CounterSpill

An expensive and excessive disaster, the North Sea Gas Leak was impressively voluminous in that it leaked about 7 million cu. ft. of methane gas and $2.5 million every day for nearly two months. Although its owner, Total Energy, chided away comparisons to BP's oil spill, the damage brought to its environment still remains unknown. 

Get the basics on this disaster by reading hand-selected journalism below. 

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The estimated 1 billion gallons of coal ash that washed over Emory River and adjacent communities around the city of Knoxville, Tenn. created a toxicity that lasted years and a devestation of local property that is still being dealt with by locals to this day. 

The following articles tell the story. 

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"Duke Scientists Look Deeper For Coal Ash Hazards"

By Tim Lucas, Duke Today

Over 300 millions of gallons of black coal slurry mixture washed over the creeks and communities of Martin County, Ky. in 2000. Although Massey Energy maintained that the accident was "an act of god," independent studies proved otherwise. 

These articles not only give a foundation of knowledge about the spill, but also describe key players in the fight against coal.

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In 2010, an explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine took the lives of 29 men. This was a culmination of sorts - the mine had received over 1,000 safety violations over its previous five years of operations and, after an extensive investigation, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration rulled the disaster as "entirely preventable."

Read up on the history and aftermath of the blast by viewing the following hand-selected journalism.

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Due to at least a dozen of pipeline disasters over the past two decades, oil has decimated much of Nigeria's Niger Delta. It's a complicated problem: many locals live in abject poverty and tamper with oil lines to steal a living wage. However, oil companies have their share of the blame as comprehensive solutions are not developed. Often times, massive payouts are given instead of humanitarian aid.

The following are articles that paint a picture of Nigeria's plight.

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Natural and man-made disasters collided when the a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook Japan and sent a towering tsunami to drench its coasts. It was too much for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to bear, causing a disaster -- the aftermath of which is still being measured today. The following articles are hand-selected as a guide to any looking to understand the scope of Fukushima's effects.

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Oil transformed Ecuador into an economic power - but it came at a high cost. The environmental and social damage done to the country from shoddy oil practices were met with a contentious legal battle, which is still brewing to this day. The following articles present the full story to readers interested in getting the whole story behind the spill.

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"Reversal of Fortune"

When the Exxon Valdez ran aground on the coast of Prince William Sound in 1989, thick oil spilled and spread over miles of the adjacent coast. It became one of the most highly-publicized spills in non-renewable energy history and the prime disaster scenario for generations of environmentalists. 

The following articles represent some of the best in exploring the events surrounding the spill to understand the disaster's cause, impact and continuing legacy. 

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As perhaps the most documented non-renewable energy disaster of the 21st century, the BP Oil Spill is credited as bringing the dangers of deep-water drilling to our national consciousness.

As much coverage as there is available, we've selected the following as the creme of the crop in learning about the spill.

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"Boom"

By Sean Flynn, GQ

In July 2010, the Kalamazoo Oil Spill became one of the worst oil spills to ever hit the midwestern United States. Due to the disaster spilling not only crude oil but diluted bitumen, which is a concentrated form of tar sands oil, many have said it is an ever-increasing eventuality for the region if the Keystone XL Pipeline is built. 

The following series of articles represent some of the best coverage on the details of this disaster.

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