Deepwater Horizon On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. 11 workers never made it home. Millions of gallons of oil poisoned the ocean. Wildlife and entire ecosystems were devastated. But here’s what most headlines left out: BP had warnings about safety issues. They ignored them. Why? To save money. Investigations revealed the company cut corners on safety protocols to protect profits and it led to the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. Communities