Oil Pollution
Oil Pollution-Case Study
The following case study is about the impacts that oil pollution produces in the sea, specifically in this case in the coasts of South Wales. This incident was due to the stranding of an oil tanker from the company Sea Empress.
The cause for this oil pollution was that a 147,000 tonne oil tanker from Sea Empress ran aground, even though they were controlled by the harbor pilots. The oil tanker would have been docked earlier but because of the heavy seas it took longer. Another majour problem was that at the harbor they were unprepared and they couldn’t provide a heavy tug, until 24 hours later. Due to the worsening weather the oil tanker was making disasters, as the oil started to fall into the sea. What gets even worst is that 6 days after this event the oil tanker was finally taken out by a total of 12 tugs. As a consequence of all these the oil tanker from Sea Empress lost about 77,000 tons of oil, all being deposited unfortunately into the sea.
The problem with this was that the cargo of North Sea crude oil was considered light oil; this type of oil is the one that gives out its most harmful toxins into the water and air. Most important of all, one of the greatest impacts it’s that before these microorganisms in the sea break down he rest of the toxins, sea animals like crabs, shellfish and fish concentrate toxins in side themselves, this for sure contaminating them harmfully. Another important aspect that might be considered is that when this fish concentrate toxins within themselves, these are then passed up the food chain, so it doesn’t just affect them. Effects due to the oil pollution were greatly seen in west Angle Bay, where starfish had been wiped out, and with this the whole ecosystem turning to be threatened with damage and disruption. Just 12 miles radius of the slick there is a protected area, which is a marine reserve. This island has an important colony of manx shearwater, lesser black-backed gull and grey seals
The following case study is about the impacts that oil pollution produces in the sea, specifically in this case in the coasts of South Wales. This incident was due to the stranding of an oil tanker from the company Sea Empress.
The cause for this oil pollution was that a 147,000 tonne oil tanker from Sea Empress ran aground, even though they were controlled by the harbor pilots. The oil tanker would have been docked earlier but because of the heavy seas it took longer. Another majour problem was that at the harbor they were unprepared and they couldn’t provide a heavy tug, until 24 hours later. Due to the worsening weather the oil tanker was making disasters, as the oil started to fall into the sea. What gets even worst is that 6 days after this event the oil tanker was finally taken out by a total of 12 tugs. As a consequence of all these the oil tanker from Sea Empress lost about 77,000 tons of oil, all being deposited unfortunately into the sea.
The problem with this was that the cargo of North Sea crude oil was considered light oil; this type of oil is the one that gives out its most harmful toxins into the water and air. Most important of all, one of the greatest impacts it’s that before these microorganisms in the sea break down he rest of the toxins, sea animals like crabs, shellfish and fish concentrate toxins in side themselves, this for sure contaminating them harmfully. Another important aspect that might be considered is that when this fish concentrate toxins within themselves, these are then passed up the food chain, so it doesn’t just affect them. Effects due to the oil pollution were greatly seen in west Angle Bay, where starfish had been wiped out, and with this the whole ecosystem turning to be threatened with damage and disruption. Just 12 miles radius of the slick there is a protected area, which is a marine reserve. This island has an important colony of manx shearwater, lesser black-backed gull and grey seals