GuLF Study GuLF Study The GuLF Study, or Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study, is a five-year research project examining the human-health consequences of the "Deepwater Horizon" oil spill in April 2010. The spill followed an explosion on a drilling rig leased by BP, the British oil company, and led to the release of over four million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, 48 miles off the coast of Louisiana in the United States. The study was set up in June that year by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is being conducted by the National Institute of
Reactions to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of one of the country's leading companies", to President Obama (text of letter) that expressed a concern over "double standards" compared to the sub-prime based banking crisis of 2007–2010 and over "prejudicial and personal" comments in the media. Initially BP downplayed the incident; CEO Tony Hayward called the amount of oil and dispersant "relatively tiny" in comparison with the "very big ocean." Hayward also initially stated that the environmental effect of the Gulf spill would likely be "very very modest." Later, he said that the spill was a disruption to Gulf Coast residents and himself adding, "You know, I'd like