Oil Spill Blog

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig blew up on April 20th 2010 making the Gulf of Mexico inhabitable. This recent oil spill is the courtesy of BP who obviously unwilling to take the blame. Calling this an oil spill would definitely be a soft said word owing to the gallons of oil this exploded drilling platform belches out every day.

The safety equipment that includes a blowout preventer, which is nothing but a large pile of seafloor shut-off valves that apparently seemed to have failed. One of the reasons may be the fact that the BP well failed to have any remote-control or acoustically-activated backup blowout preventer switch, which could be used in case of an emergency that required a rig to be evacuated.

Although BP has claimed to pay to cleanup this colossal wreck in the Gulf of Mexico, the after effects of this oil spill are sure above human conclusions. The toxic components of the oil spill have already become a threat to the marine life, not to mention the loss of revenue as well. As feared if the oil manages to reach the beaches, tourism, especially Florida tourism stands the risk of losing billions of dollars from tourism.

Keeping in view the 1,300 miles of Alaska coastline in 1989, it would not be wrong to say that the oil washing onto land in Gulf of Mexico estuaries would not be easy to cleanup. Also the ill-effects associated the use of harmful dispersants used for oil spill containment tend to do more harm than good. Hence several environment contractors are promoting the use of an environmentally-friendly product called Oil Gone Easy S-200 for oil spill cleanup.

Even if in future the oil spill disaster contained miraculously at some point of time, it is certainly going to take a life time for the eco-system to cope with it and come back to its original form.

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Many tend to overlook the dangerous fact about what an oil spill can do. It is easily taken for granted and at times left unattended. An oil spill need not necessarily be on a vast ocean to create a huge damage to the environment. A small spill on your driveway or small spill in your home can create equal amount of havoc.

An old car of yours or carelessly maintained jalopy of your teenage son is sure to leave its oil mark on the driveway. Or the oily bilge water that is discharged from the boat is as harmful as the oil spill itself. It is wise to carefully treat these oil spills with efficient mechanisms and prevent any further harm to the environment.

Use of chemicals, such as benzene in cleaning up oil spills is more prevalent but many hardly know the ill effects of these substances and the toxic gases they produce. Benzene fumes are toxic and are classified as carcinogens. Inhaling a few droplets of these fumes is sure a health hazard. Care should be exercised in oil spill cleanup, as using chemicals while cleaning up oil spills might themselves might pose a great environmental hazard. Use of detergents for oil spill cleanup should also be avoided as detergent mixed with oily bilge water forms complex compounds and pollutes even more. Hence, it is always recommended to use green certified products, Be it your boat’s bilge or engine oil leaks on the driveway.

The basic idea behind an oil spill cleaner is to separate oil from water or sand or any other mixture for that matter. An oil spill cleaner that only removes the traces of oil is not enough. An oil spill cleaner that effectively cleans an oil spill while maintaining the integrity of the surroundings is what one should look for.

One way to treat any oil spill is to use a biodegradable product, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200. This product does not release toxic gases nor does it leave behind harmful residues.

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In the recent past, due to extensive industrialization and urbanization oil spill contamination has become a primary concern. One of the most extensive contaminations through oil spills, especially crude oil spills is soil contamination. Crude oil being a complex mixture of organic molecules contains hydrocarbons and is prone to radical chemical, physical, and biological changes and easily penetrates into the soil.

Soil contamination through an oil spill cause deleterious effects, such as health hazards due to underground water contamination, change in soil pH, inhalation of the vaporized toxins from the contaminated soil and also eco-system destruction by making the soil unfit for agriculture. Vegetation contamination and destruction of essential microorganisms in the soil lead to virtual detrimental changes in the primary food chain as well.

Research to prevent soil contamination has led to various methods of oil spill containment. Few such methods are:

• In situ Treatment Methods: Using biological means, such as oil degradation by micro-organisms or chemical-physical process such as incineration are sone of the in situ treatment methods for oil spill cleanup. The drawback with these techniques is that they work better on sandy soils than on soils that contain clay.

• In situ Bioremediation: Oxygen and nutrients are injected into the contaminated soil to enhance the indigenous bacteria to break down the hydrocarbons and convert them into a nutrient source. Oil Gone Easy Home S-200 can be the best option for oil spill containment as this oil spill cleaner makes use of the bioremediation technology in the oil spill cleanup process.

• Air sparging: Also known as venting, this process involves vaporizing of extractions of the contaminants from the soil and the ground water.

• In situ steam injection: It is basically a thermal treatment method, where steam at a very high temperature and compressed air are injected into the contaminated soil for oil spill containment.

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Oil spills are one of the most well-known sources of contamination. They are very hazardous to the environment and to the living organisms, such as plants and animals. Oil spilled or dumped in junkyards is a very serious issue. A Junkyard is a place that is used to store junk, wrecked and abandoned automobiles, trucks, and buses. Motor oils, automobile fluids, and other solid wastes from these junks are dumped into the yard. These oil spills can carry heavy metals and other toxic wastes that are considered to have deleterious effect on nature.

During heavy rain or by surface drains, the toxic chemicals and heavy metals from junkyards seep into the soil making cleaning difficult. Oil spill cleanup procedures are not only tedious but also quite expensive. There are several oil spill cleanup procedures followed by ecologists. They include bioremediation, booms, skimmers, sorbents, chemical dispersants, biological agents, and more.

Of the lot, the most effective and greener way to cleanup the oil spill is bioremediation. A product that makes use of this technology is Oil Gone Easy S-200. It is an eco-friendly oil stain remover that can be used to not only cleanup oil spills on a large scale but also to remove tough oil stains from driveways, garages, and more. Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200 oil stain remover can be used on different surfaces, such as concrete, flag stone, asphalt, brick, pavers, cobblestone, and soil. This oil stain remover is not only easy to use but also cost effective.

Some Tips in Oil Spill Management:

• In order to prevent oil spills, outdoor storage facilities should have a permanent roof. It prevents precipitation and restricts sunlight entering the storage area.

• Always store degreasers and solvents in a tightly covered container.

• Rags contaminated with paint, solvents, grease, or oil must be sent to a recycling facility.

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In-situ oil burning is an effective response for oil spill cleanup on the spot. Oil spill cleanup can be accomplished with comparatively lesser manpower and low cost. Though in-situ burning of oil is effectual in oil spill cleanup, this method poses a serious threat to the environment as well as human beings.

In-situ oil burning is also done on water, but it depends greatly on the thickness of the slick, water temperature, wind speed and direction, oil type, and wave amplitude. After in-situ oil burning the residues tend to sink deep into the water system thus paving the way for toxic build up in the water body. Hence, this method doesn’t hold good for cleaning up oil spills in water.

Oil spill removal through in-situ oil burning greatly affects the people in the neighbourhood areas, the soil, the plantations, and the wildlife within the proximity of the oil spill. In-situ oil burning sometimes results in the seepage of oil further deep into the soil and shoreline sediments. It releases particulate pollutants, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), carbon monoxide, and other toxic gases directly into the atmosphere rendering the air unfavourable for breathing. The response personnel are also at risk due to the intense heat sources used in in-situ burning. So care should be taken while employing in-situ oil burning. Pollution detection equipments to monitor the particulate pollutant levels in the air should be utilized.

The above mentioned considerations have to be made in using in situ oil burning as the cleanup strategy. Taking into consideration all the drawbacks of in-situ burning, use of eco-friendly oil cleaners, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200 would be ideal for efficient oil spill containment. As opposed to in-situ burning, this oil spill cleanup procedure is extremely safe as it biodegrades the hydrocarbons present in the oil using the microbes present in the environment.

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Fuel oils spills in residential areas can be classified into two types: small oil spills and large oil spills. Small oil spills are usually caused due to leakage in oil tanks or pipes. Large oil spills occur while filling storage oil tanks, due overturning of tanks, or when a basement oil tank overfills. Small scale oil spill cleanup can be done by us. But for large scale oil spills we would definitely need a professional help.

There are some basic oil spill cleanup methods that should be followed by everyone.

• Even small oil spills need to be responded immediately. If left as it is, the spilled oil will seep into cracks and will be very difficult to clean. If the spill is saturated on a concrete or wooden surface, then the only way to clean up the place would be demolition of the place. To avoid this problem, you can try Oil Gone Easy S-200. It is an oil stain remover that removes oil stains from any surface that include concrete, flag stone, brick, pavers, and soil.

• In case of oil spills in your house, first thing to be done is to turn off flame and spark sources. Attempt to clean up the spilled oil by vacuum cleaner should also be avoided.

For small oil spills

• Prevent unnecessary exposure to oil by the use of rubber gloves and shoes. Proper ventilation is also very important to avoid any accidents.

• Use absorbent material over the spill. Dispose the oil spill absorbent carefully in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Use of soap and hot water is recommended to clean up oil on hard surfaces and appliances. Repeat the cleaning if necessary.

For large oil spills

• Report the spill immediately to an oil delivery company or to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). It is important to inform the fire department for them to check for any explosion hazard. Call a professional clean up service.

• Fuel oil has many toxic substances that cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and also causes serious health problems in extreme cases.

In any case of oil spill, care should be taken to avoid harmful chemicals which affect the environment as well as animals. Use environmentally friendly products, such as Oil Gone Easy for oil spill cleanup methods.

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The International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) is a global association that represents the oil and gas industry. It is one of the major channels of communication between the oil industry and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The oiled wildlife response planning is a report containing the guidelines for conservation of wildlife that inhabit the area affected by an oil spill.

The pre-spilling planning process involves

• Identifying the potential impact of an oil spill.

• Assessing the wildlife present within the geographical area and their vulnerability towards oil spills.

Information about these should be presented in an user-friendly format to help responders react effectively.

Measures to be adopted post oil spill:

• Minimizing the impact of the oil spill by using response technologies to prevent the oil from reaching critical habitats.

• Preventing clean or healthy animals from entering the affected area by means of hazing.

• Removing dead and dying oiled wildlife that are easy prey to predators and scavengers from shores to avoid secondary exposure.

Oil spill response – rehabilitation:

• A temporary rehabilitation center should be set up and maintained.

• The oiled wildlife should be given first aid and transported to facilities for cleaning.

• Cleaned wildlife should be rehabilitated by experienced rehabilitators. The affected species should be returned back to their habitats after captive treatment for some time.

The media, the general public, as well as the local volunteers should be involved

in the response action. Individuals shouldn’t take up the cause without proper training and facilities as it would only prove harmful.

The basic humanitarian objective of saving wildlife drives the stakeholders to help in response planning efforts. However, the damage done to wildlife by oil spills is irreparable and will affect the marine eco-system for years to come.

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Oil spills at home can be classified into a seep or a leak. A slow seepage of oil that doesn’t produce a drip is called a seep. This kind of oil spill is usually not visible on the pavement as a spill.

On the other hand, when oil drips from vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and lawn mowers resulting in a puddle of oil, it is called a leak. A leak not only happens when the vehicle is parked, but also when it is on the move. It can be pretty dangerous as it not only damages the engine of the vehicle internally but is also harmful to the environment. So a leak needs to be looked into promptly.

Reasons for oil spills from vehicles are plenty. Some common causes include structural design problems, poor quality of products and accessories used, and wear-off of sealing materials due to long-term use. Another major cause of oil spills at home are domestic oil tanks. These oil spills result in the contamination of ground water and also pose serious health hazards.

So we should take steps not only to prevent an oil spill from occurring, but also be prepared to handle if an oil spill occurs. For driveway oil spills or any other oil spill at home, adopt environmentally-friendly oil spill cleanup techniques to avoid causing further harm to the environment.

When it comes to oil spill cleanup, granular absorbents such as kitty litter, solvents, and toxic cleaners are usually used in the United States. All these oil spill cleanup techniques are environmentally hazardous as they don’t biodegrade the oil. The only eco-friendly oil spill cleanup technique that completely biodegrades oil without causing any further harm is bioremediation. So make sure you use oil spill cleaners that utilize this green technology.

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Pollution caused by oil spills from tankers is one of the biggest threats to our environment. But it is only one part of the picture. Not many know that oil runoff from cars, trucks, and other vehicles also cause severe marine pollution. When it rains, oil leaked onto roads and driveways is washed into the storm drains, which ultimately flows into lakes or streams.

Used motor oil is the largest source of oil pollution. In fact, of the 20 million gallons of oil that escape into the North American waters every year, only 15% are caused by pipeline or tanker spills. The remaining 17 million gallons are due to oil spills from cars and trucks, fuel dumping by commercial pilots, and contamination by recreational boaters.

Oil leaked from cars pollutes drinking water and waterways in more ways than you can imagine. One of the main reasons why auto fluids are termed as very harmful is that they do not dissolve in water like oil. One pint of motor oil results in a slick that is larger than a football field.

The underground aquifers that supply us drinking water are polluted and cost millions of dollars to municipalities in drinking water treatment and operational expenses. Oil, antifreeze, and break fluids that seep into the water contain heavy metals wrecking havoc on the wildlife. Hypothermia in birds, damage to the immune system in animals, and death of fish are only some of the effects.

All this shows how a simple oversight on our part can pollute our planet. It is our responsibility to take steps to protect our environment. First and foremost is to take steps to prevent oil spills. If an oil spill does occur even after all these, be prepared to deal with it.

For oil spill cleanup from driveways or anywhere else at home, use eco-friendly oil spill cleaners such as Oil Gone Easy S-200 instead of other toxic oil stain removers. This environmentally-friendly oil stain remover uses bio-remediation technology to cleanup driveway oil stains the natural way without causing any further harm.

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One of the largest oil spill disasters occurred in the Galician coast of Spain in 2002. Prestige, an oil tanker carrying 77,033 metric tons of oil, sank when one of its tanks burst, spilling more than 20 million gallons of oil into the sea.

The marine ecosystem of Galicia rich in coral reefs comprising different species of sharks and birds was greatly affected. The polyaromatic hydrocarbons contained in the spilled oil poisoned plankton, fish eggs, and crustaceans and caused carcinogenic effects in fish and animals. The fishing industry also suffered heavy losses as offshore fishing had to be put on hold for the next 6 months.

As part of the massive oil spill cleanup efforts, underwater oil spill containment operations were carried out. First the leakage was reduced to 20 liters a day by sealing the cracks in the hull. Later the oil was pumped into aluminum shuttles by drilling small holes in the wreck.

Oil Gone Easy S-200, an eco-friendly product was used to clean up the beaches that were affected by the Prestige oil spill. This product uses the bioremediation process to help convert polluting hydrocarbons into harmless byproducts using the microorganisms present in the environment, thus cleaning up the oil spill in an environmentally-friendly way.

The field survey on the use of S-200 in Cantabrian coast in northern Spain by the Department of Microbiology, University of Barcelona revealed that S-200 had increased the biodegradation rate of high molecular weight hydrocarbons like benzenes. Surprisingly, there was a significant reduction of harmful diasteranes and C-27 sterane components.

The pollution caused by the Prestige oil spill will continue to affect marine population in the coming decade. The main cause of oil spills is human apathy and negligence. As it causes severe damage to the ecosystem everyone should take due care to protect Mother Nature.

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