Oil Spills

What is an Oil Spill? Release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon Due to human activity Form of pollution Refers to marine oil spill

Oil Spill Facts Takes months or years to clean up 14,000 spills occur each year Consume 400 million gallons of oil everyday Deepwater Horizon killed 33% of fish in the area

What affects do Oil Spills have on Animals? Seabirds Strongly affected Ways to die from Oil Spill Feathers are covered with oil Hard to fly and escape predators Cleaning themselves Blinding them Most die unless humans intervene

Continued Killer Whales Sea Otters Fur gets covered in oil which disrupts air bubbles Air bubbles for warmth Air bubbles to float Ways to die from Oil Spills Eat fish that swam in oil Plug the blowhole with oil and drown Becoming endangered Die from cold waters Placed in captivity for support

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Cause Wellhead blowout April 20, 2010 Killed 11 workers 205.8 million gallons Flowed for 3 months BP was responsible for the spill Largest marine oil spill in history In the Gulf Region Affected Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi beaches

Methods Of Cleaning Booms High or low pressure hoses to spray oil off beaches Sorbents Large sponges that collect oil Booms Collects oil off the water Controlled Burning Reduces amount of oil Skimmers Boats that removes the oil Controlled Burning

Ways of Preventing Oil Spills Navigation Coast Guard must know where the tankers can drive Inspect equipment more Double Hulling 2 layers of watertight hull surface Prevent/reduces oil spills Careful as possible when transporting Double Hull