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Home::Environment

How do Oil Spills Happen

Author : James Hunt

When we hear about an oil spill that has occurred in some part
of the world we may be unaware of just how much oil has been
spilled into either the water or on land. When we are talking
about an oil spill, we are talking about a huge amount of oil
that can do serious damage to the environment in which it was
spilled.

How do Oil Spills happen?

Oil spills into rivers; bays and oceans are caused by accidents
that usually involve tankers, barges, or refineries. Usually the
oil is being transported to another part of the world for
various reasons. People who by some form or another make
mistakes or are being careless in what they are doing cause the
spills themselves. Oil spills are not always caused by human
mistake however; sometime machinery can break down which cause
oil to spill out into the surrounding environment.

What happens when oil spills occur?

If an oil spill occurs in the ocean, the oil itself will float
in salt water. It has been found that if the oil spill occurs in
fresh water there is a good chance that the oil will float on
top of the water as well. Believe it or not this is a good
thing. This means that the oil is confined to the surface of the
water, which makes containing the spill a little easier. The
problem is that in water the oil will spread out quickly over
the surface of the water. The more time the oil is left in the
water the more it will spread out to cover a wider surface area,
which can have a negative impact on the rate at which it can be
contained and corrected.

When oil spills occur in the ocean there is always a chance that
the marine life as well as birds and other animals will be
negatively affected. Some oil spills have a greater impact on
the wildlife then others, but no spill is good. Birds and other
animals that are covered in fur, the oil itself actually
destroys or breaks down the insulating ability of the fur. For
birds, if the fur is covered in oil, the water-repelling
abilities of the fur are affected. This exposed the animals to
the harsh elements of the environments in which they live. There
have been many animals killed as a result of oil spills in the
oceans around the world.

Who takes care of Oils Spills?

When an oil spill occurs, who takes care of the problem? There
are various, local and federal agencies that can be called upon
to take care of oil spills. No matter who is called to take care
of the spill the methods employed to clean up the spill are the
same. Some agencies will be better equipped to clean up bigger
spills whereas local agencies and organizations can handle the
smaller, less dangerous spills. It is a criminal offence not to
report an oil spill and failure to do so can result in jail
time.

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