What Exactly Is An Oil Spill

Caleb Dowdy
6/8/2010
What exactly is an “Oil Spill” and how does that affect the environment? An oil
spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment due to human
activity. This term oil spill often refers to marine oil spills where crude oil, refined
petroleum products (such as gasoline or diesel fuel), or by-products, are released into the
Ocean or Coastal waters. Oil spills have a dramatic effect on the marine environment. A
number of questions come to mind when looking at the recent BP oil spill or any oil spill
for that matter. Why is oil so important, what caused this oil spill, what is going to
happen to the environment now that the oil is in the water, and what is being done about
the oil spill?
Why is Oil so important? The answer is not that simple; today’s society has been
built on and revolves around oil. Oil is used to make plastic goods; oil is used to fuel the
vehicles that transport the plastic goods all over the nation. Fluctuating oil prices and a
strong dependence on imported sources create economic vulnerabilities. “U.S. oil use
accounts for 25% (2003) of the world’s oil consumption and about 40% (2003) of total
U.S. energy use. The nation uses (2003) about 20.1 million barrels of oil per day (mb/d),
of which about 13.2 mb/d is used for transportation, including about 5.0 mb/d for cars
and 3.7 mb/d for light trucks (includes pickups, minivans, and sport utility vehicles).”
(Sissine 5)
What caused this Oil spill? “The explosion and fire occurred after personnel
responsible for the startup greatly overfilled the raffinate splitter tower and overheated its
Caleb Dowdy
6/8/2010
contents, which resulted in over pressuring of its relief valves. Liquid was pumped into
the tower for almost three hours without any liquid being removed or any action taken to
achieve the lower liquid level mandated by the startup procedure. The liquid level in the
tower just prior to the loss of containment was at least 20 times higher than it should have
been. Activation of the automatic liquid level control, as mandated in the startup
procedure, would have prevented this occurring. A decision late in the start up to begin
removing liquid from the tower exacerbated the incident. Rapid heat exchange between
the over heated liquid being removed from the bottom of the tower and the liquid feed
continuing to flow into the tower (the two streams pass through a heat exchanger) caused
significant vapor generation as the feed entered the tower. Vaporization of the liquid feed
low in the tower pushed liquid up the tower and out of the unit, over pressuring the relief
valves and ultimately overwhelming the adjacent blow down unit. The source of ignition
is not known.” (Chappell 1)
What is going to happen now that the oil is in the water? Taking a look at the Gulf
of Kachchh in India can give a valuable insight to the effect of an oil spill on an
environment surprisingly similar to coastal environments in Florida. “The Gulf of
Kachchh, a biologically rich ecosystem composed of Mudflats, submergible shoals,
islands, sandy beaches, rocky shores, coral reefs, and mangroves, is located along the
northwest coast of India.”(Kankara 1) “Mangroves are very sensitive to Oil. Recovery
of mangroves affected by coating or depositions of oil may take many years.”(Kankara 5)

Caleb Dowdy
6/8/2010
With an ecosystem similar to the Gulf of Kachchh the connection can be made that
Florida’s marine environments are quite vulnerable to an oil spill contamination. Coral
reefs, marine animals, and birds can all be endangered when they come into contact with
Marine debris of any sort. (Ramseur 2) With oil gushing into the marine environment at
such an alarming rate marine life is inevitably put in harm’s way. Oil is especially
dangerous to fish as they ingest the oil through their gills and accumulates in the filtration
organs. These contaminated fish cause problems for scavenging marine life. (Mattson 1)
“The risk of crude oil exposure to the early life stages of fish is difficult to assess,” says
Colin Winston. (Khan 1) Starvation, poisoning, drowning, can all happen to a bird
caught in the oil spill. The bird’s feathers can be damaged by the oil hampering the
bird’s ability to fly breaking down the natural waterproofing and insulation. Whales,
dolphin, seals, and sea otters, are severely affected by the oil. Dolphins must surface
through an oil slick to breathe and as a result ingest oil into their lungs. (Mattson 1)
Three times the usual number of sea turtles have washed ashore dead in the month of
May 2010. Out of these dead turtles most were Kemp’s ridley juveniles. Kemp’s ridley
is the rarest of all the sea turtles. (Staff 2) Another large portion of the Gulf of Mexico
was closed for fishing Tuesday, May 18, 2010 fearful that oil from the deepwater horizon
disaster had already entered the loop current. (Staff 1) “If the oil has entered the gulf’s
loop current it could show up as tar balls in the Florida Keys in eight to 10 days.” Says
the staff and wire report writers at the St. Petersburg Times. (Staff 1) The ecosystem
isn’t the only thing at risk with the oil spill; some analysts say we need to be worried
about the economic repercussions following the oil spill. The economy is in just as much
Caleb Dowdy
6/8/2010
danger as the wildlife as a result of the oil spill. The spill could simulate a double dip to
the economy in a state already struggling to recover from one of the country’s worst
recessions. Due to the Florida Panhandle’s heavy reliance on tourism and sales tax from
this region the oil spill may have a profound effect if it reaches coastal communities.
(Staff 2) This spells bad news for Florida economically and environmentally.
What is being done about the oil spill? Not enough is the answer. BP is working
to remedy the problem with little to no success. BP claims it collects about 84,000
gallons of oil a day from the blown-out well. The oil is collected with a mile long tube
up to a ship on the surface. BP Warned that increasing the flow through the tube would
be difficult. BP planned to plug the well and stop the flow by pumping heavy mud into
the shaft. (Staff 2) The coast guard plays a huge role in oil spills. Spill
prevention/preparedness, spill response and cleanup are the USCG responsibilities. The
Coast Guard has the Ultimate authority to ensure that a spill is effectively removed. The
United States Coast Guard has a specific set of environmental and educational activities.
One of the duties the (USCG) is in charge of is maritime oil spill preventions; this
includes the inspection of US and foreign-flagged ships to ensure they are in compliance
with U.S. laws. The Environmental Activities of the (USCG) are maritime oil spill
prevention, marine debris, and pollution response preparedness. Protection of living
marine resources and fisheries falls in this category. “Protecting the marine environment
from accidental oil and chemical spills is an important mission of the Coast Guard.”
(Ramseur 1) “To ensure that responsible parties can be held accountable for cleanup
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6/8/2010
costs and damages in the event of an oil spill (there by preserving the oil spill), OPA
requires that vessels show evidence of financial responsibility, such as insurance.”
(Ramseur 2)
Works Cited
Ramseur, Jonathan L. "Environmental activities of the U.S. Coast Guard." Congressional

Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs. Congressional Research Service
(CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, 2009. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 May 2010.
Document URL
http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-
Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=AONE&docId=A206393620&so
urce=gale&userGroupName=lincclin_spjc&version=1.0
Sissine, Fred. "Energy efficiency: budget, oil conservation, and electricity conservation
issues." Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, 2006. Academic
OneFile. Web. 24 May 2010.
Document URL
Caleb Dowdy
6/8/2010
Kankara, R.S., and B.R. Subramanian. "Oil spill sensitivity analysis and risk assessment
for Gulf of Kachchh, India, using integrated modeling." Journal of Coastal Research
23.5 (2007): 1251+. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 May 2010.
Document URL
Khan, Colin Winston. "Identification of compounds in crude oil that are chronically toxic
to the early life stages of fish." Zebrafish 5.3 (2008): 230. Academic OneFile. Web.
24 May 2010.
Document URL
Mattson, Gini. "MARPOL 73/78 and Annex I: an assessment of its effectiveness."

Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy 9.2 (2006): 175+. Academic OneFile.
Web. 24 May 2010.
Document URL
Staff. "Oil May Crush Recovery." St. Petersburg Times [St. Petersburg] 19 May 2010,
National sec.: A1+. Print.
"Gulf of Mexico Response." BP Global | BP. Web. 08 June 2010.

<http://www.bp.com/bodycopyarticle.do?categoryId=1&contentId=7052055>.
Caleb Dowdy
6/8/2010

What Exactly Is An Oil Spill

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Caleb Dowdy

the oil spill?

is not known.” (Chappell 1)

environment surprisingly similar to coastal environments in Florida. “The Gulf of

Kachchh, a biologically rich ecosystem composed of Mudflats, submergible shoals,

northwest coast of India.”(Kankara 1) “Mangroves are very sensitive to Oil. Recovery

of mangroves affected by coating or depositions of oil may take many years.”(Kankara 5)

prevention, marine debris, and pollution response preparedness. Protection of living

requires that vessels show evidence of financial responsibility, such as insurance.”

Ramseur, Jonathan L. "Environmental activities of the U.S. Coast Guard." Congressional

Mattson, Gini. "MARPOL 73/78 and Annex I: an assessment of its effectiveness."

"Gulf of Mexico Response." BP Global | BP. Web. 08 June 2010.

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