• What are the Effects of Oil on the Environment?

Fuel for Thought

What are the Effects of Oil on the Environment?

Jul 26 2014

Whilst oil is a necessary part of our daily lives, its mining and its production can unfortunately have consequences for our environment. These consequences are generally threefold: repercussions on the surrounding ecosystem during mining, harmful gases released into the atmosphere during production, and pollution of waters due to leakages and spills.

There are organisations which have been set up in order to try and limit such consequences. For more information about one such organisation, the EPA, read this article: What is the Environmental Protection Agency?

Harmful Consequences of Drilling and Mining

Drilling into the ground or the ocean depths can seriously disturb the animal and plant life living in the immediate vicinity. An illustrative example of this is the Amazon rainforest, which has rich resources of oil and gas, and in the last 45 years has been plundered extensively to try and reach these precious resources. The recent news story, Western Amazon 'Polluted by Oil Activity', goes into more detail on the particular problems this region faces.

However, there are signs of progress. Advances in technology mean that the advent of GPS and satellite systems can now detect the presence of oil without having to drill first, thus significantly reducing the number of wells needed. Horizontal drilling also allows for a single well to have a much larger reach, minimising the harmful effects on surrounding habitats.

Harmful Emissions from Burning Petrol

Among others, burning petroleum (the main product of crude oil) releases the following harmful gases into the atmosphere:

  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO)
  • Nitrogen Oxide (NOX)
  • Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
  • Particulate Matter (PM)
  • Benzene
  • Formaldehyde
  • Acetaldehyde

Though these by-products can have harmful effects on the environment, worldwide organisations are doing their best to limit these effects. In the past 20 years, legislation has been introduced to encourage the production of cleaner, “reformulated” fuels such as biodiesel, which emits fewer harmful emissions.

Vessel Spills and Leakages

Almost 8% of the oil present in the sea comes from spills from carrier vessels, transporting the mined oil back to land. Advances in shipbuilding have reduced the amount of oil that is allowed to spill into the seas since the 1990s, and indeed, although accidents still happen, they are much rarer than they used to be.

Of course, not all of the contamination happens at sea. Tanks on the mainland can become ruptured or compromised, causing leaks. At petrol stations, spillages are fairly commonplace. Even the oil used in cooking can find its way into sewage systems, which eventually lead to the sea. Only a concerted and collaborative effort can ensure that pollution levels of oil in the ocean remain as low as possible.


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