Oil Spill and Its Impacts

Oil spills are the result of humans releasing liquid petroleum hydrocarbons into the environment, especially the marine system. Environmental pollutants are caused by oil

spills. There is the possibility of oil spills in the ocean, on the shore or in rivers that flow into coastal waters when oil is drilled, transported, or used.

Large oil spills are a major and dangerous catastrophe. They are caused by pipeline breaks, sinking oil tankers, or mishaps with drilling equipment. They also occur when oil

pipelines fail. A large oil spill can have longlasting effects on ecosystems and economies.

Currently, there are many oil spills around the world. Both land and sea oil spillage occur. But the sea oil spillage is the most lethal and deadly. It is especially deadly to aquatic organisms.

Causes of Oil Spill: 

• Natural causes: Oil is formed when organic matter from dead living organisms is combined with hydrocarbon gases, which are found in most parts of the earth but deep underground. Furthermore, oil is found not only in the oceans but also deep underground in the seas’ underlying rock. Because the underlying rocks in seas are closer to the surface, erosion makes a spill more likely. Natural oil spills are caused by hurricanes, earthquakes, sea storms, and other climatic disturbances.

• Oil transportation: Large oil spills occur for a variety of reasons around the world. The majority of significant oil spills are caused by damaged oil tankers or colliding ships, both of which result in massive oil leaks. Each time an occurrence like this happens, thousands of barrels of crude oil flow into the water. Oil spills are caused by pipelines that run beneath the surface, in addition to oil spills from oil tankers. Failure to maintain pipelines results in oil leaks, which affect aquatic life very negatively. Oil spills caused by oil tankers are more common than in this scenario.

• Oil drilling: Onshore and offshore drilling are two of the most dangerous ways for oil to reach the sea. One of the main reasons for the oil leak is oil drilling. The situation in the sea is currently characterised by an abundance of oil rigs being drilled, some of which have technical issues resulting in oil spills.

• Drainage systems: Draining oil products intentionally without considering their environmental effects always occurs when mechanics spill oil after refueling motorcycles or changing the oil in vehicles. It may seem like a small cause, but it is considered a deliberate cause of oil spills because drainage systems are connected to large bodies of water.

Major Impacts of Oil Spill: 

• Sea plants: In order for marine animals to survive, it is necessary for sea plants to thrive. Life in the sea would be impossible without marine plants. The ocean will be unable to receive oxygen in the event of an oil spill. Sea plants will die as a result of a lack of oxygen, and photosynthesis will halt as a result of the lack of oxygen.

• Sea animals: Aquatic species are thought to be the most affected by an oil spill. They perish owing to a lack of oxygen in the sea. They are also likely to hunger in addition to dying. Seabirds, for example, rely on scent to identify their young, and when an oil spill occurs, the infants are unable to discover their parents, and as a result, they starve to death.

• Human health: Petroleum products, including benzene, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and toluene, contain toxic chemicals common in spills that can affect marine life and humans as well. If humans inhale these compounds, they are at risk of developing health problems. This is especially true of the lungs, which are a vital organ for respiration in the body.

• Coral reefs: In addition to being a habitat for marine animals, coral reefs tend to stop flourishing when they come in contact with oil. Marine invertebrates, which depend on corals for survival, are most adversely affected when this occurs.
• Lack of clean drinking water: It is essential to have clean drinking water for the sustenance of human life. Lack of clean drinking water can result in water borne diseases which cause death. This happened once in Malaysia after an oil leak contaminated the water supply.

Oil spills that are closer to the beach and human populations have higher ecological and economic consequences. Oil spills and oil-related pollutants have harmed the land, water, and air quality for decades, threatening the extinction of living things. The majority of environmental dangers in the country’s oil area are the result of oil spills, gas flaring, and oil pollution. Human mistake, theft, accidents, and operational expulsions of petroleum hydrocarbons into the environment are all common causes. Environmental hazards hinder the maximal functioning of plants and animals, resulting in environmental conditions that are incompatible with healthy existence.