The catastrophic explosion on April 20th, that caused an oil spill from a BP offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico has reached the shoreline. This oil spill has now been dubbed the worst oil spill in US  history. Efforts to manage and stop the spill using controlled burning, dispersal and plugging the leak have so far been unsuccessful. Not counting the initial explosion, as much as 19,000 barrels of oil leak into the gulf every day. Oil globs are being found on shorelines and wildlife are being affected greatly as well.

The initial explosion killed 11 workers and sank a $365 million rig. So far, BP has spent about $1.25 billion to stop the flow and scour crude from the Gulf. That amount will continue to grow as BP has not successfully stopped the flow of oil, not to mention all of the funds that will be necessary for future clean up, as well as penalties the government issues as well