1. Oil Spills
Darian Scorgie

2. Main Ideas
Anatomy of a spill
Major oil spills
Consequences
Wildlife damage
Clean up/ Prevention

3. What is an oil spill?
 the release of
a liquid petroleum
hydrocarbon into
the environment
 Mostly marine
 Human activity
 Petroleum seeps
 Fractures, fissures,
outcrops

5. Exxon Valdez
 1989
 Tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef – Alaska
 10.9 million gallons of 53 mil release in 3 hrs.
 8 of 11 tanks damaged
 Major storm march 26

6. Hurricane Katrina
> 100 oil
platforms
destroyed
 4 medium spills
134 minor spills
Largest – Bass
Enterprises

7. Deepwater Horizon
 Exploded drilling rig – April 20, 2010
 Methane gas
 11 dead
 Lasted 3 months
 4.9 mil BBLs
 210 mil gallons leaked
 Capped July 15
 Contaminated 16,000 mi. of coastline

8. Deepwater Horizon

9. Wildlife Damages
 Animals may not avoid oil spills
 Oil coats animal’s bodies
 Oil that sticks to feathers and fur causes:
 Hypothermia
 Decreased Buoyancy
 Increased predation
 Malnutrition
 Damage scent
 Internal health problems

10. Hypothermia
 Destroys insulation and waterproof
features
 Lanugo – wooly fur insulation
Buoyancy
 Oiled feathers at weight
 Drowning of birds
 Fur seal pups
 Unable to stay afloat with oiled fins

12. Increased Predation
 Inability to fight off predators
 Matted feathers
 Oiled flippers
Malnutrition
 Causes low body temperature
 Metabolism tries to combat cold, body
weight diminishes
 Prey contamination

13. Damage Scent
 Coversscent of
seal pups
 Rejection
 Abandonment
 Starvation
Internal Health
Ingestion
causes ulcers
Stomach bleeding
Inflammation and infection

15. Cleanup
Ocean Land
 Booms  High pressure
 Floating barriers hoses
 Skimmers  Vacuum Trucks
 Biological Agents  Shovels, Road
Equipment
Wildlife
 Dawn: Saving Wildlife
 Rescue Organizations
 Donations

16. Ocean
Cleanup
o Boom
o Containment
o Diversion
o Exclusion

17. Land
Cleanup
High pressure hoses

18. Wildlife Cleanup
http://animal.discovery.com/vi
deos/jeff-corwin-reports-from-
the-gulf-contaminated-sea-
turtle.html

19. Prevention
 Offshore Oil Spill Prevention and Response
 Reassessing training protocols, equipment
and procedures
 Plans for avoidance, control and shutdown
of offshore operations
 Federally mandated
 Drilling blowout preventer
 Pipe rams and Shear rams

20. Expected Learning Outcomes
 What is an oil spill?
 What are 2 ways it affects wildlife?
 How can oil be cleaned from land?
 What is a BOP?

21. Sources
 http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exxon_Valdez_oil_
spill?topic=58075
 http://www.agiweb.org/geotimes/feb06/feature_
oilspill.html
 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/
09/photogalleries/hurricane_katrina_pets/photo2.
html
 http://www.amsa.gov.au/marine_environment_pr
otection/educational_resources_and_information/
teachers/the_effects_of_oil_on_wildlife.asp
 http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subto
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