Oil Spills And Its Impact On The Environment

Senator Everett Dirksen once noted “The oilcan is mightier than the sword”. In today’s world, it is easy to see why oil can be considered the most important resource to hold. Without oil, many of the common day occurrences we take for granted would be impossible. Oil is used for almost everything; from the fuel used to drive our vehicles, to the plastics used in every facet of life, and providing the heat needed to live through the winter. In fact, the United States depends so much on oil that as a nation it uses over 20 million barrels a day. Importing oil increases the total costs because of the need to transport it from around the world. It is estimated

Oil production is crucial for humans. Overall, 33 out of 48 countries have now hit a peak in oil production, resulting that oil is going to hit a decline in production. This peak is in countries such as Mexico and Russia, potentially signifying the end of the Industrial revolution. However, oil itself is not running out, just the rich, thick oils, that are high quality. In the near future, the only oil that Earth will have will be thin, and not good enough to use in motor vehicles or for electricity. Additionally, cheap and easy to extract oil will be at a decline, and also oil will be in unaccessible places, or within dangerous areas. Oil production needs to stay at pace with the human demand.

It is estimated that 1.3 trillion barrels of oil reserve is left in the world’s major fields (Institution of Mechanical Engineers 2015). At present rates of consumption this will be enough oil to last approximately 40 years. By 2040, it is intended for production levels may be down to 15 million barrels per day which is approximately 20% of the amount of oil which is currently being consumed (Institution of Mechanical Engineers 2015). It is likely by the year 2040 that the world’s population will be twice as large (United States Census Bureau 2015). Additionally, it is likely that more of the world will be industrialized and therefore more dependent upon oil.

An estimated amount of 206 gallons were let loose in the water.This oil spill has made the records of being one of the largest oil spills that has ever occurred. It happened when an oil well approximately a mile below the surface.blew out. In addition, this caused an explosion on the BP Horizon rig that killed 11 people. Experts made many attempts to stop the oil flow but it took time to reach success. However, every minute passing by is a very crucial one. Within as little as one day 2.5 million gallons were released into the water. The well was capped on July15, 2010. Meaning that the oil leaked for a grand total of 85 days. Resulting in 572 miles of the Gulf Shore being covered in oil. Not to mention the hundreds of animals found and taken into care due to the oil spill. Of course long term effects won’t be able to be further approached until time passes and experts are able to have obtained enough data throughout the years. However, experts have concluded that the damage from this oil spill will not be completely over with until years to come. Still today clumps of oil are being found coming from the shore. The oil is not the only thing to worry about however. Chemicals still remain in the environment and therefore can still affect the nature and can result in a chemical reaction which may be harmful. If parts of the oil are not able to reach oxygen it can just be a big toxic reservoir damaging the environment waiting to cause trouble.The only way to remove things like this is mechanically which only further destroys the habitat. Al in all it is a lose lose

A major problem in the world, especially the U.S. is oil spills, they have been spilled into the oceans are being very harmful to water life plants and animals. In addition birds and other air breathing mammals also get poisoned, as they go to bathe themselves sit in the oil and that poison them. Oil is one of the most used natural resource that people use, and oil is used by a lot of the population of the world. Oil is a fossilization made up from plants and animals very many years ago, it takes many years for oil to be formed, oil can be located both in the ground or under the ocean floor, after the oil is removed giant ships called oil tankers, ship the oil to the other countries. In addition birds and other air breathing mammals also get

Oil spills are notorious environmental hazards. Spills are costly to clean up, and they impact hundreds of

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.

There are many ecological problems facing us in the United States today. Among those issues includes global warming, our dependence on fossil fuel, saving our endangered wildlife, and ensuring that we have safe and sufficient water. There is one environmental issue, however, that streams across all these areas, and threatens the safety of our country, and of many bodies of water all over the world, and that is the issue of Oil Spills. An oil spill can be defined as, “an unintentional release of crude oil or refined oil products into the environment.” Oil spills are considered to be a major source of chemical pollution. Most of these spills occur through human error, however, there are cases where oil seeps through deposits under the ocean floor. These spills can occur on land, in the ocean, and even when oil is spilled down storm drains that lead directly into lakes and rivers. Not only do oil spills threaten to destroy our ecosystem and endanger our wildlife, oil spills can be harmful to human beings as well. The reason that this is so stems from the fact that oil itself is considered to be “semi-volatile.” This means that it can evaporate into the air and create a heavy vapor which lingers and can be breathed in by humans, and can travel deeply into people’s lungs. This can in turn cause many health issues such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, and even difficulty breathing. Over an even longer period of time, the chemicals that are found in oil, and that are evaporated into

Problem Statement- Oil Spills are unfortunately a common and traumatic occurrence when drilling for oil in the ocean. Oil is a fossil fuel used to provide energy. It is drilled from our oceans, and when a mistake happens it results in oil spills such as the Gulf Shores Oil Spill.

Offshore drilling has a possibility of oil spills, effects on aquatic life and pollution in the ocean. Worst oil spill in history was that of sea island, Kuwait on Jan 25, 1991 and the most recent oil spill was that of the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 (also known as a Deepwater Horizon oil spill). This spill of 2010 brought many effects such as it killed 11 people, brought pollution and damage to animal life, and hit Gulf coast fisheries very hard. After 3 years of oil spill i.e. on 2013, the research found that the oil was still present in the water, but mash grasses are growing back, and oil eating microbes did better in warm water. Also, the oil spill of 1989 ( Exxon Valdez oil spill) while transporting oil out of Alaska was a major disaster which led to Congress to take action. The oil pollution act (OPA) of 1990 was then brought up to prevent and respond to catastrophic oil spills. This act formulated a law that ships must have double-hull tankers by 2015, the Coast Guard monitors tanker lanes should be eight miles bigger than it is, and emergency equipment should be kept ready at points along the routes. After the enactment of the OPA 1990, now there is $100

Over many decades oil has supplied the global market with a realatively inexpensive method to provide energy and countless products. Without oil the world would not be as well developed as it is today. Large countries such as the USA and China thrive off oil and without it would come to abrubt halt. [1]

The major threat to oil is the fact that oil supplies will eventually run out. National Geographic Society states, “Finding alternatives to petroleum is crucial to global energy use, and is the focus of many industries”. BP (British Petroleum) estimates all of the world’s oil will run out in 53.3 years, however, there

Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, mankind has increasingly become reliant on fossil fuels such as oil for energy. Oil fuels our car, warms our homes, generates our electricity, and creates a myriad of goods including everything that contains plastic. In our global economy, oil must be transported great distances to reach markets throughout the world. With seemingly increasing frequency, these journeys sometimes end in accidents that result in oil being spilled into the ocean. The most devastating oil spill, The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, occurred on April twentieth of this year.

An oil spill can be defined as an accidental or deliberate dumping of oil or petroleum products into the ocean and its coastal waters, bays, and harbors, or onto land, or into rivers or lakes (Holum 1977). Between one and ten million metric tons (one metric ton is 1000 kilograms) of oil are put into the oceans every year. The oil is released, most often, in small yet consistent doses from tankers, industry, or on shore waste disposal (Boesh, Hersher, et al. 1974). Tanker spills cost the United States more than one hundred million dollars every year. Spill frequency increases proportionally with tonnage carried, in a linear manner. Non-tanker spills also increase linearly and account for thirty percent of all spills. The Atlantic area

Oil is vital to many industries, and is essential for the maintenance of industrial civilization in its current configuration, and thus, a serious problem for many countries. Oil accounts for a large percentage of the world 's energy consumption, ranging from a low of 32% for Europe and Asia, with a maximum 53% for the Middle East.