On 20 April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded and sank, causing one of the most catastrophic environmental disasters in recent history. The total spilled volume was estimated at 4.9 million barrels, spread over a period of 87 days.
At first, six Koseq sweeping arms were sent over to by plane to help recover the oil, with more to follow later. In total 22 Koseq sweeping arms were sent to the Gulf.