Surprising to many, the Exxon Valdez spill is only the 34th largest oil spill ever. And while the Deep Water Horizon spill is a disaster by any means, it remains distant to this top 10 list (Hopefully it never makes this list). I decided to publish this list because I’ve heard a handful of people say it’s the end-of-the-Ocean/Gulf-as-we-know-it. While it will take time to cleanup the surrounding shores from this environmental disaster, there is no doubt the Ocean and Gulf of Mexico will continue — just as the bodies of water continued after the following spills.
Top 10 Biggest Oil Spills in History (Most You’ve Never Heard Of)

1. Kuwait - 1991 – 520 million gallons; 4,000 square miles of Ocean
   Iraqi forces opened the values of several oil tankers in the ocean to hamper the invasion of American troops. The oil spill caused considerable damage to wildlife in the Persian Gulf especially in areas surrounding Kuwait and Iraq. Estimates on the volume spilled usually range around 11 million barrels (462 million gallons or 1.75 billion liters); the slick reached a maximum size of 101 by 42 miles (4242 square miles or 6787 km²) and was 5 inches (13 cm) thick in some areas. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the size of the spill, figures place it 5 to 27 times the size (in gallons spilled) of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and more than twice the size of the 1979 Ixtoc I blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. A 1993 study sponsored by UNESCO, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States found the spill did “little long-term damage”: About half the oil evaporated, a million barrels were recovered and 2 million to 3 million barrels washed ashore, mainly in Saudi Arabia.
2. Mexico – 1980 – 100 million gallons
   A large accident with an offshore oil well caused an explosion which collapsed the well. While the well remained open, 30,000 gallons spilled into the ocean daily until it was closed a full year after.
3. Trinidad and Tobago – 1979 – 90 million
   A tropical storm off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago caused a Greek oil tanker to collided with another ship, spilling 90 million gallons of oil.
4. Russia – 1994 – 84 million gallons
   A Russian pipeline leaked for eight months before it was discovered and repaired. 84 million gallons.
5. Persian Gulf – 1983 – 80 million gallons
   An oil taker collided with a drilling platform. The platform collapsed into the sea and this well continued to spill oil into the ocean for several months before officials could repair the broken well.
6. South Africa – 1983 – 79 million gallons
   An oil tanker caught fire and sank.
7. France – 1978 – 69 million gallons
   During a severe storm the ship ran aground and broke in half. The entire cargo spilled into the English Channel.
8. Angola – 1991 – more than 51 million gallons
   The tanker expolded.
9. Italy – 1991 – 45 million gallons
   The tanker exploded and sank off the coast of Italy.
10. Odyssey Oil Spill – 1988 – 40 million gallons
    Drilling rig burst info flames.