Oil Spills

1
Oil Spills

• Jen Gollehon and
• Lindsey Poage

2
Introduction

• Increasing economic development has caused an
  increase in marine transportation of crude oils
  and offshore production.
• First major oil spills
• 1967, Torrey Canyon tanker grounded, releasing
  117,000 tons of oil
• 1969, blow-out of offshore platform Santa
  Barbara released 13,600 tons of oil
• Need for international legislation and control of
  transportation and offshore production
• Increase in research of marine environments, oil
  and its affects, methods of clean-up, and
  prevention.

3
Types of Oil

• Crude oils mixtures of hydrocarbons of varying
  molecular weights and structures
• Refined oils products of distillation of crude
  oil
• includes kerosene, diesel oil, jet fuel, and
  lubricating oils

4
Characteristics of Oils

• ? Affect the behaviour of oil on water and thus
  efficiency of clean up
• ? Will vary depending on environmental
  conditions
• Specific gravity
• Surface Tension
• Viscosity
• Flash Point
• Solubility

5
Behaviour of Oil

• Spreading and drifting of oil caused by waves
• Evaporation
• Dissolution
• Dispersion of oil droplets
• Photochemical oxidation
• Microbial degradation
• Absorption onto suspended particulate matter
• Ingestion by organisms
• Sinking and sedimentation

6
Input of Oil into Marine Environment (estimated
million tons per year)
7
Significant Spill Causes
Engine Troubles
Weather
Fire Explosion
Oil Transfer
Groundings
Contacts
Collisions
8
Levels of Biological Effects

• Human hazards through eating contaminated seafood
• decrease of fisheries resources and damage to
  wildlife
• decrease of aesthetic values due to unsightly
  slicks and oiled beaches
• modification of marine ecosystems by elimination
  of certain species with an initial decrease in
  diversity and productivity
• modification of habitats, delaying or preventing
  recolonisation

9
Affects on Marine Environments

• Fish and Crustaceans
• may have oily odor or flavor, becoming unfit for
  human consumption
• hydrocarbons accumulate in muscle tissue
• formation of tumors
• resistant and opportunistic species increase
• Mammals
• oil adheres to fur, affecting swimming ability
  and blocks body orifices, loss of body temp.
• irritates skin and sensitive membranes
• ingestion and inhalation of oil

10

• Sea Birds
• water proofing and insulation of plumage is
  destroyed
• inability to fly and/or float in water
• difficulty obtaining food and escaping predators
• irritation of eyes
• susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections
• Coral Reefs
• death of fish and invertebrates including
  lobsters, crabs, gastropods, bivalves, octopus,
  sea urchins, sea stars, and sea cucumbers.
• Becomes barren of sessile invertebrates and algae
• Shore
• beaches are covered in an oil slime
• oil is buried in the sedimentation of the beach
• amount of oil on the shore depends on the wave
  actions

11
Chemical Response

• Natural Cleansing
• Biodegradation
• Enhanced Biodegradation
• Chemical Barriers
• Sinking Agents
• Sorbents
• Chemical Dispersants
• Burning

12
Mechanical Response

• Mechanical containment only work when oil is
  floating on the water surface
• Booms
• Pneumatic Barriers
• Trawling
• High Pressure Water Jets
• Hydraulic Dispersion

13
Clean-Up

• In Water
• Weir Skimmer
• Sorbent Surface Skimmers
• Suction Devices
• Centrifugal Devices
• Submersion Devices

• On Shore
• Sand Removal
• Manual Clean-up
• Sea Water Flushing
• Sieving Sand