Ocean Oil Spill Essay

Still people make the argument that oil is just too important to stop drilling and that if anything we should drill more. Again author Margaret Haerens talks about how “According to the nation academy of Sciences, current cleanup methods can only remove a small fraction of the oil spilled into the ocean, leaving the remaining oil to continue affecting ocean ecosystems over time” (126). The long term impacts of offshore spills continue to corrupt the oceans and who knows when they will completely be gone. The effects of the oil directly on sea life such as sea birds, fish, shellfish, and other sea life are extremely dangers. “Studies have shown that tiny amounts of oil – as little as one part per billion – can harm pink salmon and cause their eggs to fail” (Haerens Margaret). Imagine swimming in the ocean when a large pool of toxic oils comes floating along right into you when you are trying to enjoy a day at the beach. Not only is offshore drilling have one of the longest lasting ecological impacts on society and living things on and off shore, it effects our economy as well.

Out of all of these ways, oil spills can cause a noticeably excessive amount of damage to the ocean. Although only 12% of the oil entering the sea is caused by spills, they can deteriorate ocean life and environment more than any other pollution. One gallon of used oil spilled into the ocean, which contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals severely dangerous to the micro-organism at the base of the food chain, can cause an eight-acre layer

This disaster of the BP oil spill has caused many deaths: 64 mammals, 2,919 birds, and 489 sea turtles according to National Wildlife Federation and these numbers are going to continue to rise year after year till all the oil is cleaned up. Also, the Gulf is home to endangered species. Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are currently listed as endangered, and could go to threatened in the next couple years. Another example is the Bluefin Tuna which is labeled as endangered and could send them to extinction due to the massive oil spill. This is one dire effect that is hurting our ecosystem, and this same instance happened in Alaska with the Exxon Valdez oil spill. A great example of how gruesome the oil has taken on wildlife, look at Fig. B where a there is an oil-soaked pelican. I believe the world should change its main source of oil to a different less destructing fuel.

Offshore oil drilling is a controversial topic because when oil spills, it does extensive amounts of damage to the environment. Countries capable of mining oil in the ocean reap the economic benefits in addition to reducing their dependency on external oil. While it is uncontroversial that offshore drilling is a massive boon for those countries, the environmental consequences of a spill also affect the economic welfare of nearby residents. Oil contaminates animals through a process called biomagnification, where chemicals progressively become more detrimental to the animals the higher they are on the food chain. When oil spills into the ocean, it impairs the growth of native species and deteriorates the ecosystem. As a result, the livelihood of people in the tourist industry, fisherman, and shrimpers is crippled and may take decades to recover.

Petroleum is the oil found underneath the Earth’s surfaces also known as crude oil. It is considered to be highly toxic as it is composed of many organic chemicals. In 1989 the Exxon Valdez tanker collided with Bligh Reef, which is off the coast of Bligh Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The collision resulted in over 11 million gallons of oil to spill into the ocean. It has been 27 years since the Exxon Valdez oil spill and it is important to understand what happened to cause the spill, the impact the oil spill had, the process used to clean up, and changes made to prevent future spill.

Throughout history, humans have had many adverse effects on the ocean. However, in the past century, a new threat to the ocean has arisen. Oils spills are one of the most dangerous human effects on the ocean, partly because they’re so difficult to reverse after they’ve happened, and because many of the chemicals that get released into the water are extremely toxic to a lot of creatures. Oil spills are usually caused by two ships colliding with each other, a ship colliding with another object, or as in the case of the BP oil spill, an explosion.

The oil industry, though it harnesses over hundreds of billions of dollars’ revenue worldwide, it provides many consequences to ecosystems. They have the potential to kill marine mammals and birds by Direct Toxicty, and weakens the organism’s immune systems. Offshore drilling affects the geological structure of the oceans as the process of it includes drilling into the sedimentary rocks and into the oil reserves. The Exxon Valdez spill is an example of oil contamination that has killed an estimate of 250,00 sea birds, 3000 sea otters, 3000 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, more than 70 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs.

Wildlife is affected by oil spills in many ways and the severity of the impact is correlated with how much oil was released into the environment, the type of oil, the season and the weather, and tidal energy occurring in the environment of the spill, (NOAA, Effects of Oil Spills on Wildlife and Habitat: Alaska Region, 2004). The Exxon Valdez oil spill had a numerous amount of impacts on wildlife habitat and marine systems. The oil caused harm to wildlife through physical contact, ingestion, inhalation and absorption. The oil contaminated plankton such as algae, fish eggs and larvae of various invertebrates, (NOAA, Effects of Oil Spills on Wildlife and Habitat: Alaska Region, 2004). Contamination through these variables occurred to fish that rely on these organisms to survive, and larger animals in the food chain that rely on fish that eat these organisms such as bigger fish, birds and terrestrial mammals, and even humans became contaminated through ingestion of these animals, (NOAA, Effects of Oil Spills on Wildlife and Habitat: Alaska Region, 2004). Fish were impacted directly through the uptake of oil through the gills, which changed their heart rate, eroded their fins, and affected their eggs. As stated above, it only becomes worse due to other mammals consuming the already contaminated

2005). It’s a sticky substance, when it gets on something it acts like a glue. With such a massive concentration of oil, which was about 11 million gallons of oil, it had a huge effect on marine life and plants. Oil has herbicides, which are chemicals that kill plants and when they’re exposed to such a huge amount of it, it can affect a big area of plants on the shoreline and underwater. Oil has lower density than water, it will float when it’s mixed with it. It blocks sunlight and air from reaching the underwater pants. It does not allow plants to photosynthesize. Without photosynthesis, plants aren’t able grow or get oxygen so they will end up dying (Effect of oil spills on aquatic plants 2014). Oil affects the way most marine animals breathe and grow and can leave a sub lethal effect on them without killing them (How does oil impact marine life? 2014). Such a chemical like oil affects the way on how birds and marine life do in cold water like keeping a certain temperature. The study of chemical risks, or toxicology shows that without this ability to maintain a certain temperature they will die from hyperthermia. Oil is like a poison to marine life, and if it doesn’t kill the animal it leaves long lasting effects on them. With the huge dose most of these animals took of the oil, it led to a lot of deaths. This oil spill showed a lot of persistence because even after 30 years, the water was still contaminated with

Ocean oil spills greatly impact the world today because oil is harmful to ocean life, mammals, and even humans. Since oil remains in the ocean for a considerably long time, scientists cannot determine how greatly the oil has really impacted the world today (Carey). However, It is important to know how ocean oil spills are caused, who and what they affect, and how to prevent and control them with the hope that the numbers will decline throughout the years.

There are a few things that are needed in order for man to survive, food, water, shelter, and an energy source. In the beginning fire was that energy source used to keep humans warm and to cook their food. These days energy is in other forms such as nuclear, wind, solar, and of course, petroleum (oil) and are all needed for survival. Oil was, at one time, plentiful and considered more of a nuisance for those who were drilling wells for water in the US because it would seep into the wells. Early uses for the oil were for machinery lubrication and burning in lamps. It wasn’t until the invention of the internal combustion engine, which made life and manufacturing so much simpler, that oil became of more interest. In the late 1800s John D.

Another way is containing the spill with a boom and just burning the oil. This is normally done with smaller oil spills but the fire can be for the environment. Oil spills cause a major hazard to creatures such as marine life and birds. Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water-repelling abilities of a bird's feathers, thus exposing these creatures to the harsh elements. During most oil spills, seabirds are harmed and killed in greater numbers than other kinds of creatures. Oil penetrates bird’s feathers preventing them from flying and eating. Some birds try to remove the oil by ingesting it leading to severe damage in its organs. Also, the oil that is stuck to the feathers, causes them to mat and separate, impairing waterproofing and exposing the animal's sensitive skin to extremes in temperature. This can result in hypothermia, meaning the bird becomes cold, or hyperthermia, which results in overheating. Oil spills can also make adult fish may experience reduced growth, enlarged livers, changes in heart and respiration rates. Oil also adversely affects eggs and larval

One species in particular that is being affected by the oil is the brown pelican. They inhabit the area in which the oil is located and look to the ocean for their main source of food. The oil coating the ocean tricks the bird into thinking the water is calm and the bird will land in the water (Kaufman). Once the oil comes in contact with the pelican, it is no longer able to regulate its body temperature. Eventually, this causes hypothermia and the bird dies as a result. Birds are already beginning to wash up on shore of nearby coastlines at an abnormally large rate. In the last month, “…fifty dead brown pelicans were discovered dead on shore, much larger than the average fifteen dead birds in previous months” (Kaufman). If this trend continues at this pace, the eradication of a majority of the sea bird population in the Gulf is a serious possibility.

On April 20, 2010 the British Petroleum (BP) licensed Deep Water Horizon rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. The initial blast killed 11 people, injuring 17 others. Over a period of the next 87 days, over 200 million gallons of oil was pumped into to Gulf of Mexico, polluting over 16,000 miles of shoreline, including the coast of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The Deep Water Horizon oil spill is the largest human-caused disaster in U.S. history roughly 20 times larger than the Exxon-Valdez oil spill in March of 1989. The spill had many negative effects on the tourism and the fishing industry. Many businesses such as fishing, oyster harvesting, and charter fishing boats were directly impacted by oil in the water. Following the spill, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) closed all recreational and commercial fishing in affected waters between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the Pensacola Bay, in Florida. With the world being completely dependent on oil it is hard to argue that

How it affects animals. Oil spills are harmful to many fish. Oil spills destroys the insulating ability of fur bearing mammal,such as sea otters,and water repellency of a bird feathers,thus exposing these creatures to harsh elements.