The Effects of Oil Spills

Effects of spills in the Ocean

In addition to the scenic degradation of oil-fouled coastlines and the economic losses borne by fishing, tourist and other industries dependent on the health of coastal waters, a major effect of oil spills is the mass killing of wildlife. Petroleum dissolves the protective waxes and oils the feathers of the waterfowl, and oil-coated birds die, primarily from freezing. Fur-bearing ocean mammals such as otter suffer the same fate. Clams, oysters, and crustaceans ingest oil-impregnated shellfish beds must therefore be closed for a number of years following an oil spill. Where a spill occurs in a confined area, in regions where fish spawn, or on fish-migration routes, major fish kills will occur and, in some instances fisheries will be wiped out.

The long terms effect of oil spill is equally devastating. The soluble fraction of the spilled oil may spread over vast areas, and toxic components may create chronic ecological damage, either by inhibiting reproduction or by causing genetic changes. A study of oil spills effects in Caribbean found that coral organism were severely hurt and coastal environments such as mangrove thickets were wipe out with the creatures that inhabited them. A study of the Brittany coastlines in the years following the Amoco Cadiz spill found massive death rates for such bottom-dwelling species as sea urchins, the practical elimination of other species, and the overall reduction of animal populations. Although oil tainted environments probably recover eventually, not all species may return to their pre spill status.

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The West Falmouth oil spill: Hydrocarbons in the salt marsh ecosystem*1

Kathryn A. Burns and John M. Teal

Marine Chemistry Unit, Ministry for Conservation, 7b Parliament Place, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3002

Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U.S.A. 02543

Received 25 January 1978;  

Revised 10 May 1978.  

Available online 30 November 2004. 

Abstract

Marsh surface sediments, cores, and organisms were analysed for hydrocarbons from one to seven years after the spill in September 1969 of No. 2 fuel oil at West Falmouth, Massachusetts. All organisms analysed showed contamination initially.Fundulus were nearly free of oil after one year but Uca remained heavily contaminated for at least four years. Alkanes disappeared in sediments after about 4 years while heavy aromatics and naphthenes persisted throughout the study.

Author Keywords: oil spills; hydrocarbons; petroleum; salt marsh; marine pollution; Massachusetts coast

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Corresponding author. To whom reprint requests should be sent.

*1 Contribution No. 4084 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Funds were provided by grants from the Victoria Foundation, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Fish and Wildlife Grant No. 14-17-007-1128(G), and N.S.F. Grant No. GA-40987.

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Top Industries Affected by Oil Spills

The Top industries which will be affected by any oil spills will largely be dependent upon where in the world that the it takes place, as well as whether or not it makes landfall. Generally the fishing industries will take some of the first hits to their livelihood, while the cleanup crews will gain ground in their own. The fish processing areas and industries will also take a hit, while the tourist industry will likely suffer if there is any chance that the oil will come close to land or touch it.

The oil companies themselves will be deeply affected by the spill, having lost a large percentage of the funding that the oil should have brought in, as well as many millions of dollars to sustain the cleanup efforts and pay for damages. Other oil companies as well as the responsible parties will also see some effect from the oil spills as a sort of backlash effect, and in part because some have made contributions to the clean-up efforts.

In all likelihood, the monetary losses will be in the billions of dollars before a large oil spill has been cleaned effectively enough to halt the efforts. In past oil spills, tourist areas, fishing, canning and other industries which depended on the fish for their own livelihood have suffered devastating losses. The placement of this oil spill makes it uncertain whether or not it will touch land in any areas that are prone to large tourist populations. In many such large oil spills, the damages that the oil causes to the marine life, the fishing industry and many others have lasted for several years.

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Ethnic Differences in Stress, Coping, and Depressive Symptoms after the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Abstract

This study assessed levels of depressive symptomatology in a household probability sample of Alaskan Native (N = 188) and Euro-American (N = 371) residents of 13 communities in Alaska. Our objective was to examine ethnic differences in both the association between depressive symptomatology and exposure to the Exxon Valdez oil spill and subsequent cleanup efforts, and in the role of family support as a moderator of exposure to this technological disaster. Level of exposure was significantly associated with mean Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale scores in both Natives (p <.05) and Euro-Americans (p <.01). Both ethnic groups also reported significant declines in traditional relations with increasing levels of exposure (p <.001). However, Natives had a significantly higher mean Exposure Index score than Euro-Americans and were more likely to report working on cleanup activities, damage to commercial fisheries, and effects of the spill on subsistence activities. Depressive symptomatology was associated with reported participation in cleanup activities and other forms of contact with the oil in Natives, and reported damage to commercial fisheries, use of affected areas, and residence in a community in geographic proximity to the spill in Euro-Americans. Perceived family support was not directly associated with depressive symptoms in either ethnic group, but did serve to buffer the effects of exposure on depressive symptoms in Euro-Americans. The results suggest that cultural differences play an important role in determining the psychosocial impacts of a technological disaster, particularly with respect to exposure, appraisal of an event as stressful, perceived family support as a moderator of stress, and expression of depressive symptomatology.

(C) Williams & Wilkins 1992. All Rights Reserved.

Why It's OK to Make Money From the BP Oil Spill

As we enter June 2010, the BP oil spill on the gulf coast shows no signs of getting better, in fact it currently seems it will get worse before it gets better. Bearing this in mind, it's a reasonable question to ask whether it's a suitable subject to make money from. I say that it is, and here's why...

As someone who uses current events as the basis of my earning potential, the oil spill is a huge event, but it had seemed inappropriate to use the story for profit - yes, the media effectively uses stories like this to operate for profit, but I prefer to keep to less damaging stories. The damage to the eco system in the area, and businesses there is huge, and still unknown, but I do now feel it's something I can write about, and it's due to the share price of BP.

The cost to the company has been growing as the crisis evolves, with the Obama administration publicly insisting that the costs will be met in full by BP.
The failures of attempts to stop the leak has led to worries over how long it will last, and the failure of the latest 'top kill' operation means that it's possible the leak will go on until August.

This has spooked the stock market, and the share price fell 13% in one day. BP is one of the biggest companies in the UK share index, being one of the biggest dividend payers.

This makes it a staple of many, if not most pension schemes. So, the fall in the value of BP is having an effect on the value of most private pensions. My own pension will have investments in BP, so since the value of my pension is being impacted by the fortunes of BP, it now seems appropriate for me to use the spill as a subject for me to write about for profit.

This does not reduce any impact on the area concerned with the leak, but it's a subject being talked about every day around the water coolers, and it's how it fits into my business model.

Gordon Bryan is a writer and marketer from the UK, who enjoys making money just by writing about current events. Find out the exact system he uses with his free report 'Water Cooler Profits':http://www.watercoolerprofits.com/report Article Source: