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Oil Spills

Oil Spill photo1.3 million gallons of petroleum are spilled into U.S. waters from vessels and pipelines in a typical year—a single major spill can double that amount. Using less oil may make future spills less likely.

Petroleum fuels also leak from storage tanks, contaminating groundwater and streams. The U.S. EPA has reported around 180 confirmed releases each week since 2000. Using less oil may help reduce the number or volume of leaks.

More Information:

Cumulative Data and Graphics for Oil Spills, 1973-2004 (U.S. Coast Guard)


Data Sources

Petroleum spilled in U.S. waters based on 1995-2004 data from Polluting Incident Compendium: Cumulative Data and Graphics for Oil Spills, 1973-2004. (U.S. Coast Guard, Last Updated September 2006).

Weekly average releases from underground storage tanks based on 2000-2007 data from Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics, Table 4-51: Leaking Underground Storage Tank Releases and Cleanups.