# Oil Spills Wreak Havoc on the Bottom of the Ocean, Even a Decade Later

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/oil-spills-wreak-havoc-on-the-bottom-of-the-ocean-even-a-decade-later/
- Published: 2026-10-25T10:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T11:11:25+00:00
- Original publisher: Wired
- Original article: https://www.wired.com/story/oil-spills-wreak-havoc-on-the-bottom-of-the-ocean-even-a-decade-later/
- Topics: Software

## Key points

- Deep-sea animal populations fell by 60 to 85 per cent.
- Researchers found few signs of recovery more than a decade later.
- The spill may have weakened the Gulf’s food web and carbon storage.

## Summary

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill was followed by a sharp fall in deep-sea animal populations, with little sign of recovery. The findings matter because the affected species underpin the Gulf of Mexico’s food web and help carry carbon from the atmosphere into the deep ocean.

Researchers reported declines of 60 to 85 per cent among animals including octopus, krill, squid and shrimp in the three and a half years after the spill. They compared a 2011 baseline with nine surveys from 2015 to 2023, and say the resulting genetic bottlenecks may further slow recovery. The blowout released 4.9 million barrels of oil over 87 days; BP later agreed to a $20.8 billion settlement, including up to $8.8 billion for environmental restoration.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.