Ten Largest Oil Spills in the U.S.

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

The following table lists the largest oil spills in U.S. history. The date of the spill, circumstances surrounding the spill, and amount of oil spilled are also given.

Rank Date Cause Source Location Spill Volume
1. April 20, 2010 explosion drilling rig Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana an estimated 200,000 gallons a day
2. March 24, 1989 reef collision tanker Exxon Valdez Prince William Sound, Alaska 10+ million gallons
3. Dec. 15, 1976 ran aground tanker Argo Merchant Nantucket Island 7.7 million gallons
4. Aug.–Sept. 2005 Hurricane Katrina various sources New Orleans, La. 7 million gallons
5. June 8, 1990 explosion tanker Mega Borg 60 miles off Galveston, Texas 5.1 million gallons
6. Nov. 28, 2000 ran aground tanker Westchester Port Sulphur, La. 567,000 gallons
7. Jan. 23, 2010 collision tanker Eagle Otome Port Arthur, Texas 462,000 gallons
8. July 25, 2008 collision unnamed barge New Orleans, La. 419,000 gallons
9. Dec. 7, 2004 ran aground M/V Selendang Ayu Aleutian Islands, Alaska 337,000 gallons
10. Aug. 10, 1993 collision barge Bouchard B155 Tampa Bay, Fla. 336,000 gallons
 
 
Disasters
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