Oil spill

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Volunteers cleaning up the aftermath of the Prestige oil spill

An oil spill (or slick) is the intentional or unintentional release of oil (generally, petroleum) into the natural environment as a result of human activity. The term often refers to marine oil spills where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters. Oil can refer to many different materials, including crude oil, refined petroleum products or by-products, oily refuse, oil mixed in waste, or oily ballast. Oil is also released into the environment from natural geologic seeps on the seafloor, as along the California coastline.

The fate, behavior, and environmental effects of spilled oil can vary depending upon the type and amount of material spilled. In general, lighter refined petroleum products such as diesel and gasoline are more likely to mix in the water column and are more toxic to marine life, but tend to evaporate relatively quickly and do not persist long in the environment. Heavier crude or fuel oil, while of less immediate toxicity, can remain on the water surface or stranded on the shoreline for much longer. Oil from the Exxon Valdez and Gulf War oil spills, while weathering over time, has persisted along the shoreline for years after the spill.

With vast numbers living and depending on coastal areas for fishing and tourism throughout the world the consequences are evermore frightening. Such possibilities have caused outcries for oil companies, ship owners, and shipbuilders to share the responsibility of preventing such a disaster.

While ships today are more equipped than ever before the risks are far greater due to the ever increasing number of ships. One step in preventing further oil disasters is through designing boats in a manner that will minimize the chances of a spill. This is being done as ships today are increasingly requiring double hulls due to environmental regulation. Another step in mitigating the possible effects of an oil spill is through being able to contain and effectively treat spilt oil. A new vital step being developed in preventing oil damage is through installations of systems made for Fast Oil Recovery (FOR) of oil from wrecked ships. New innovations for mitigating possible oil spill consequence have met, however, an uncompromising shipping industry which historically has shown only to comply environmentally when either required or economically beneficial.

1 Environmental effects
2 Worst pollution disasters
3 Largest oil spills
- 3.1 Other notable spills
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Environmental effects

Studies of the Exxon Valdez oil spill have shown that the environmental damage caused by oil spills can be greater than was previously thought. It is now thought that the impacts to marine life can be evident at less than one part per billion petroleum hydrocarbons. The lighter fractions of petroleum, such as benzene and toluene, are more toxic, but are more volatile and evaporate quickly. Heavier components of crude oil, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) appear to cause the most damage; while they are less toxic, they persist in the environment much longer than volatile components.

[edit] Worst pollution disasters

The worst pollution disaster in Europe to date was the 1991 sinking of 'The Haven', an oil tanker loaded with 144,000 tonnes of Cock oil and owned by Troodos Shipping a company owned by Stelios Haji-Ioannou (of easyJet fame). 5 people were killed and for the next 12 years the Meditteranean coast of Italy and France have been polluted especially around Genoa and St Tropez. Haji-Ioannou was prosecuted and charged with manslaughter and bribery.