Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay

There are a few things that are needed in order for man to survive, food, water, shelter, and an energy source. In the beginning fire was that energy source used to keep humans warm and to cook their food. These days energy is in other forms such as nuclear, wind, solar, and of course, petroleum (oil) and are all needed for survival. Oil was, at one time, plentiful and considered more of a nuisance for those who were drilling wells for water in the US because it would seep into the wells. Early uses for the oil were for machinery lubrication and burning in lamps. It wasn’t until the invention of the internal combustion engine, which made life and manufacturing so much simpler, that oil became of more interest. In the late 1800s John D.†¦show more content†¦Because it is considered such a precious commodity oil has been at the center of many disputes both foreign and domestic. In the 1970s there were two incidents that came in the form of an oil embargo and an energy crisis that caused the price of oil to skyrocket. Then in the 1980s there was a slow in the economy, an excess in oil, and income for OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) fell. Saudi Arabia, producers of approximately 40 percent of all the petroleum of OPEC, purposely drove the price of oil down by deliberately pumping approximately 10 million barrels a day which was close to 2 million over their self-imposed limit of 8 and a half million barrels a day. The Saudis preferred a continual and deliberate climb in crude oil prices instead of price gouging like Libya, Iran and Iraq (Beckwith, Byron, White). Operation Desert Storm and the Gulf War in the 1990s caused the price of oil to slide even more. And America continued to use more oil thereby becoming increasingly reliant on the importing of foreign oil. This reliance on oil from other countries has become the center for many political debates. After 911 it was even more evident that â€Å"terrorist† nations could potentially hold America hostage by cutting oil supplies. Republicans argue that such countries are dangerous and should not be allowed to dictate oil consumption and prices to Americans.Show MoreRelatedDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay1078 Words   |  5 PagesIn the wake of one of the worst oil spills since the Exxon-Valdez disaster, a massive inquiry into the underlying cause of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy has begun. Many people are wondering if this was a case of poor engineering, corporate greed, negligence, or even simple operator failure. Regardless of the cause, the crude oil is beginning to reach the United States coastline, and a guaranteed fix for the leak is nowhere in sight. In todays technologically advanced world, when a disaster likeRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling and the Deepwater Horizon Spill of the Gulf of Mexico1591 Words   |  7 PagesOil is a very important fossil fuel that is used for various sources of energy. Oil supplies power to industries, fuel for transportation, heat for buildings, and provides raw material for plastics, paints, textiles, and other materials (hybrid cars). To access this fossil fuel, oil drilling is used. Land-based oil drilling became less productive and as the global stipulation for energy increased, technology, law, and geology impacts stepped in and pushed the exploration of oil away from shores (CITE)Read MoreImpact Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill During The Gulf Of Mexico On The Local Environment1501 Words   |  7 PagesCASE STUDY IMPACT OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION The Gulf of Mexico covers an area of 600,000 square miles and is located between Mexico, Cuba and the United States (Tunell, 2011). Home to 15,419 recorded marine species; the Gulf of Mexico boasts a dynamic ecosystem, which includes 1511 endemic species. The position of the gulf between temperate and tropical waters provides one of the reasons for its vast biodiversity (Campagna et alRead MoreThe Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 20101542 Words   |  7 PagesBP Gulf Oil Spill 1 Running Head: BP GULF OIL SPILL The Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 Terry D. Bollman Park University BP Gulf Oil Spill 2 British Petroleum’s Roll in the Gulf Oil Spill This paper will explain some of the effects of three legal issues and three ethical issues surrounding the London-based British Petroleum Company’s involvement in the explosion of the offshore oilRead More The Oil Spill is Affecting Animals, but What About the Government?1204 Words   |  5 Pagesreliant on fossil fuels such as oil for energy. Oil fuels our car, warms our homes, generates our electricity, and creates a myriad of goods including everything that contains plastic. In our global economy, oil must be transported great distances to reach markets throughout the world. With seemingly increasing frequency, these journeys sometimes end in accidents that result in oil being spilled into the ocean. The most devastating oil spill, The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, occurred on April twentiethRead MorePollution : Why Is It Important?1288 Words   |  6 PagesImportant? Oil spills are difficult to clean up in the Gulf of Mexico. Spills like BP’s 4.9 million barrels spill are even harder to clean up. One of the reasons for this difficult task is that oil spills are never alike. It is estimated that approximately 706 million gallons of oil enter the ocean every year. Offshore drilling and production operations and spills from ships or tankers typically contribute less than 8 percent of the total that enter the ocean each year. The majority of the oil enteringRead MoreBp Oil Explosion in the Gulf of Mexico1412 Words   |  6 Pagesits worst oil spill disasters in the history of marine petroleum exploration. A deadly oil well blowout at Macondo Prospect, about 41 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana, spewed huge quantities of oil for 87 long days causing major environmental and economic troubles to the Gulf region (Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill). It started with a fire and explosion, killing 11 workers, and then unleashed a slow motion disaster that spread across the 600 mile gulf coastline. The massive oil spill disruptedRead MoreBp Deepwater Horizon Case Analysis Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pagesethical conduct concerning the Deep Horizon blowout Background: The Deepwater Horizon oil spill or the BP oil spill refers to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in 2010. The spill was a result of the explosion of Deepwater Horizon, which drilled on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. The explosion killed 11 men working on the platform and injured 17 others (Summarized from Wikipedia article on: â€Å"Deepwater Horizon oil spill† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spillRead More Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Environment1549 Words   |  7 PagesThe Deepwater Horizon spill occurred on 20 April 2010 and was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 workers and injured 17 more. The drilling rig, located 66 kilometers southeast of the Louisiana coast, left an oil gusher that was finally capped on July 15, almost 2 months later. This was the largest accidental marine oil spill in history and the largest offshore environmental disaster in the Unit ed States (Telegraph, New York Times, BBC News). It is estimatedRead MoreMultinational Gas And Oil Company1624 Words   |  7 Pagesa multinational gas and oil company based in the United Kingdom. Operating in over 80 countries and producing around 3.4 million barrels of oil a day, BP is the third-largest energy company in the world behind Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. The company is involved in all aspects of the process including exploration, production, refining, and distribution. The largest division is BP America with 16 total refineries and the more leases on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than any competitor (BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay In the wake of one of the worst oil spills since the Exxon-Valdez disaster, a massive inquiry into the underlying cause of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy has begun. Many people are wondering if this was a case of poor engineering, corporate greed, negligence, or even simple operator failure. Regardless of the cause, the crude oil is beginning to reach the United States coastline, and a guaranteed fix for the leak is nowhere in sight. In todays technologically advanced world, when a disaster like this occurs it is the responsibility of those involved to do what is ethically right, and to immediately take action with all available resources without pointing fingers. The Yale University sociologist Charles Perrow believes that some†¦show more content†¦19, 20). While it is feasible that some unforeseen circumstances may be to blame, which is consistent with Perrows theories, the clean-up effort has not prevented the oil spill from reaching land. When the contract was grante d to BP, they accepted responsibility for the cleanup of a spill fifty times larger than the one currently plaguing the Gulf of Mexico, yet they still have not shown any firm, pre-meditated plans for the cleanup of the coastal waters. So when Mr. McKay testified that the Transocean blowout preventer failed to stop the leak, one must wonder how this is in any way significant to the situation at hand (Clayton, 2010, p. 1 par. 3). Rather than shifting the blame to a contractor in charge of the oil rig, it is BPs responsibility to fix the mess now. The environmental impact of an oil spill can last for decades. In 1969, an oil tanker ran aground in Buzzards Bay Massachusetts, spilling 175,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the marine ecosystem. According to Dr. Judy McDowell and Christopher Reddy, two scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, it took about a decade for the normal inhabitants of the bay to return. Whats more troubling, is that even 40 years later, soil sam ples still reek of diesel fuel (Guarino Spotts, 2010, p. 2). This kind of damage can have an irreparable effect on the gulf states economies. If it takes 10Show MoreRelatedDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay2106 Words   |  9 Pagespetroleum (oil) and are all needed for survival. Oil was, at one time, plentiful and considered more of a nuisance for those who were drilling wells for water in the US because it would seep into the wells. Early uses for the oil were for machinery lubrication and burning in lamps. It wasn’t until the invention of the internal combustion engine, which made life and manufacturing so much simpler, that oil became of more interest. In the late 1800s John D. Rockefeller started one of the first oil companyRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling and the Deepwater Horizon Spill of the Gulf of Mexico1591 Words   |  7 PagesOil is a very important fossil fuel that is used for various sources of energy. Oil supplies power to industries, f uel for transportation, heat for buildings, and provides raw material for plastics, paints, textiles, and other materials (hybrid cars). To access this fossil fuel, oil drilling is used. Land-based oil drilling became less productive and as the global stipulation for energy increased, technology, law, and geology impacts stepped in and pushed the exploration of oil away from shores (CITE)Read MoreImpact Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill During The Gulf Of Mexico On The Local Environment1501 Words   |  7 PagesCASE STUDY IMPACT OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION The Gulf of Mexico covers an area of 600,000 square miles and is located between Mexico, Cuba and the United States (Tunell, 2011). Home to 15,419 recorded marine species; the Gulf of Mexico boasts a dynamic ecosystem, which includes 1511 endemic species. The position of the gulf between temperate and tropical waters provides one of the reasons for its vast biodiversity (Campagna et alRead MoreThe Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 20101542 Words   |  7 PagesBP Gulf Oil Spill 1 Running Head: BP GULF OIL SPILL The Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 Terry D. Bollman Park University BP Gulf Oil Spill 2 British Petroleum’s Roll in the Gulf Oil Spill This paper will explain some of the effects of three legal issues and three ethical issues surrounding the London-based British Petroleum Company’s involvement in the explosion of the offshore oilRead More The Oil Spill is Affecting Animals, but What About the Government?1204 Words   |  5 Pagesreliant on fossil fuels such as oil for energy. Oil fuels our car, warms our homes, generates our electricity, and creates a myriad of goods including everything that contains plastic. In our global economy, oil must be transported great distances to reach markets throughout the world. With seemingly increasing frequency, these journeys sometimes end in accidents that result in oil being spilled into the ocean. The most devastating oil spill, The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, occurred on April twentiethRead MorePollution : Why Is It Important?1288 Words   |  6 PagesImportant? Oil spills are difficult to clean up in the Gulf of Mexico. Spills like BP’s 4.9 million barrels spill are even harder to clean up. One of the reasons for this difficult task is that oil spills are never alike. It is estimated that approximately 706 million gallons of oil enter the ocean every year. Offshore drilling and production operations and spills from ships or tankers typically contribute less than 8 percent of the total that enter the ocean each year. The majority of the oil enteringRead MoreBp Oil Explosion in the Gulf of Mexico1412 Words   |  6 Pagesits worst oil spill disasters in the history of marine petroleum exploration. A deadly oil well blowout at Macondo Prospect, about 41 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana, spewed huge quantities of oil for 87 long days causing major environmental and economic troubles to the Gulf region (Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill). It started with a fire and explosion, killing 11 workers, and then unleashed a slow motion disaster that spread across the 600 mile gulf coastline. The massive oil spill disruptedRead MoreBp Deepwater Horizon Case Analysis Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pagesethical conduct concerning the Deep Horizon blowout Background: The Deepwater Horizon oil spill or the BP oil spill refers to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in 2010. The spill was a result of the explosion of Deepwater Horizon, which drilled on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. The explosion killed 11 men working on the platform and injured 17 others (Summarized from Wikipedia article on: â€Å"Deepwater Horizon oil spill† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spillRead More Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Environment1549 Words   |  7 PagesThe Deepwater Horizon spill occurred on 20 April 2010 and was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 workers and injured 17 more. The drilling rig, located 66 kilometers southeast of the Louisiana coast, left an oil gusher that was finally capped on July 15, almost 2 months later. This was the largest accidental marine oil spill in history and the largest offshore environmental disaster in the Unit ed States (Telegraph, New York Times, BBC News). It is estimatedRead MoreMultinational Gas And Oil Company1624 Words   |  7 Pagesa multinational gas and oil company based in the United Kingdom. Operating in over 80 countries and producing around 3.4 million barrels of oil a day, BP is the third-largest energy company in the world behind Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. The company is involved in all aspects of the process including exploration, production, refining, and distribution. The largest division is BP America with 16 total refineries and the more leases on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than any competitor (BP