Effect Of Oil Spills On The Environment – The largest marine oil spill in US history occurred on April 20, 2010 when the BP oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded killing 11 workers and spilling more than 134,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. (Image credit: US Coast Guard)

Oil spills that occur in rivers, bays and oceans are most often caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs and storage facilities, but also occur from recreational boats and in marinas.

Effect Of Oil Spills On The Environment

Most of the oil floats in the salt water of the ocean or the fresh water of rivers and lakes. The oil usually spreads out quickly across the surface of the water to form a thin oil slick. As the oil continues to spread, the slick becomes thinner and thinner, finally becoming a very thin sheen, which often looks like a rainbow. (In rare cases, very heavy oil can sometimes sink.)

Spills In Oil And Natural Gas Fields

A striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) observed swimming in emulsified oil from the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010. Studies show that oil exposure causes serious health and reproductive problems. ()

Depending on the situation, oil spills can be very harmful to seabirds, sea turtles and mammals, as well as fish and shellfish. Oil destroys the insulating ability of feather-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water-repellent ability of bird feathers, exposing them to the harsh elements. Many birds and animals also swallow oil and become poisoned when they try to clean themselves or when they eat oiled prey.

Fish and shellfish can also digest oil, which can cause changes in reproduction, growth rate or even death. Commercially important species such as oysters, shrimp, mahi-mahi, grouper, swordfish and tuna may also experience population declines or become too contaminated to be caught and eaten.

Depending on where and when the spill occurs, from a few to hundreds or thousands of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, corals and other animals and plants can be killed or injured.

Oil Spills And Their Prevention

The response to an oil spill has several objectives – primarily to stop the flow of oil or chemicals, but also to protect sensitive areas that may be harmed by the spill itself, and to safely remove oil from the environment as quickly and efficiently as possible. possible.

During a spill response, sensitive locations, such as coastal wetlands or animal nesting areas threatened by an oil spill, can be protected with various types of equipment and tactics, but the equipment used depends on the location of the spill and the type of oil spilled. Some spills evaporate quickly from the surface without the need for active cleaning.

Skimmers come in a variety of designs but all basically work by removing a layer of oil from the surface of the water. (US Coast Guard)

A boom is a floating physical barrier, made of plastic, metal or other material, which slows down the spread of oil and keeps it contained. Booms can be placed around tankers leaking oil, to collect oil, or along sensitive coastal areas to prevent oil from reaching it.

Peru Demands Compensation For Disastrous Oil Spill Caused By Tonga Volcano

Another approach-depending in part on the thickness of the slick-is containing and removing oil through skimmers, boats and other equipment that can remove oil from the surface of the sea before it reaches sensitive areas. They skim or scoop oil from the surface so it can be collected for proper disposal.

Which method is chosen depends on the circumstances of each event: weather; type and amount of oil spilled; how far from the coast the oil has been spilled; why people live in the area; what kind of birds and animals habitat in the area and other factors.

Since 1969, there have been at least 44 oil spills of more than 10,000 barrels -420,000 gallons – in US waters.

Established itself as a leading agency for HAZMAT modeling and simulation starting with the 1988 premiere of CAMEO – software developed in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency.

What Are The Environmental Effects Of An Oil Spill?

Most recently, in response to the Deepwater Horizon spill, made available, for the first time, an online geospatial mapping system called the Environmental Response Management System or ERMA, developed with the University of New Hampshire.

ERMA integrates static and real-time data, such as Environmental Sensitivity Index maps, vessel locations, weather and ocean currents, in one easy-to-use format for environmental response and decision-makers. The public can also use ERMA to better understand what is happening. US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen called it “the best thing to happen from the spill.” it has since quickly expanded its development to other areas at risk of chemical or oil spills.

A large oil spill can literally wash away the coast, as scientists learned when they raced to Alaska’s remote Prince William Sound in March 1989. After the Exxon Valdez oil spill—one of the worst U.S. spills in history—responders took to the shovel. and hoses in hand. Since then, it has helped pioneer many state-of-the-art techniques now used routinely in coastal cleanups. ()

With each spillers responders continue to learn how to mix several techniques to respond to the challenge of removing oil from open water – the main challenge on April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico. continue to be at the forefront of refining both current and emerging techniques. ()

How Do Oil Spills Affect The Environment?

, acting on behalf of the American people, is the federal trustee for coastal and marine natural resources, including marine and migratory fish, endangered species, marine mammals and their habitats. Federal law charges certain other federal agencies, states, and Indian tribes with protecting and restoring public natural resources affected by oil spills, release of hazardous substances and ship groundings.

Carry out their responsibilities by taking certain key actions after hazardous substances or oils are released into oceans, swamps, lakes and rivers.

Standing on an oiled marsh island, BP consultants Bob Nalon (left) and Charlie Johnson discuss field observations with ‘s Natural Resources Damage Assessment team lead Rich Takacs (on the boat, left). Chris Grant (on the boat, right), a consultant representing the State of Louisiana, uses a pole to check for oil in the sediments of our marsh island. ()

When cleaning up oil spills or hazardous waste, scientific experts provide guidance to agencies such as the US Coast Guard and the US Environmental Protection Agency that lead the effort. The goal is to make the most of the cleaning while protecting natural resources.

Sunlight Reduces Effectiveness Of Dispersants Used In Oil Spills

Also responsible for the assessment and restoration of river and coastal resources harmed by the release of hazardous materials. The Office of Response and Recovery works with other offices to form a Damage Assessment, Remediation and Recovery Program.

The Natural Resource Damage Assessment process determines the extent of damage to natural resources and the appropriate type and amount of restoration needed to compensate the American public. We work with the parties responsible to identify both harm to natural resources and lost recreational use. Experts determine when and where the injury occurred, and – with public input – the best method, amount and location for restoration.

Since 1988, more than $10.4billion has been recovered from responsible parties, including up to $8.8 billion in NRDA Deepwater Horizon project funds. These funds are used to restore damaged estuarine and coastal resources including wetlands, coral reefs, streams and beaches. Environmental restoration benefits fish, bird and marine mammal habitats, and strengthens local and regional economies.

The formerly mythical Northwest Passage has become a reality due to climate change. The situation in the Arctic is changing rapidly. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change offsite link estimates that in the next 80 years, the Arctic Ocean may be ice-free in the summer and potentially throughout the year – leading to rapidly increasing opportunities for maritime transportation, tourism and oil and gas exploration.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Ice-free conditions are still dangerous for navigation: flying ice, unstable weather and wave patterns. Emergency responses are few and far between. This means that when oil spills, the consequences can be worse, and search and rescue missions face greater difficulties. Marine navigation charts for most areas are made using lead line measurements–swing a lead weight on a string and count how much rope is released to reach the bottom. This measure can go back to the beginning of the 18th century through World War II. Less than 1 percent of the US Arctic has been explored with modern technology.

Using unmanned aircraft to detect oil spills: and the USCG team recovered the Puma unmanned aircraft after testing its ability to detect simulated oil among the ice in the Arctic in August 2014. ()

The Arctic is one of the most remote regions on earth. How will the hundreds of responders get there, with all the heavy equipment like booms, skimmers, and boats? Once deployed, response equipment has the potential to ice-over, encounter high winds, or become grounded from dense fog. Communicating with responders and decision makers on other ships, ashore at a command post, or further afield in the lower 48 states will be a huge challenge.

Also, we don’t know exactly how much oil and chemicals that might spill into the frigid Arctic waters will react to

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Ruined Long Term Shore Stability

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