Oil Spills Revisited

Science

Oil Spills Revisited

Published July 6, 2010 Submitted by: Sharla

An oil spill is the accidental petroleum release into the environment. On land, oil spills are usually localized and thus their impact can be eliminated relatively easily. In contrast, marine oil spills may result in oil pollution over large areas and present serious environmental hazards. The primary source of accidental oil input into seas is associated with oil transportation by tankers and pipelines (about 70%), whereas the contribution of offshore drilling and production activities is minimal (less than 1%). Large and catastrophic spills releasing more than 30,000 tons of oil are relatively rare events and their frequency in recent decades has decreased perceptibly. Yet, such episodes, like the current one in the Gulf of Mexico, have the potential to cause the most serious ecological risk, primarily for sea birds and mammals. They result in long-term environmental disturbances and economic impact on coastal activities, especially on fisheries and mariculture.

You can keep track of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill by visiting the Deepwater Horizon Response website or becoming a fan of their Facebook page or Twitter account. You can learn more about oil spills and the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) response to the incident by clicking here. The EPA also provides information on what you can do if you are compelled to help the affected region.

There are a few sites that provide one-stop shopping for articles, websites, case studies, videos, and much more about the oil spill. One such site is the Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources (GREENR) portal page. The Gulf Oil Spill Information Center was created by the University of South Florida to provide impartial, up-to-date, high-quality information about the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill, its historical context, and cleanup efforts.

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