Energy Resources and Offshore Drilling

Introduction

An oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana has dispersed to cover more than 1,800 square miles as of Monday afternoon. The oil spill is coming from a leak in the well that was drilled by the Transocean Deepwater Horizon, a monster offshore drilling rig that blew up and sank last week. The oil spill is described to be leaking about t 42,000 gallons a day from a well nearly a mile deep. The U.S. seaboard area Guard has been utilising robot subs to try to halt the leak. The oil-drilling operations of companies such as Exxon-Valdez in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska have had a drastic impact on the environment (Easton, 52).

Thesis Statement

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to stay about 30 miles offshore, founded on an analysis of sea currents and climate patterns. In a declaration Monday, the Coast Guard alerted states along the Gulf seaboard area to be on alert. The oil rig that burned and sank was drilling a well about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, putting that state's shoreline at the largest risk.

Discussion

On March 24, 1989, the 211,469-ton Exxon Valdez entered Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. The captain of the ship was inebriated and asleep in his quarters while an unlicensed third mate steered the ship. When the vessel ran aground on Bligh Reef, it released 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound. Immediately, a thick layer of black ooze covered the stones and rocks along the coast. It was estimated that seven killer whales died, along with 360 harbor seals, from 3,500 to 5,500 sea otters, 250,000 birds, from 1,500 to 2,000 pigeon guillemots, and 250 bald eagles. Traces of the oil spill will continue to be present for several generations to come. Exxon was required to pay $125 million to cover direct and unforeseen environmental damages. The jury also awarded plaintiffs $5 billion in punitive damages.

In March 2002, a Danish ship, the D/S Progress entered Baltimore Harbor while spewing oil from a leak in its hull. The captain had notified the shipping company, which told him not to report the leak to the U.S. Coast Guard. However, two crewmembers who believed that their lives were threatened by the leaking oil slipped Coast Guard inspectors a note explaining the situation. Under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, the crewmen received $125,000 of the $250,000 fine levied against the shipping company.

The damage inflicted on the environment by oil spills is extensive, and the effects can linger for years after a oil spill occurs. Because oil is transported thousands of miles through pipelines and in an ever-increasing number of tankers, the potential for accidents has accelerated in recent years. In March 1967, the 118,185-ton Torrey Canyon spilled 3.5 million gallons of Kuwaiti crude oil into the English Channel, polluting English and eventually, French beaches and presenting new pollution problems. The ship's master was reportedly trying ...