Oil Spill:

Causes, Effects, and Countermeasures

Submitted by:
Adrian Jose M. Dalisay
12 – Archimedes

Submitted to:
Mrs. Rosahle S. Pagadora

October 27,2018
Science
Oil, with its many uses and advantages, is continuously being produced and transported
throughout and the world and distributed to many companies. While Earth has abundant reserves
of oil deep down its ground, these can still be scarce due to high demands, and being found in
deep places means that cracks can develop from the mining and digging, resulting in oil spills.
These incidents can also develop due to different factors and scenarios. Oil spill can be
generated from faulty oil tankers. Tankers can sometimes get stuck on uneven lands and get
damaged from the impact. It can also root from failure of machineries and human error. These
acts will release huge amount of unwanted oil into the bodies of water and in land areas,
resulting in polluted water and marine resources which affects the livelihood of the surrounding
community. These damages can take a long time to clean up and be permanent.
Oil spills can also have an effect to human health. People who come in contact with
spilled oil, either by breathing air contaminated with oil or by direct contact with the skin, will
experience discomfort such as headache and dizziness, irritations in the eyes, skin, and others. It
can also affect people indirectly, by drinking contaminated water and eating contaminated food,
which may result in stomach ache and other symptoms.
Also, having oil spill will have a significant effect to the environment. Polluted waters
will definitely affect fishermen in the surrounding community as the amount and safety of
consuming fishes from the area will be questioned, losing their livelihood for financial means.
Due to the numerous incidents of oil spill throughout the world, different prevention and
clean-up techniques have been used by the officials to respond to these situations. Clean-up of oil
spills includes removal of the spilled oil and filtered. Then, it is dispersed into small droplets to
prevent further damage to the surrounding habitats, biodegradation, and weathering processes.
Although, these countermeasures can be effective, the effects are not removed completely.
The Philippines is no exception to these incidents as well. With the country being
composed of small islands, large bodies of water are susceptible to oil spill. One incident is in
October of 2017, where a leak from a weared-out pipe spilled oil on the shoreline of the Sangali
port area in Zamboanga City. The said pipe that caused the spillage was stated to have not been
replaced for about 20 years. The pipeline is used to transfer bunker fuel from the cargo vessel
straight to the storage area. Although the leak was immediately fixed, some oil have already been
spilled and might have caused negative effects to the area.

(Source: ABS-CBN News)

 Another incident was in February of 2016, where about 100 liters of bunker oil fuel were
spilled into the Batangas Bay. Chevron Philippines stated that bunker fuel was accidentally
released during unloading operations from the depot to the motor tanker. To reduce the effects,
Chevron laid out a 200-meter oil spill boom and absorbent pads to absorb and contain the spilled
oil together with the Philippine Coast Guard.

(Source: Cleanupoil.com)

Technology

Date/Location of Technologies Used Other Suggestions for

the Oil Spill
October 14, 2017 Rice Stalks and
Dish-washing Liquid
February 2, 2016 Oil Spill Booms and
Absorbent Pads
Solving This Problem
Utilizing Bacteria to Eat Up
Oil
Using Mushroom and Hair
Mats

Although the countermeasures performed by the authorities and the companies

responsible for the oil spill incidents are helpful, there are still other ways to clean-up spilled oil
more efficiently and effectively.
The first suggested way is by utilizing bacteria. It makes use of the process of
Bioremediation, which is the use of naturally present microorganisms to clean-up and absorb
spilled oil. Sulfate or Nitrate fertilizers are added to multiply the population of the
microorganisms, speeding the process.
Mushrooms and hair, when combined, can be used to produce mats which are effective to
be used in absorbing oil on water. Other ways include the use of peat moss. Peat moss can be
scattered on the spill, and since it is very absorbent, they can soak up the spilled oil very quickly.

Engineering
 Scientists have also studied and experimented different ways that can be performed to
solve oil spills. One example is Catherine Drennan, a chemistry and biology professor. She
viewed microbes as practical countermeasure to oil spills. Together with Michael Funk, they test
the ability of microbes to break down hydrocarbons while metabolizing them for their own
growth and survival. Since one of crude oil’s components are hydrocarbons, microbes could be
helpful and effective in cleaning-up oil spills as they will continue the process as long as
microbes have hydrocarbons to be used for their metabolism process.
Drennan and Funk’s experiment with microbes’ use in solving oil spills is still far from
over. But, having known the possibility of new ways and procedures to perform during an
incident of oil spill is a good sign for the environment and the communities that can be affected
during the event of an oil spill.
Mathematics
The Philippines, with its large area of water, is a common ground for oil spills. According
to the database of ITOPF (International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited), the
number of large oil spills has decreased over the last few decades. In the period of 2010-2017, 53
incidents of oil spills of 7 tonnes and over have been recorded, resulting in 47,000 tonnes of oil
spilled and with 80% of this spilt in 10 incidents.

(Source: Itopf.org)
The image shows the chart of the incidents of oil spills recorded from 1970 until 2017.

References:
Aguilon, E. (2016, February 3). Retrieved from: https://radyo.inquirer.net/23163/chevron-
kinumpirma-ang-oil-leak-sa-kanilang-terminal-sa-batangas
Cinco, M. (2018, March 12). Retrieved from: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/974544/coast-guard-
stops-oil-spill-from-stranded-ship-in-batangas
Conserve Energy Future. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/various-causes-of-oil-spill.php
Environmental Pollution Centers. (n.d.). Retrieved from:
https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/oil-spill/humans/
International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited. (n.d.). Retrieved from:
https://www.itopf.org/knowledge-resources/data-statistics/statistics/
Macairan, E. (2016, February 3). Retrieved from:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/02/03/1549513/coast-guard-contains-batangas-oil-spill
McCaffrey, F. (2015, October 19). Retrieved from: http://news.mit.edu/2015/using-microbes-
clean-oil-spills
Rosaldo, R. (2017, October 14). Retrieved from: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/14/17/oil-
spill-spotted-in-zamboanga-city
West, L. (2018, August 13). Retrieved from: https://www.thoughtco.com/environmental-
consequences-of-oil-spills-1204088
Yoneda, Y. (2010, May 5). Retrieved from: https://inhabitat.com/top-5-green-ways-to-clean-up-
oil-spills/