What was the BP Oil Spill?
The Gulf of Mexico Spill which is also known as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill or the BP Oil spill is one of the largest known oil spills. The marine oil spill happened on the 20th of April 2010. The explosion that happened right on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig is the one that triggered this huge oil spill. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig is situated in the Gulf of Mexico about 41 miles off the Louisiana coast. x
The sinking of the entire oil rig happened on the 22nd of April. Several efforts are being made for cleaning oil spills and this article discusses these important efforts that are being made right now.
Details About The Deep Horizon Oil Spill
It is known that human activities have led to the triggering of so many different environmental problems these days. Well, the cleaning of the oil spills could be one of the main focuses of mankind in order to ensure that the environment doesn’t have to go through more problems again and again.
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According to the sources, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig was owned by a particular drilling company that worked offshore. It was also leased by an oil company known as BP Oil. The rig was placed over an oil well that was situated about 4993 feet below the surface level and above the seabed. The extension of the oil well was about 18000 feet in total. On April 20th, there was a blast of natural gas that occurred along with the entire concrete core which had recently been installed by the contractors.
Once the gas was released from the core fracture, it then traveled right up to the riser of the Deepwater Horizon Rig and then made its way to the main platform. Once there, it ignited and ended up killing about 11 workers on the spot and injuring 17 more. The entire rig then capsized and then sank eventually on April 22nd. The riser was completely ruptured through which the drilling mud was injected in order to make sure that the upward pressure of natural gas and oil can be counteracted. However, since there was no force to oppose the spilling of the oil, it began to discharge rapidly into the gulf. The entire volume of the oil that was escaping the rig was estimated to be about 1000 barrels per day. However, with further investigation, it came to be known that the estimate was much higher, up to about 60,000 barrels per day. Hence, there were some deepwater horizon oil spill solutions used in order to clean the oils.
Efforts Made For Cleaning Oil Spills
The petroleum that was leaking from the entire oil well before the sealing occurred then formed a particular type of slick that then extended over an area of 57,500 square miles of the entire Gulf of Mexico. In order to make sure that the oil spill clean up happened in the best way, about 1.8 million gallons filled with dispersants were thrown into the water. These are the substances that would help in the emulsification of oil. This would also allow the bacteria to metabolize in an easier manner.
These bacteria were then pumped directly into the entire leak and also applied aerially into the entire slick that was formed. There were also some booms deployed to the corral sections of the entire slick. The remaining oil was then siphoned off to some other location and then burned off. In the month of May, it was seen that the oil started to contaminate Louisiana. Hence, it was removed manually. However, the estuaries and marshes situated in the state were also contaminated and the oil was more difficult to remove from there because of the topography. The National Response Team then coordinated various different types of cleanup efforts in order to clean out the remaining oil. This particular team was assimilated by the U.S. Coast Guard as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. The companies associated with the oil rig were held liable in the case of the oil spill settlement.
Impact And Aftermath
The economic prospects after the BP oil spill in the states that centered around the Gulf Coast were really bad. The spill has a negative impact on the different industries. Most of the residents of these states depended on these industries to provide them with resources and employment as well. About a third of the waters in the federal states were actually closed and people weren’t allowed to go fishing as well in order to minimize the contamination as well. After a lot of efforts had been made for cleaning oil spills to this extent, there were some solutions made, however, at the cost of the funds of the state.
FAQs on Cleanup Efforts
1. What are environmental cleanup efforts?
Environmental cleanup efforts are organised actions taken to remove pollutants and contaminants from the environment, including water, soil, and air. The goal is to restore the affected area to its natural state or to mitigate the harm caused by pollution. These efforts can range from large-scale disaster responses, like cleaning up oil spills, to small-scale community initiatives, such as local river or park cleanups.
2. What was the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and why is it a key example of cleanup efforts?
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was a major environmental disaster in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. It started with an explosion on an oil rig, leading to the largest marine oil spill in history. It serves as a key example because it required a massive, multi-faceted cleanup operation involving new technologies and methods to combat the extensive damage to marine and coastal ecosystems, highlighting the immense challenges of such environmental restoration.
3. What are the common methods used to clean up major oil spills in the ocean?
Several methods are used to manage and clean up large-scale oil spills, often in combination. The main techniques include:
- Booms and Skimmers: Floating physical barriers called booms are used to contain the oil, and skimmers then collect the contained oil from the water's surface.
- Dispersants: These are chemicals sprayed onto an oil slick to break it down into smaller droplets, allowing them to be dispersed more easily by ocean currents.
- In-situ Burning: This involves the controlled burning of freshly spilled oil while it is floating on the water's surface.
- Bioremediation: This method uses microorganisms like bacteria to naturally break down the oil components into less harmful substances.
4. What is the importance of community cleanup drives for the local environment?
Community cleanup drives are vital for maintaining local environmental health and raising public awareness. Their importance lies in:
- Immediate Impact: They directly remove litter and waste from public spaces like parks, beaches, and rivers, preventing pollution.
- Protecting Wildlife: Removing plastic and other harmful debris protects local animals from injury and ingestion.
- Building Awareness: They educate participants about the effects of pollution and promote responsible waste disposal habits.
- Fostering Community Spirit: These events bring people together for a positive cause, strengthening community bonds.
5. How can a student contribute to cleanup efforts in their own community?
Students can make a significant impact on local cleanup efforts through simple, proactive steps. They can start by organising or joining a school cleanup club to tidy up the school grounds and nearby areas. Participating in local community cleanup events for parks or rivers is another great option. On a daily basis, simply practising the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), avoiding single-use plastics, and educating family and friends about the importance of not littering are powerful contributions.
6. Why are some cleanup methods, like using chemical dispersants for oil spills, considered controversial?
The use of chemical dispersants is controversial because while they help break up a visible oil slick on the surface, they do not eliminate the oil. Instead, they create smaller droplets that sink into the water column. This can be toxic to marine life, such as fish larvae and coral reefs, that live below the surface. Critics argue that this method merely moves the problem from the surface to the deeper ocean, where its long-term ecological effects are harder to track and potentially more damaging.
7. What is the difference between cleanup efforts for plastic pollution versus oil spills?
The primary difference lies in the pollutant's physical state and distribution. Oil spills are liquid disasters, often from a single source, allowing for methods like containment, skimming, or chemical dispersion. In contrast, plastic pollution involves solid, persistent debris scattered across vast areas, from large 'ghost nets' to tiny microplastics. Its cleanup requires physical removal using nets and interception devices, focusing on long-term collection rather than the rapid breakdown targeted in oil spill responses.
8. Beyond the immediate visual mess, what are the long-term ecological consequences of a disaster even after cleanup?
Even after extensive cleanup, major environmental disasters have profound, long-term consequences. Residual pollutants, such as trace amounts of oil or microplastics, can remain in the ecosystem for decades. These toxins can enter the food chain, leading to health issues and reduced reproductive rates in wildlife. Critically, habitats like coral reefs, mangroves, and marshes may take many years or even centuries to recover their original biodiversity and function, if they recover at all.
