By

Ghassan hadi

Oil spill

Oil SpillsOil Spills

Introduction:

An oil spill is a release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment due to human activity or any accident, and it is a form of pollution. Oil spills include releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms , drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, and heavier fuels used by large ships such as

bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil.

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So, Oil spills are a major threat to the environment which they severely damage the surrounding ecosystems.

Oil is the most common pollutant in the Oil is the most common pollutant in the oceansoceans. .

More than More than 3 million metric tons3 million metric tons of oil of oil contaminate the sea every yearcontaminate the sea every year. .

The majority of oil pollution in the oceans The majority of oil pollution in the oceans comes from landcomes from land..

Run off and waste from cities, industry, Run off and waste from cities, industry, and rivers carries oil into the oceanand rivers carries oil into the ocean. . Ships cause about a third of the oil Ships cause about a third of the oil

pollution in the oceans when they wash pollution in the oceans when they wash out their tanks or dump their bilge waterout their tanks or dump their bilge water..

Human impact of oil spillsHuman impact of oil spills

•An oil spill represents an immediate fire An oil spill represents an immediate fire hazardhazard..

•Spilled oil can also contaminate drinking Spilled oil can also contaminate drinking water supplieswater supplies..

•Contamination can have an economic Contamination can have an economic impact on tourism and marine resource impact on tourism and marine resource

extraction industriesextraction industries..

•Algae and other local plants have been reported to Algae and other local plants have been reported to be eradicated. Animals that come in touch with high be eradicated. Animals that come in touch with high

concentrations of oil die of oil poisoningconcentrations of oil die of oil poisoning. .

•Worms, microorganisms and young sea creatures are Worms, microorganisms and young sea creatures are more sensitive. Humans and other animals living near more sensitive. Humans and other animals living near

the sea are also threatenedthe sea are also threatened..

• Among these compounds, aromatic hydrocarbons Among these compounds, aromatic hydrocarbons that low boiling point are more dangerous, such as that low boiling point are more dangerous, such as

benzene, toluene and xylene. Naphthalene and benzene, toluene and xylene. Naphthalene and Phenanthrene are more poisonous for fishesPhenanthrene are more poisonous for fishes..

•Aromatic compounds are more soluble in water than Aromatic compounds are more soluble in water than saturated hydrocarbons; therefore creatures may saturated hydrocarbons; therefore creatures may

become poisoned without direct contact with the oil become poisoned without direct contact with the oil by the by the polluted waterpolluted water..

•Fortunately these compounds are volatile; their Fortunately these compounds are volatile; their harmful effects will decrease with timeharmful effects will decrease with time..

•Aromatic compounds are more soluble in water than Aromatic compounds are more soluble in water than saturated hydrocarbons; therefore creatures may saturated hydrocarbons; therefore creatures may

become poisoned without direct contact with the oil become poisoned without direct contact with the oil by the by the polluted waterpolluted water..

•Fortunately these compounds are volatile; their Fortunately these compounds are volatile; their harmful effects will decrease with timeharmful effects will decrease with time..

ChemiCalChemiCalmethodsmethods

DispersantsDispersants

•Chemicals, such as detergents, break apart Chemicals, such as detergents, break apart floating oil into small particles or drops so that floating oil into small particles or drops so that

the oil is no longer in a layer on the water’s the oil is no longer in a layer on the water’s surfacesurface. .

•These chemicals break up a layer of oil into These chemicals break up a layer of oil into small dropletssmall droplets. .

•The problem with this method is that The problem with this method is that dispersants often harm marine life and the dispersants often harm marine life and the dispersed oil remains in the body of water dispersed oil remains in the body of water

where it is toxic to marine lifewhere it is toxic to marine life..

PhysicalPhysicalMethodsMethods

BurningBurning

•Burning of oil can actually remove up to 98% of an Burning of oil can actually remove up to 98% of an oil spilloil spill. .

•The spill must be a minimum of three millimetres The spill must be a minimum of three millimetres thick and it must be relatively fresh for this method thick and it must be relatively fresh for this method

to workto work..

BioremediationBioremediation•There are bacteria and fungi that naturally There are bacteria and fungi that naturally

break down oilbreak down oil. .

•This process is usually very slow- it would This process is usually very slow- it would take years for oil to be removed by take years for oil to be removed by

microorganismsmicroorganisms. .

•Adding either fertilizer or microorganisms to Adding either fertilizer or microorganisms to the water where the spill is located can speed the water where the spill is located can speed

up the breakdown processup the breakdown process. .

•The fertilizer gives the bacteria and fungi The fertilizer gives the bacteria and fungi the nutrients they need to grow and the nutrients they need to grow and

reproduce quickerreproduce quicker. .

MechanicalMechanicalMethodsMethods

Booms

•It’s easier to clean-up oil if it’s all in one spot, so equipment called containment booms act like a fence to keep the oil from spreading or floating

away.

• One problem with using this method is that once the material is One problem with using this method is that once the material is coated with oil, it may then be heavier than water. coated with oil, it may then be heavier than water.

• Then you have the problem of the oil-coated material sinking to Then you have the problem of the oil-coated material sinking to the bottom where it could harm animals living there. the bottom where it could harm animals living there.

Mechanical Mechanical Method-Method-

SkimmerSSkimmerS

•Once you’ve contained the oil, you need to Once you’ve contained the oil, you need to remove it from the water surfaceremove it from the water surface..

•Skimmers are machines that suck the oil up Skimmers are machines that suck the oil up like a vacuum cleaner, blot the oil from the like a vacuum cleaner, blot the oil from the

surface with oil-attracting materials, or surface with oil-attracting materials, or physically separate the oil from the water physically separate the oil from the water

so that it spills over a dam into a tankso that it spills over a dam into a tank. .

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•Oil skimmers are commonly Oil skimmers are commonly found in three typesfound in three types: :

1.1.WeirWeir

2.2.OleophilicOleophilic

3.3.Non- OleophilicNon- Oleophilic

•Weir skimmers function by allowing Weir skimmers function by allowing the oil floating on the surface of the the oil floating on the surface of the

water towater to flow over a weir flow over a weir. . `̀

Thank you