie naar de zeebodem. In de volgende vier maanden ontsnapte uit lekken onderwater circa 4,9 miljoen vaten ruwe olie (bijna 780 miljoen liter). De olievlek op zee was de grootste van de geschiedenis, en de ecosystemen, het toerisme en de visserij in de Golf van Mexico liepen een ongekende schade op. Transocean, dat het olieplatform op contractbasis exploiteerde voor bp, boorde op 1.525 meter diepte, ofwel op de grens van wat technisch mogelijk is bij diepzeeboringen. President Barack Obama schortte per direct nieuwe olieboringen voor de Amerikaanse kust op.

Story



Location

Louisiana, USA

Technical information

Shutter speed: 1/400 s
ISO: 50
F-Stop: f/4
Focal Length: 200 mm
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70 mm f/2.8L USM lens
Lens: Canon EF 24-70 mm f/2.8L USM lens

Related links

World Press Photo is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Organization links:

  • US National Commission final report on the oil spill
  • Online tool developed for near-real time information about the trajectory of the spill
  • Bridge The Gulf – online storytelling initiative by Gulf Coast residents

Benjamin Lowy

Benjamin Lowy
Nationality:
USA
Website:
www.benlowy.com
About:
Benjamin Lowy was born in 1979. He received a BFA from Washington University, St Louis in 2002 and began his career covering the Iraq War in 2003 for Time. Since then he has covered major stories in Afghanistan, Darfur, Chad, Haiti, Indonesia, China and other various locations worldwide. In 2004, Lowy attended the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass and was nominated for the ICP Infinity Award. He was named in the Photo District News 30 and his images of Iraq were chosen by PDN as some of the most iconic of the 21st century.
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  • Interview with Benjamin Lowy about his iAfghanistan project

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