This document discusses oil spills and their effects on the environment. It provides background on major oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon incidents. Oil spills can have devastating short and long-term impacts on ecosystems by killing wildlife, damaging habitats, and disrupting the food chain. They also harm the economy through lost industries like fishing and tourism. The document outlines different cleanup methods and their drawbacks. While response efforts have improved, more needs to be done to prevent spills and minimize environmental damage through better regulations and preparedness.

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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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
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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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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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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