Management Of Oil Spillage In Gulf: Causes, Effects & Solutions

Oil in the United States

Discuss about the Management of Oil Spillage in Gulf.

The Gulf of Mexico was the world’s largest accidental offshore oil spillage in the ninth largest body of water. The oil spread deep into water top, middle and and the bottom of the ocean. The oil spillage killed the living things in the water masses. This spillage caused the federal government to close fishing within the area. It also had significant impacts to the wetlands and marine species since the oil spillage covered the water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) noted that there was odor causing pollution associated with oil in the air. In general the aquatic life benchmarks was affected, though at the moment vegetation and wildlife is already recovering.

The United States country’s position is greatly determined by the oil business across the globe’s marketing structure. One of the ways to protect the states economical state is by ensuring the industries producing the product to thrive more. A lack of oil in the country and source of natural gas would make the country experience an economical dysfunction (Tom, 2011).

There have been different sources of natural gas that have been tried to be implemented in relation to oil as a source of natural gas. But these other energies some are either considered to be expensive for an individual to afford, others are considered unreliable. Not all energy sources tend to be reliable; some of them vary depending on the conditions of the environment it is exposed to. Some of them are difficult to use. With the different ideas of improvising different type of energies, not every individual will have the skills to use them.

This accident was recorded back in the year 2010. Oil drilling platforms took place two years after the spill. The spill incident however was not the first accident to take place in the waters of Mexico. A similar incident once took place back in the year 2004 (Great Britain, 2011). Recent event was recognized to be one of the worst and largest oil spill in United States history. It is important to note that such a disaster might be avoided if all the set precautions would have been followed to the end. Some of the Ethical issues that were violated include federal rules, there was a mindful ignorance of the risks that were known like limitations of control machines. Poor management and training exercise could have been consciously disregarded or not done properly, lack of emergency bridge responses, detection and response to vita indicators and lack of well control responses. Deviation from the standard of care meaning employees were not cautioned on the regulations, and compliance issues concerning the company. On the other hand the company failed to inform the federal regulators of the changes in drilling plans that were taking place.

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

This spill came about many effects both in relation to the Unites States economy and the Mexican peoples’ way of life. Effects faced because of the oil spillage include:

During the leakage of the oil tanks in the exportation ships, death of the workers was recorded. The ships used which were worth to the U.S government were destroyed in the process. A disturbing number of the ocean creatures were seen through the area of spillage and the surrounding environment (Melissa, 2013). Spillage of the oil continued to extend its coverage in ocean waters. Contamination of the water affected the people health system. It reduced the Mexicans life expectancy. Study carried out showed that water creatures present around the spillage were carriers of low concentration of oil (Doug, 2012). The death of the fish had a great impact as it affected both the economies of the two countries.

A challenge faced in the economic state between the two countries. The deaths of the fish in the country made it experience an economic down fall. Public relation between the oiling company and its targeted market was destroyed. It now becomes like a usual behavior for the oil to spill in the Mexican gulf (Courtney, 2011). With business relation destroyed, it was hard for the two countries to engage in a business partnership. Through the relation interference, the oil business in the international market was integrated. Employment opportunities were lost in the oiling company. Fishermen in the Mexican state could not be able to continue with their fishing activities leaving them jobless and forcing them to look for another way to earn their income.

As a natural resource the ocean was no longer reliable. It dependency reduced as its value depreciated. Local environmental conditions had played a role in the spread of the oil. Currents, tides, weather (storm), wind direction and speed and different air temperatures.

Diversification is an important aspect in any business and especially in an oil company. The oil spillage causing a great depression in the economics’ state, the United States government has its different measures set up to take into use this marketing strategy and make it successful once again. It is a business plan, advised to an individual running a business either at local level or internationally. According to the report, The United States oiling company has many other companies in other countries which produce several products and services in relation to oil as their main product.

Solutions implemented by the States’ government

Compensation on the damage caused is inevitable. The profit gained from the marketing of their other products, is used to restore the business relationship to the Mexican people.

The States government was with the damage caused to the Mexicans people the least it could do is to try to clean up the spillage of the oil. Oil not so good with water it cannot be able to react to it. Talking or reacting with water, what I’m trying to say is since water cannot mix oil, it floats with water (Institute of Medicine, 2010). This can be a problem as it will tend to increase in its coverage. Clean up strategies are formed to clean the water. The water however cannot be all clean from the oil composition so reduction of the volume of oil present is the only best method present.

Physical barriers methods used control the oil in a specific are for easier collection. By the help of scientists, the implementation of chemicals in cleaning of the oil. The chemicals break down the oil into smaller particles for easier absorption of the water. Another method of water cleaning is by speeding up of the oil’s natural biodegradation by using of methods such as dispersants. Distribution of oil is one of the most important functions. This function avoids wastage of the end product, since once they are produced it has to meet the end user.

The most effective methods implied by the united states government include; Injecting dispersant at the sea floor to break up the layer of the oil, introduction of relief wells, installation of pressure control equipment at the well, introduction of steel boxes to control spread of the oil and lastly closing blowouts which was not quite effective as the rest. Regulations and agencies should be set up to monitor the offshore drilling and well producing activities so that it’s adequate. Improving pre spill preparedness and planning and this means communication, spill responses activities and coordination are the contingency plans that should implemented. State and even local agencies will actively involve themselves in developing biennial drills and exercises. Regional Contingency Plans (RCPs) and Area Contingency Plan (ARPs) should be adopted so that organization is better, deployment and management protocols for the vessels program and oil spill reaction companies. These plans are to show value on airborne monitoring and analyzing tidal results and flow patterns in forecasting the flow of oil that spills.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Oil is considered as a major source of economic income in the United States. Fact that the states oil company with its other small industries situated in different regions meaning that the end products depend on the region that the industry is located. Export is valued as one of the major business idea setup in marketing of business products. With the accident of the oil spillage causing its effects in both countries, this cannot force the two countries from engaging in business transactions. We can learn so much from the oil spillage like failure to prepare for such a crisis. A simple analysis of SWOT (Strength, weaknesses, opportunity, and threats) would have shown chances that such a disaster would happen. We also learn that the company lacked  enough facts with regard to the spillage and this would have ensured credibility from the onset. Lastly, no one wanted to take up the blame and this means, no one wanted to be responsible of the mess that the spillage caused.

References

Courtney, F., (2011). Gulf of Mexico Oil spill. ABDO.

Doug, N., (2012). This is PR: The realities of public relations. Cengage Learning.

Great Britain, (2011). UK deep water drilling: Implication of the Gulf of Mexico oil Spill.The Stationery Office.

Institute of Medicine, (2010). Research Properties for Assessing Health Effects from the Gulf of Mexico oil Spill. National Academic Press.

Melissa, K.M., (2013). Framing Environmental Disaster. Routledge.

Tom, B., (2011). Spill and Spin. Random House.