oil spill BP

1. OIL SPILLSOIL SPILLS andand THEIR EFFECTS ONTHEIR EFFECTS ON
THE ENVIRONMENTTHE ENVIRONMENT
Instructor: Instr. Dr. Aysu Sagun Kentel
Prepared by: Taylan Çetinkaya

2. OutlineOutline
 Motivation
 Introduction
 Impact on the environment
 Clean-up Methods
 Exxon Valdez & Deepwater Horizon Oil Spills
 Conclusions
 References
 Recommended Reading

3. MotivationMotivation
 Recent Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (Deepwater Horizon or BP Oil Spill)
 Nature of the disasters: Man-made
 Size of the disasters
 Technology in offshore oil platforms
 Effects on natural balance

4. IntroductionIntroduction
Focus of the Project: Oil spills occurring in marine areas
Oil spill: Release of liquid petroleum products into
the rivers, seas or oceans by human related activities
Tanker accidents
Offshore oil platform accidents
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5. Introduction (cont.)Introduction (cont.)
 Tanker accidents: Running aground, collisions with other vessels, fires and
explosions on the ship
- Torrey Canyon spill (1967): 132.5 million liters of oil
- Amoco Cadiz spill (1978): 260 million liters
- Exxon Valdez spill (1989): 41.7 million liters
 Offshore oil platform accidents: Fires/explosions on the platform, leakage from
the wells located on the seafloor
- Ixtoc I spill (1979): 530 million liters
- Deepwater Horizon spill (2010): 780 million liters

6. ImpactImpact onon thethe EnvironmentEnvironment
 Natural Environment
 Short and long-term damages to the ecosystem
 Social Environment
 Suffering economy = suffering people
 Damage to the recreational areas
 Psychological effects
 Built Environment
 Loss of tankers & offshore oil platforms, fisheries

7. Impact on the Environment (cont.)Impact on the Environment (cont.)
 Natural Environment:
 Immediate death of species
 Long –term effects: Reduced reproduction, years of recovery
 Sea & soil pollution
 Disrupted natural balance
 Social Environment:
 Loss of jobs, decreased incomes
 Damage to recreational areas: Fishing, beaches, natural parks
 Sorrow and depression
 Built Environment:
 Loss of tankers and offshore platforms

8. Impact on the Environment (cont.)Impact on the Environment (cont.)
 Light oil: Remains on near surface, evaporates quickly, but highly lethal
 Medium & heavy oil: lower water columns, long-term damage
 Damage to habitat: Physical contact, ingestion, inhalation and absorption
 Plankton, algae, fish eggs, and the larvae of invertebrates: base of food chain
 Clogged blowholes of whales/dolphins: drowning
 Oiled skin/fur/feathers: loss of insulation; hypothermia
 Ingesting and inhaling oil: sudden death or internal organ damage
 Immune system suppression: vulnerability to other diseases
 !! Limited/impaired reproduction capability !!

9. Clean-up MethodsClean-up Methods
On the Water: On the Shores:
Boom Bioremediation
Burning Chemical Cleaning
Dispersants Hot Water & High Pressure
Skimming Manual Treatment
Mechanical Treatment
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content/uploads/2010/05/c130oil.jpg
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content/uploads/2010/10/iStock_000013436777XSmall.jpg

10. Clean-up MethodsClean-up Methods (cont.)(cont.)
 On the use of dispersants:
 To break off oil droplets from the slick to prevent re-coalesce
 Standard usage: Oil ratio of 1:20
 Reduces the risk of contact
 May remove natural oils on animal skins hypothermia
 More dangerous for some species than the spill itself
 Chemical may disrupt chemical balance of water
 Disperses oil further spreading of oil into lower water column

11. Exxon Valez Oil SpillExxon Valez Oil Spill
 Caused by stranded oil tanker, Exxon Valdez in March 24 1989 in Alaska
 41.7 million of 200.9 million liters of crude oil spilled
 Four people killed in cleanup efforts
 Nearly 2100 km of shoreline affected
 28000 km2
of ocean affected
 Two years of shoreline cleanup
 Logistical problems encountered
 Wide spreading due to storms
http://www.sea-way.org/blog/ExxonValdez1.JPG

12. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (cont.)Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (cont.)
Economical Impact:
Recreational Fishing, Tourism, Existence Value, Wildlife Replacement & Care Losses
Estimated total loss of the state and government: Over $5 billion
Animal replacement: Cost of $218 million in first week for only four mainly affected
species : otters, seals, sea birds, eagles
Ongoing effects
On the company Exxon: $4.3 billion for cleanup, resident compensation and fines

13. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (cont.)Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (cont.)
Environmental Impact:
2800 otters, 302 harbor seals, 250000 sea birds, 22 orcas, 247 eagles, billions of fish
killed
Reduced breeding in various species since the spill
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l_victim.jpeg

14. Deepwater Horizon Oil SpillDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill
 Known also as Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill or BP Oil Spill
 Caused by the leakage of Macondo well drilled by
Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig; April 20, 2010
 Rig exploded and sank
- Continuous leaking for 3 months
-780 million liters of oil spilled
-1070 km of Gulf Mexico coastline
contaminated, 180000 km2
of ocean
affected
-11 workers killed in the explosion
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06-methane-study-gulf.jpg/9301481-1-eng-US/0106-METHANE-study-
Gulf.JPG_full_600.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Deepwater_Horizon_offshore_drilling_unit
_on_fire_2010.jpg

15. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (cont.)Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (cont.)
Economical Impact:
Recreational and commercial fishing, tourism, existence value, wildlife replacement
& care losses: still not fully known
As of the end of 2010: Clean-up efforts costing about $40 billion
$5 billion paid by BP to claimants and nearly $20 billion to response efforts

16. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (cont.)Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (cont.)
Environmental Impact:
Reported deaths 3 months after the accident: 997 birds, 400 sea turtles, 47 sea
mammals
Corals, lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams, zooplankton, starfish and sand-dwelling
organisms: likely to be affected for decades
Wetland vegetation: habitat for many species; long-term damage
Too recent to assess long-term damage

17. ConclusionsConclusions
 Highest toxicity: Early in spill events Quick response
 Clean-up efforts may also be harmful
 Further developments on ship and oil platform designs
 Further research on clean-up chemicals
 Organized, trained response/clean-up personnel and volunteers
 Environmental education
 Corporates: Environment oriented rather than profit oriented

18. ReferencesReferences
 http://gcaptain.com/historys-10-most-famous-oil-spills/?808
 http://alaska.fws.gov/media/unalaska/Oil%20Spill%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
 http://library.thinkquest.org/10867/cleanup/methods/index.shtml
 http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/681_Chapter5.pdf
 http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill?topic=58075#gen2
 http://useconomy.about.com/od/suppl1/p/Exxon_Valdez_Oil_Spill_Economic_Impact.htm
 http://environment.about.com/od/petroleum/a/oil_spills_and_environment.htm
 http://www.oilspillcommission.gov/sites/default/files/documents/FinalReportIntro.pdf
 http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2010/10/19/f-bp-oil-spill-numbers.html
 http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle800.do?categoryId=9036575&contentId=7067541
 http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill?topic=50364#gen30
 http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/energy/dirty_energy_development/oil_and_gas/gulf_oil_spill/a
_deadly_toll.html

19. Recommended ReadingRecommended Reading
 Oil Spill Commission
http://www.oilspillcommission.gov
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
http://www.noaa.gov