BfR-Wissenschaft 
49 
Is the incident important for Europe? 
For the countries in Europe the question arises, if the Macondo incident is important for the 
situation and contingency planning in Europe. The conditions in the North Sea for example 
are not directly comparable, due to lower maximum water depths, different topography and 
lower average sea temperatures as well as the different regulatory backgrounds. Despite the 
constantly rising safety standards accidents on drilling platforms, oil tankers and other ships 
can never be excluded. In Figure 8.4a the existing oil and gas installations in the European 
Waters are shown, and in Figure 8.4b the main shipping and transportation routes in Europe 
are visualized. Due to the potential hazard of oil spills the knowledge and preparation for the 
contingency planning and response measures have to be kept up to date to implement new 
and relevant findings. 
Figure 8.4: a) Oil and gas installations in the Ell member states (image: EMSA 2014). 
b) Shipping routes in Europe (Kerbaol & Hajduch, CLS France, ENVISAT ESA 2002-2009). 
Main topics and subject area for an assessment 
New findings from the incident can be deducted for several subject-specific topics. The find 
ings of the Macondo incident can be subdivided in the following major scientific topics: 
• contingency planning and decision making 
• efficiency of the mechanical oil spill response 
• in situ burning and its aftermath 
• application and efficiency of the chemical response 
• process understanding, distribution, fate and degradation 
• adverse impact on the environment and recovery 
• procedures for oiled organisms and benefits 
• monitoring concepts to survey the incident 
• human health issues and operational aspects 
• economic aspects 
• media communications and information transfer 
• political implementation and regulatory consequences