Deep Water Horizon
Introduction
An oil spill is the release of oil to the environment which may either be intentional or accidental, and it is a form of pollution. Oil spillage on water bodies has adverse effects on marine life. There are diverse aquatic habitats. They differ in terms of their level of sensitivities to the harmful effects of oil contamination, and in their abilities to recover after oil spillage. Oil spillage in aquatic environments results in floating oil on the water bodies, which in turn blocks out sunlight. The food that most of the marine life depends on, such as Phytoplankton and seaweed do not thrive without sunlight. These cause reduced source of food leading to starvation among a large percentage of the marine life.
Large water mammals such as the whales have their blow holes blocked which leads to death. Oil spillage in an aquatic environment does not only affect the life in the water but also the life above the water. Sea birds that may come into contact with the polluted water may be covered with oil; this inhibits their ability to fly. Also, in an effort to clean their feathers, they may consume the oil which is fatal. In addition, animals with fur and feathers may freeze due to the damage of their protective covers (Fominyen, 2010).
The deep-water spill also known as the Gulf oil spill is identified as the worst oil spill in the United States’ history. By the time deep-water horizon oil rig sank and exploded on April 20, 2010. There had been BP pipe leakage of oil and gas on the floor of the ocean located approximately 42 miles off the coast of Louisiana. An estimate of 4.9 million barrels of oil had leaked into the gulf by July 15, 2010 when the capping of the well was in the process. This was more than 185 million gallons of oil spill (Smithsonian Institution, 2010). The Gulf oil spill had adverse results; hundreds of miles of shoreline covered with oil, thousands of square miles of Gulf waters closed to fishing, and massive deaths of marine
An oil spill is the release of oil to the environment which may either be intentional or accidental, and it is a form of pollution. Oil spillage on water bodies has adverse effects on marine life. There are diverse aquatic habitats. They differ in terms of their level of sensitivities to the harmful effects of oil contamination, and in their abilities to recover after oil spillage. Oil spillage in aquatic environments results in floating oil on the water bodies, which in turn blocks out sunlight. The food that most of the marine life depends on, such as Phytoplankton and seaweed do not thrive without sunlight. These cause reduced source of food leading to starvation among a large percentage of the marine life.
Large water mammals such as the whales have their blow holes blocked which leads to death. Oil spillage in an aquatic environment does not only affect the life in the water but also the life above the water. Sea birds that may come into contact with the polluted water may be covered with oil; this inhibits their ability to fly. Also, in an effort to clean their feathers, they may consume the oil which is fatal. In addition, animals with fur and feathers may freeze due to the damage of their protective covers (Fominyen, 2010).
The deep-water spill also known as the Gulf oil spill is identified as the worst oil spill in the United States’ history. By the time deep-water horizon oil rig sank and exploded on April 20, 2010. There had been BP pipe leakage of oil and gas on the floor of the ocean located approximately 42 miles off the coast of Louisiana. An estimate of 4.9 million barrels of oil had leaked into the gulf by July 15, 2010 when the capping of the well was in the process. This was more than 185 million gallons of oil spill (Smithsonian Institution, 2010). The Gulf oil spill had adverse results; hundreds of miles of shoreline covered with oil, thousands of square miles of Gulf waters closed to fishing, and massive deaths of marine