The effects of the oil spill last week are becoming more and more apparent and oil spill pictures provide a dramatic look at the devastation.
The oil spill was caused by an explosion at an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The leak is currently releasing 5,000 barrels of oil per day, and efforts to manage the spill with controlled burning, dispersal and plugging the leak have been unsuccessful.
This oil spill is on track to become the worst oil spill in history, surpassing the damage done by the Exxon Valdez tanker that spilled 11 million gallons of oil into the ecologically sensitive Prince William Sound in 1989.
Here are a series of oil spill pictures, depicting the scene in the Gulf of Mexico and the serious threats being posed to humans, the environment, and wildlife in the region.
Oil Spill Images
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In this Oct. 14, 2010 picture, Plaquemines Parish coastal zone director P.J. Hahn walks through oiled marsh grass in Bay Jimmy near the Louisiana coast. Six months after the rig explosion that led to the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, damage to the Gulf of Mexico can be measured more in increments than extinctions, say scientists polled by The Associated Press. There is no comprehensive calculation for how much marshland was oiled, but estimates range from less than a square mile to just a handful of square miles. Regardless, in the big picture that's hardly alarming: Louisiana loses roughly 25 square miles of marsh each year due to a host of environmental and manmade causes. The state is the site of one of the most ferocious rates of land loss in the world. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
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In this Oct. 14, 2010 picture, an oil-covered crab crawls on a glove worn by Plaquemines Parish coastal zone director P.J. Hahn in Bay Jimmy near the Louisiana coast. Six months after the rig explosion that led to the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, damage to the Gulf of Mexico can be measured more in increments than extinctions, say scientists polled by The Associated Press. The scientists saw a hit for the region's wetlands, an already weakened massive natural incubator for shrimp, crabs, oysters and fish. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
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In this Oct. 14, 2010 picture, a streak of oiled marsh grass winds through Bay Jimmy near the Louisiana coast. Six months after the rig explosion that led to the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, damage to the Gulf of Mexico can be measured more in increments than extinctions, say scientists polled by The Associated Press. There is no comprehensive calculation for how much marshland was oiled, but estimates range from less than a square mile to just a handful of square miles. Regardless, in the big picture that's hardly alarming: Louisiana loses roughly 25 square miles of marsh each year due to a host of environmental and manmade causes. The state is the site of one of the most ferocious rates of land loss in the world. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
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In this Oct. 14, 2010 picture, shoots of marsh grass emerge from a bed of oiled grass in Bay Jimmy near the Louisiana coast. Six months after the rig explosion that led to the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, damage to the Gulf of Mexico can be measured more in increments than extinctions, say scientists polled by The Associated Press. There is no comprehensive calculation for how much marshland was oiled, but estimates range from less than a square mile to just a handful of square miles. Regardless, in the big picture that's hardly alarming: Louisiana loses roughly 25 square miles of marsh each year due to a host of environmental and manmade causes. The state is the site of one of the most ferocious rates of land loss in the world. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
Gulf Oil Spill(05 of38)
Workers on boats participating in the vessels of opportunity program try to clean shoreline impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Bay Jimmy in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (credit:AP)
Gulf Oil Spill(06 of38)
Shoreline impacted by oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Bay Jimmy is seen in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (credit:AP)
APTOPIX Gulf Oil Spill(07 of38)
A bird prepares to land next to an absorbent boom on the shoreline impacted by oil from the Deepwater Horizon rig in Bay Jimmy in Plaquemines Parish, La. on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (credit:AP)
Gulf Oil Spill(08 of38)
Shoreline impacted by oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Bay Jimmy is seen in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (credit:AP)
Gulf Oil Spill(09 of38)
Workers on a boat participating in the vessels of opportunity program try to clean shoreline impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Bay Jimmy in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (credit:AP)
Gulf Oil Spill(10 of38)
Shoreline impacted by oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Bay Jimmy is seen in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (credit:AP)
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In this Aug. 16,2010 file photo, faint streaks of weathered oil are seen on the Gulf of Mexico near the coast of Louisiana. Scientist studying the gulf oil spill differ on the amount of oil that was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico from the BP Deepwater Horizon rig, how much remains in the water and the long term effect on the environment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
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NEW ORLEANS - AUGUST 17: Gary Lopinto, a commercial seafood inspector for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, sniffs a filet of drum fish for oil contamination at Inland Seafood August 17, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Seafood captured in Louisiana waters is randomly checked, both by sense of smell and chemical testing, on a regular basis following the massive oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico caused by the Deepwater Horizon accident. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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The Transocean Development Driller III, left, and the Transocean Development Driller II, right, the rigs responsible for drilling relief wells at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil wellhead, are seen on the Gulf of Mexico near the coast of Louisiana, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (credit:AP)
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VENICE, LA - AUGUST 14: Recently washed ashore oil is shown on a beach during a survey tour near the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River on August 14, 2010 near Venice, Louisiana. The flow of oil from the Macondo well has been halted but recent storms in the area have washed oil ashore, forcing cleanup crews to clean the same area multiple times. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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VENICE, LA - AUGUST 14: NOAA scientist John Tarpley (C) uses a shovel to dig several inches into the sand near Berwood Bayou at the Southwest Pass during a survey tour with officials from BP on August 14, 2010 near Venice, Louisiana. The flow of oil from the Macondo well has been halted but recent storms in the area have washed oil ashore that mixes several inches into the beach sand, forcing cleanup crews to clean the same area multiple times. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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GRAND ISLE, LA - AUGUST 11: Ricky Breaux wades in from the ocean near a pool of dispersed oil after pulling crabs from a line on a recently reopened public beach August 11, 2010 in Grand Isle, Louisiana. Due to a possible tropical storm hitting the area, operations to finish drilling the relief well have been temporarily halted. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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GRAND ISLE, LA - AUGUST 11: A pool of dispersed oil collects on a recently reopened public beach August 11, 2010 in Grand Isle, Louisiana. Due to a possible tropical storm hitting the area, operations to finish drilling the relief well have been temporarily halted. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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GRAND ISLE, LA - AUGUST 11: A pool of dispersed oil collects on a recently reopened public beach August 11, 2010 in Grand Isle, Louisiana. Due to a possible tropical storm hitting the area, operations to finish drilling the relief well have been temporarily halted. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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GRAND ISLE, LA - AUGUST 10: Pools of dispersed oil collect on a section of the public beach that was reopened yesterday for the first time in nearly 3 months August 10, 2010 in Grand Isle, Louisiana. According to a statement issued by BP, efforts to complete the relief well will cease temporarily due to a U.S. National Weather Service prediction that there is a 60 percent chance of a tropical cyclone forming in the Gulf in the next 24 hours. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
what is this?(22 of38)
Anna Ranalli:
This photo was taken today May 17, 2010 on the beach of Pass Chrisitian, MS. We dont know what this is and would like to know. someone please reply. is it a piece of the rig that exploded? please contact me if you know what this is annajean1207@yahoo.com
This photo was taken today May 17, 2010 on the beach of Pass Chrisitian, MS. We dont know what this is and would like to know. someone please reply. is it a piece of the rig that exploded? please contact me if you know what this is annajean1207@yahoo.com
Assessing the Damage(24 of38)
NOAA Vet Brian Stacy assesses an oiled Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle (Photo -GADNR)
Gulf Shores, AL june 4(25 of38)
Our kids poking the oil blobs with drift wood...was hoping to get one last dip in the gulf but it was too late
Gulf Shores, Alabama(26 of38)
It's actually here. What we all feared is happening in our community. This brought tears to my eyes
Alabama's Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores(27 of38)
A close-up of sludge, dead, oil covered seaweed, oil and tar balls on Alabama's Gulf Coast.
Gulf Shores, Alabama June 5, 2010(28 of38)
Shores of Alabama Gulf Coast covered in dead seaweed, oil, tar and a foamy sludge. Beaches had not been closed and tourists continued to get into the water.
BP Gulf Oil Spill(31 of38)
this was taken from a commerical airliner from approximately 40,000 feet. more on iphoneography blog: http://zdw.posterous.com/
no equipment supplies..sand shovels used to clean up Dauphin Island(32 of38)
Oil covered turtle(34 of38)
A dead turtle floats on a pool of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in Barataria Bay off the coast of Louisiana Monday, June, 7, 2010.
Oil covered Hermits(35 of38)
Hermit crabs struggle to cross a patch of oil from the the Deepwater Horizon spill on a barrier island near East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana on Sunday, June 6, 2010.
Grand Isle, LA(36 of38)
June 17, 2010Grand Isle, LAA photograph of the oil spill through the lens of an artistic photographer.
Grand Isle Tide(37 of38)
June 17, 2010Grand Isle, LAOil washes up on the beach of Grand Isle, Louisiana, leaving it coated with a sheen of oil and tar balls. This photo is of a piece of shore that had just been 'cleaned'.
Underwater oil and detritus/dead crab(38 of38)
From the Mobile Press Register