The use of surface and subsea dispersants during the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill Use of surface and subsea dispersants during the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill

"This working paper examines the issues raised by the use of dispersants in the Deepwater Horizon spill. Dispersants change the distribution, not the amount, of oil within a marine environment. They are chemicals typically applied directly to oil on the water surface in order to break the oil into small droplets that can then mix with water below the surface. The dispersed oil is rapidly diluted, mixing both vertically and horizontally in the water column.1 While this alleviates high concentrations at the surface, it may expose organisms to lower, but more widespread, concentrations of oil"--P.1. National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. Mode of access: World Wide Web. System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes bibliographical references. 2010 Professional Paper DWH (Deepwater Horizon)