1. Gulf War Oil Spill | 325,000,000 gallons
When Iraqi forces retreated from Kuwait during the first Gulf War, they opened the valves of oil wells and pipelines to try and slow down the advancing American troops.
The resulting oil slick covered an area just larger than the island of Hawaii.
2. Ixtoc 1 Oil Well | 140,000,000 gallons
In June 1979, an oil well in the Bay of Campeche collapsed after a pressure buildup ignited with an explosion.
3. Atlantic Empress | 88,300,000 gallons
In July 1979, two full supertankers collided off the coast of Tobago in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the largest ship-based oil spill in history. Both vessels began to leak and caught fire. The fire on the Aegean Captain was quickly subdued, and the damaged vessel was towed to safety. The Atlantic Empress was not so lucky. The fire could not be quelled, and the vessel was towed out to sea until it exploded 300 miles offshore. 26 crew were killed in the disaster.
4. Fergana Valley | 87,700,000 gallons
Almost 88 million gallons of oil spilled from an oil well in the Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan.
While the spill didn’t receive international recognition when it occurred, it is the largest inland spill ever recorded.
