Try Your Hand at Top Killling BP Spill

As new reports indicate that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico at the hands of BP is now the largest “accidental” release of oil into water in history, South Pawlitico has released a fun (and admittedly simple) web-based game allowing players to try their own hand at plugging the broken wellhead.

Gulf of Mexicoil lets users attempt to utilize duct tape, old tires, the kitchen sink and crazy glue to stop the spewing, all while fighting ocean currents.

The worst oil spill of all time was intentional, according to CNN, and took place during the Gulf War when Iraqi army personnel released 240 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf. A Washington Post story indicates that the Deepwater Horizon disaster resulted in 205.8 million gallons (or 4.9 million barrels) of oil spilled.

The estimated numbers being bandied about are important as they could help calculate the maximum civil penalty BP might face for the spill.

For example:

If BP is found to have acted with "gross negligence" in the lead-up to the spill, the maximum penalty would be $4,300 a barrel, which would work out to $17.6 billion.

Also:

In all, the 4.1 million barrels estimated to have polluted the gulf would be enough to fill the Pentagon to a depth of 18 feet or to fill 260 Olympic swimming pools. The entire Gulf of Mexico, by comparison, would fill 880 million Pentagons, or 973 billion Olympic pools.