An oil spill is the release of liquid petroleum into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity. It pollutes the environment and is difficult to clean up, sometimes taking weeks, months or years. Oil spills negatively impact local industries, human health, marine ecosystems, vegetation, beaches, and fragile marine environments. They affect tourism and fishing industries and can cause respiratory issues and health problems for humans. The impacts depend on factors like the area affected, weather and proximity to breeding areas. Oil can smother and poison animals and plants, damaging habitats and food chains. Cleanup methods include booming, burning, spreading chemicals, skimming, using sorbents, and manual labor. Some major oil spills were the

2. • An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum
hydrocarbon into the environment especially
marine areas, due to human activity and is the
form of pollution. Oil spills maybe due to release
of crude oil, off shore platforms, drilling rigs,
and wells as well as spills of refined petroleum
products. Cleanup of oil spill is difficult and
depends upon many factors. It may take weeks,
months or even years.

4. • Local industries
• Human health
• Marine ecosystem including animal and
plant life
• Vegetation & mangroves
• Effect on marine life
• Damage Beaches, Marshlands and Fragile
Marine Ecosystems

5. • Tourist as
fishing,
swimming or
sailing
• Industries that
rely on fresh sea
water
• Devices used to
catch fish
cannot be used
for fear of
damaging them
in area that have
had an oil spill

6. • Inhalation of vapor,
touching oil slicks and
consuming
contaminated sea food
• Causes neurological,
acute toxic effects,
ocular (eye) and also
problems of
respiratory system
• Nausea, throat
infections, nose and eye
irritations, etc. along
with migraines and
headaches.

7. • Spread of oil slick
• Movement (waves)and
weather (cold , low
energy, little water
movement)
• Area effected i.e.
Estuaries/ foreshore
• Proximity to bird
breeding colony

8. • Root areas of plants may
be harmful
• Living coral is also
vulnerable to oil slicks.
If the living coral dies,
then the reef of coral
can be destroyed by
wave erosion.
• A thick coating of oil on
the leaves does almost
no damage if it occurs
outside the growing
season.

9. • Salt tolerant tress and shrubs
and provide habitat for sea
birds, crabs, oysters, breeding
ground for birds
• Their complex root system
stabilizes and sediment,
preventing soil erosion
• They obtain oxygen through
lenticels on aerial roots,
which may become clogged
and stop oxygen supply
• There may be long term loss
of habitat

10. • Oil, or hydrocarbons, can
affect plants and animals
in different ways.
• Physical effects on marine
birds and mammals is
through smothering,
where oil coats the
outside of their bodies,
covering feathers and fur.
• Toxic compounds from
the spilt oil can be
ingested by animals
directly, in their prey, as
they breath

13. • Marine mammals are
vulnerable to oil spills
because of their
amphibious habits and
their dependence on
air.
• The rough skin
surface, body hair and
grooming habits of
some species increase
the possibility of oil
contact, ingestion and
associated
toxicological effects.

14. • Absorption of oil by
fibrous plants and
grasses
• Effects on fragile
underwater ecosystems
• Killing or
contaminating many
fish and smaller
organisms that are
essential links in the
global food chain.

15. On the shore In the water

16. • Bioremediation
• Manual treatment
• Mechanical
treatment

17. • Boom
• Burning
• Spreading of chemicals
• Skimming
• Sorbents
 Natural organic sorbents
 Natural inorganic sorbents
 Synthetic sorbents
• Shovels

18. Boom

19. Burning

20. Spreading of chemicals

21. Skimming

22. Sorbents

23. Shovels

24. • The Torrey canyon oil spill - march 18, 1967.
25 - 36 million gallons
• The sea star oil spill - December 19, 1972.
35.3 million gallons
• Odyssey oil spill - November 10, 1988.
40.7 million gallons
• M/T haven tanker oil spill - April 11, 1991.
45 million gallons

25. The Torrey Canyon Oil Spill - March 18, 1967.
25 - 36 million gallons

26. The Sea Star Oil Spill –
December 19, 1972.
35.3 million gallons

27. Odyssey Oil Spill –
November 10, 1988.
40.7 million gallons

28. M/T Haven Tanker Oil Spill –
April 11, 1991.
45 million gallons

29. THE EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL

30. • Leakage of massive crude oil in PRINCE
WILLIAM SOUND
• Polluted the environment around Alaska
• Negative impact on sea life
• People had a fear to travel to Alaska

31. • Scientists and biologists started
working to get new methods
for cleaning
• People started helping the
animals affected in sound