Offshore oil and chemical spills

## Overview

*The purpose of this article is to address the problem of oil and chemical spills in the ocean and how spills can be prevented and cleaned up if one does occur. Storms sinking tankers, earthquakes during a drilling operation, or just human error can cause a spill. While we cant stop an earthquake or a storm, we can prevent human error and do something to prepare for these natural disasters.*

## History

The April 2010 BP Oil Spill.  [Horizon Oil Spill]

An explosion caused by high pressure gas, sunk the offshore drilling rig *Deep water Horizons.* After the rig sank it was discovered that the seafloor wellhead was still pushing out oil. After almost 90 days and an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil  flowed into the ocean, the well was plugged. The health of clean up workers, residents, plants, and animals all suffered because of the oil and chemicals used in the clean up.

That was not the first time that oil or chemicals have got in the ocean by mistake. Spills have been happening for a long time. The top three biggest oil leaks in history are these: 1. the Lake View gusher in California 2. the Gulf War oil spill 3. the BP oil spill. Oil contamination is caused many ways such as tanker accidents, hurricanes, earthquakes, and pipeline leakage. (2)(3)

## Influence

This issue affects the whole world from human health, animal health, plant life, to fishing, shipping, tourism on beaches, and so much more. The workers involved in cleanup, residents of nearby towns , and people consuming food products coming from those waters all have there health affected in a negative way. Many aquatic plants and an animals have died or at the very least been permanently damaged.

## No-Action Impact

Our world and lives are the direct recipients of the damage. Our economy is hurt because we have to replace that lost valuable crude oil. this means we have to import more of it just to replace what was lost. It also hurts tourism industry because no one wants to come see a beach covered in balls of tar, oil stains, and dead animals. Nor is there any fishing, swimming, boating, or other recreational activities going on.

Our environment is also severely harmed. Animal and plant life no longer thrive. Animals such as birds and fish choke, die, are blinded, can no longer regulate body temperature because the chemicals have damaged there feathers and skin, they also eventually can die from poisoning. (4)

## Effort

Several different groups are working on this issue and have been doing so for some time. Environmentalist groups such as Earth Justice and others, have been trying by lawsuit and protest to stop oil companies from doing any offshore drilling. The do this base there lawsuits on the fact that oil spills and accidents have damaged the environment and the only way to prevent any more damage is to stop drilling.(5)

The largest group working on the problem is the U.S. EPA. Their goal is not to get rid of drilling, but to prevent and respond to any form of accidental spill. They have developed programs and regulation for companies involved in this industry. They have also established procedures, methods, and equipment regulations as a safeguard to prevent failure of equipment, human error, negligence, or even natural disaster.(6)

## Future Action

In my opinion the best way to handle the situation is more of the same that has been going on. It is definitely important that the government continues in its preventative requirements and regulation. It is also necessary that oil companies, shipping companies, and even other countries get on board with investing and implementing research on the best ways of transportation and drilling. By trying to find the root causes of leaks and spills we can then set up safeguards to protect both ourselves and our environment.

## References

1. ↑ 4.9 million barrel spill http://www.uscg.mil/foia/docs/dwh/fosc\_dwh\_report.pdf of leaks and spills

1. Biggest oil spills
2. leaks and spills
3. [1] Affect on world
4. prevent drilling
5. EPA Regulation