An underwater image shows oil gushing from the broken riser pipe connected to the well 1,500 metres below the water's surface. (BP)

It's been three months since an explosion on an oil well owned by BP in the Gulf of Mexico caused what would become the worst offshore oil spill to hit the United States.

A lot of numbers have been bandied about since then concerning the size, impact and scope of the spill.

1,000

The number of barrels of oil the U.S. Coast Guard initially estimated was leaking from the well every day. (There are 158.9 litres in a barrel of oil.)

35,000-60,000

Revised estimates of how many barrels of oil were actually leaking every day.

4.3 million

Estimated total number of barrels of oil that leaked into the Gulf before the spill was capped.

750,000

Upper level estimate of how much oil, in barrels, was spilled in the Exxon Valdez disaster.

130.6 million

The number of litres of oil-water mix that have been recovered from the Gulf of Mexico.

6.9 million

The number of litres of dispersant that have been applied in an attempt to break up the spill.

1,001

The number of kilometres of Gulf coast shoreline that have been soiled with oil.

1,045

The number of kilometres of containment boom deployed in the Gulf since the spill began.

2,243

The number of kilometres of sorbent boom deployed in the Gulf since the spill began.

40,000

The number of people who have been deployed to protect the shoreline and wildlife and clean up coastlines.

951

The number of visibly oiled dead birds found on the shores of the Gulf since April 30.

1,232

The number of visibly oiled birds found alive on the shores of the Gulf since April 30.

467

The number of stranded sea turtles found dead in the Gulf or on shore between April 30 and July 18. The turtles are being studied to determine what killed them. However, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the number of strandings is higher than normal for this time of year.

66

The number of dead or debilitated dolphins found in the Gulf or on shore between April 30 and July 18. Visible evidence of oil was found on four of the 61 dolphins that died. The NOAA says the number of strandings is higher than normal for this time of year.

217,370

The number of square kilometres of Gulf of Mexico fishing waters that remain closed due to the spill. That's just over a third of the area normally open to the fishing industry.

$4,300 US

The maximum fine, per barrel of oil released, if it's found the company was negligent in causing the disaster.

$17 billion US

The total amount BP could face in government fines.

$20 billion US

The size of the fund BP has set up to compensate disaster victims.

$265.58 billion US

BP's revenues for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2009.

$14 billion US

BP's profits for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2009.

11

Number of workers missing and presumed dead following the BP rig explosion.

(Sources: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Justice, BP)

(CBC Graphic/Paul Vance, Emily Chung)