President Obama announced that he was opening new areas in U.S. coastal waters to offshore drilling for gas and oil
Paltform explosion
Oil leak discoverd
BP begins live underwater video broadcasts of the leak
Flow Rate Technical Group established for "scientifically validated information about the amount of oil flowing from BP s leaking oil well." The average daily oil collection rates is 2,000 barrels a day.
BP agrees to fund a $20 billion escrow account
leak stopped by capping the gushing wellhead
The oil appeared to have dissipated more rapidly than expected.
BP claimed the government overestimated the size of the spill by between 20% and 50%.
