Oil Spills in the Oceans
Ocean waters covered with a thick layer of oil as far as the eye can see. Dead fish washing up onto beaches. Seagulls’ feathers covered with oil. Those are just several of the affects seen as a direct result to oil spills in the oceans. Even though there are many more, those are the ones most seen by people around the world. Everyone knows of the recent BP oil spill. However is everyone aware of the affects it has on our oceans? How about the ecosystems in the oceans? What if there was a way to ensure that oil spills due to tapping and drilling oil could be reduced? Would anyone want to make that change? Our government as well as other governments around the world would need to promote stricter regulations on oil companies to achieve that goal.
To drill for oil offshore merely means to use an “offshore drilling rig” to tap into the oceans floor and get oil. However as simple it may be countless numbers of oil spills happen each year. Each time a spill happens “only 5-15% can be cleaned up. In addition, 97% of all the spills that occur, many [that] are under 1,000 barrels. It is not required for these spills to be reported in the federal Oil Spill Risk Analysis, because their size is considered ‘small’” (Donatoni).
Therefore, I believe to save our oceans and their ecosystems all governments allowing offshore drilling in our oceans need to enforce stricter the regulations placed on oil companies. This will cause a “trickle down” effect with time and slowly un-do the damage already caused due to oil spills.
When it comes to the actual oil companies doing the drilling it’s said that “hubris, recklessness, and arrogance” (Romm) are underlying causes of oil spills. Although the machines or malfunctions can cause the spills, most of the “malfunctions” are a direct result of oil companies being arrogant. However there are regulations set on these companies, but obviously they’re not being fulfilled or being monitored by anyone. Of course the companies will claim that they monitor their equipment; however as evidence has come to show, big time oil companies aren’t always truthful. Think back to the BP oil spill. Halliburton officials had conducted three laboratory tests that indicated that the cement mixture did not meet industry standards. It was the same cement that helped contribute to the biggest oil spill in American history. It was even said that the “data strongly suggest that the foam cement used at Macondo was unstable” (Broder). However in all of the warning BP still continued to put “money over safety” until the day of the spill. That’s just flat out negligence and recklessness. How can anyone sit aside and let these oil companies put our oceans at risk just so they can make money? A better question being: why do our governments let these companies continue to put money over safety?
On the other hand some may argue that oil is a necessity for everyday activities. It may appear that way. Oil is in everything ranging from crayons to deodorant to shopping bags and finally to the oil we put in our cars. It seems to have a growing popularity and people are right, we do need it, as of right now. Just think, without it we wouldn’t have vehicles. Our businesses would slowly erode away. On the contrary, things aren’t always how they seem. As George W. Bush stated, “we are addicted to oil”. To have any sort of addiction the consumer must have consumed too much of this “product”. The United States public has done just that; “the US has less than 5 percent of the World’s total [oil] population- consumes about 25% of the world’s total supply of oil” (Natural Resources Defense Council). Until an alternate source is found oil consumption will continue. However until that day we need to protect our environment from our actions. Truthfully it’s aggravating that with all the technology available around the world no one can find an alternate source to oil. It’s taken decades to find an alternate to gas, and well it may be decades away from being put into action. Come on people, why would anyone wish to sit aside while new technology is awaiting? Isn’t that what scientists strive for, a new challenge? Finding an alternate to oil should be their biggest challenge. However, no one that I’ve heard of is even trying to find one.
Furthermore are the effects of oil spills on oceans. When an oil spill occurs most of the oil spreads on top of the sea waters due to the density of oil being less than the salt water. “Waves, water currents, and wind force the oil slick to drift over large areas, impacting the open ocean, coastal areas, and marine and terrestrial habitats in the path of the drift” (JRank). After some time oil remaining after a cleanup will conjoin to form small “tar balls”. While the waves, water currents and wind force spread the oil they can also help transport the oil. If the oil is to reach the seashore it could cause “contamination” among the “beach sand and gravel, rocks and boulders, vegetation, and terrestrial habitats of both wildlife and humans” (JRank). If the seashores are contaminated it’s hard to say whether they will be able to be protected from all “contamination” or not. However the destruction the oil spill can cause on a shoreline or ocean is determined by the actual size of the spill, how sensitive the habitats and wildlife are and the seasonal and climatic conditions. When it comes to the weather it’s said that it could either accelerate or delay how some oils “evaporate, disperse, emulsify, weather, and decompose” (JRank). Every oil spill has its own unique properties and due to that some take more time to decay than others.
Although oil spills that encounter vegetation has the potential to kill the plant entirely or stop it from germinating, there are rare occasions on which it has been said that some species actually become more abundant to counter the damage that has been done. Even if an oil spill can help make some vegetation species “abundant” what about the plants that are completely killed? It’s like people are trying to cover up the destruction of a whole species of vegetation by a rare case of some becoming more “abundant”. It would be nice to know what the actual truth is and what are just lies. Governments and oil companies seem to have found a way to interweave the two. After all that the oil spills can do to vegetation the “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that most sea vegetation appears to recover over time” (Miller).
However even if vegetation isn’t completely affected by oil spills the fisheries and other animals that come in contact with the oil aren’t always so lucky. Fish that come in contact with oil usually get oil in their gill’s causing them to suffocate and die. Sometimes their eggs’ are even attacked by the oil and killed as well. Some effects of oil can range from “reduced growth, altered heart and breathing rates, enlarged livers, erosion to their fins and reproductive problems” (Miller). The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) states that “seabirds are harmed and killed more often than other creatures because they frequently come in contact with the oil at the surface after a spill” (Thompson). The oil can get entangled in the feathers of the seabirds feathers’ and cause them to lose buoyancy and have trouble flying causing seabirds to fall out of flight and into the ocean only to drown. Oil effects other sea mammals as well because the oil can contaminate the fur and mammals “can no longer regulate their body temperature” causing them to often die of hypothermia (Thompson). Another way the oil harms the animals happens when the animals try to clean themselves and actually ingest oil. Ingestion of oil “can kill them quickly or can cause them to become very ill (with lung, kidney and liver damage) and die slowly” (Miller). Although there are other effects of oil these are the most common. This just leaves me in shock, how can any government or oil company allow any such process that causes such death and destruction? There needs to be change made immediately. It’s just sad to read about all of the fish and sea mammals dying each year from oil related causes.
How could the habitat be affected as a whole? Reviewing the facts will help answer that. Examining the food change first; plants that are affected by oil and die cause a loss of food for small fisheries and even a home to some. The small fish will then lose their home or food supply and then those that aren’t directed affected by the oil will die as a result. Larger fish will lose food as well as encounter health problems and even have their gills’ contaminated by oil. As a result they could die. This trend would proceed throughout all wildlife involved in oceanic habitats. Therefore, oil spill affects the food chain mainly, whether it is due to direct fish or plant contact to the oil or to loss of food. Oil spills can be very disastrous to oceanic habitats and its said that “a spill may appear to clear up after a bit of time, but some spills cause oil to remain in sediment for more than 30 years” (Miller).
After the unthinkable happens, how can people stand up and help clean our oceans? Once again, the techniques used to clean up an oil spill can “depend on oil characteristics and the type of environment involved” (JRank). The most common ways to clean the waters is to skim or filter the oil out into smaller droplets. After the oil is formed into smaller oil droplets scientists usually try and let Mother Nature do the rest to break it down. Although there may be a large amount of oil droplets it’s easier to disperse the ruminants. They aren’t all one big spill anymore its individual oil droplets and can be broken up and washed away easier. It’s even hinted that smaller oil droplets aren’t as dangerous to ocean wildlife and vegetation, however it’s still a hazard but it’s better than nothing. When it comes to oil cleanup on the shores there are several ways to clean them up. The usual ways being chemicals to breakdown the oil but more interesting is the use of microorganisms. It’s is nice to actually see that companies do try to clean up what they can, if only they followed their regulations set by governments it could possibly be prevented.
All in all, when it comes down to an oil spill in the ocean majority of the time it could have been prevented. Also, no matter how hard the oil companies try to point the finger at someone or something else it’s usually their fault. These companies have a set of regulations they must meet before drilling for oil and they aren’t living up to them. However, no matter how much it’s their fault our governments should have some blame placed on them as well. Due mainly to the fact that well, they were the ones who placed the regulations on oil companies and it’s their responsibility to ensure that those regulations are met. How can anyone, especially any form of government sit by and watch as countless numbers of fish and other oceanic wildlife be destroyed? The truth of the matter is no one knows. On the other hand, we know from the BP oil spill that oil companies usually put their profit before safety. If it wasn’t that way then something would have been done about the cement formation before it was too late. Even after all that has been done to our oceans in the process of securing oil it still has a growing popularity and is found in practically everything. That is until our scientists decide to find an alternate to oil, which could be decades at the least. If you want to see a stop to our ocean waters being covered with a thick layer of oil as far as the eye can see. Dead fish washing up onto beaches. Seagulls’ feathers covered with oil. Then ask yourself, what can I do to make a difference? Even with your help however there needs to be on major change. Our governments need to enforce stricter the regulations on oil companies around the world. On top of this the government need to ensure they are being fulfilled and if they aren’t then disciplinary actions should be taken. Are you ready for a change?
Works Cited
Broder, John. "Panel Says Firms Knew of Cement Flaws Before Spill."
Http://www.nytimes.com. 28 Oct. 2010. Web.
Donatoni, Matthew. "Offshore Drilling." Www.cseserv.engr.scu.edu. Web.
Miller, Christa. "What Are the Dangers of Oil Spills in the Ocean?" Www.ehow.com. Web.
JRank. "Oil Spills: Impact on the Ocean." Www.waterencyclopedia.com. Web.
Natural Resources Defense Council. "Reducing U.S. Oil Dependence." 3 Oct. 2001. Web.
Romm, Joseph. "The Three Causes of BP's Oil Disaster." Www.salon.com. 10 May 2010. Web.
Thompson, Jeff. "How Oil Spills Affect the Ocean." Www.ehow.com. Web.
