Offshore Drilling - 1527 Words

Offshore Drilling Does anything out weigh the importance of our planet’s health? You would be surprised by the number of people who look the other way when it comes to keeping the planet clean. Offshore drilling is just one of the major environmental issues that has existed for many years and still continues to be a problem. The topic of offshore drilling not only touches on environmental issues but also political, economic, and ethical issues. All of these tie into the huge debate over offshore drilling and its impacts on the environment. But when the human race depends on oil, how can we ignore the fact of drilling for oil off the coast of our land. Investing in greenhouse energy is just one of several ways to help keep the†¦show more content†¦Still people make the argument that oil is just too important to stop drilling and that if anything we should drill more. Again author Margaret Haerens talks about how â€Å"According to the nation academy of Sciences, curre nt cleanup methods can only remove a small fraction of the oil spilled into the ocean, leaving the remaining oil to continue affecting ocean ecosystems over time† (126). The long term impacts of offshore spills continue to corrupt the oceans and who knows when they will completely be gone. The effects of the oil directly on sea life such as sea birds, fish, shellfish, and other sea life are extremely dangers. â€Å"Studies have shown that tiny amounts of oil – as little as one part per billion – can harm pink salmon and cause their eggs to fail† (Haerens Margaret). Imagine swimming in the ocean when a large pool of toxic oils comes floating along right into you when you are trying to enjoy a day at the beach. Not only is offshore drilling have one of the longest lasting ecological impacts on society and living things on and off shore, it effects our economy as well. But is offshore drilling hurting the economy more than it is helping? At this point in my research is was pretty clear that it was. Author Margaret Haerens, goes to great detail concerning the price of oil and its effects of drilling more of it by saying â€Å"Oil spills exact a serious toll on costal economies, including our approximately 35 billion commercialShow MoreRelatedThe Drilling For Offshore Drilling1433 Words   |  6 Pagesto make the choice whether we want to be more self-reliance or have a safer environment. That brings us to the subject of offshore drilling in regards to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Offshore drilling is the process of drilling for oil offshore in places such oceans or sea beds through an oil rig. Sound like something non-complex. Many would assume that offshore drilling could not have very much effect in regards to onshore. The most politically correct way for a person to decide where theyRead MoreDrilling Rigs : Offshore Drilling5013 Words à ‚  |  21 Pages An offshore drilling rig is a machine that creates holes (usually called wells or boreholes) and/or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be huge structures that house equipment which is then used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas wells. The term â€Å"rig† refers to the complexity of the equipment that is used to penetrate deep into the surface of the earth’s hard crust. Offshore drilling is a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled through the seabed. Typically carried outRead MoreEssay on Offshore Drilling3083 Words   |  13 PagesOffshore Drilling What is it? Drilling for oil in the ocean is one of the greatest technological breakthroughs in recent decades, and many new techniques have been developed to profit from the abundance of oil underneath the ocean floor. While drilling for oil has been around for hundreds of years in one form or the another, the effective extraction of petroleum from beneath the sea floor did not surface until the last forty years. The search for oil often turns out to be unproductive, butRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling2928 Words   |  12 Pageseveryone love swimming in the ocean and seeing all the pretty sea life? Some people do, and when people are offshore drilling they can cause a lot of problems if something goes wrong. The biggest concern by environmentalist is not a spill, but the pollution of the air and water, damage to the ocean bottom and debris that washes ashore from day-to-day operations of oil and gas rigs. Oil Drilling can lead to jobs being endangered, animals dying, and damaging the eco system. So many animals are dying becauseRead MoreEthical Issues Of Offshore Drilling1008 Words   |  5 Pages Ethical Issues of Offshore Drilling As we know today, and have known for many years, BP is not just a local gas station that we go to sometimes to fill up our tanks. BP is a HUGE Multi-Billion dollar company! Many people believe they get there oil mostly from the mid-east but they’re also a company (or industry) that does offshore drilling for oil that is refined into a much more stable state that doesn’t blow up cars as soon as ignition occurs. Off shore drilling by definition on BP’s mainRead MoreThe Disadvantages Of Oil Drilling Offshore2181 Words   |  9 Pages The Disadvantages of Oil Drilling In Environmentally Sensitive Areas In The United States Oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas in the United States had been an ongoing controversial problem for a very long time. There are so many opinions along with outlooks on the present topic. Many people are against oil drilling offshore because of the issues that it creates. However, there are many critics that agree with drilling in environmentally sensitive areas because they do not worry aboutRead MoreDeepwater Horizon Was An Offshore Drilling Rig966 Words   |  4 PagesHorizon was an offshore drilling rig built in 2001 in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries. In September 2009, the rig drilled the deepest oil well in history with a vertical depth of 35,050 feet. An unplanned flow of well fluids into the wellbore can be dangerous as it could cause a blowout which would then cause a fire. In order to prevent this, driller’s pump a drilling mud into the well, creating a barrier between the undersea oil and gas and the rig. The safety of the drilling crew reliesRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling and the Deepwater Horizon Spill of the Gulf of Mexico1591 Words   |  7 Pagesfossil 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). With its historical background, offshore oil drilling is one of the most important aspects of today’s economy although we are faced with its risks and consequences, such as the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion of the Gulf of Mexico. Offshore oil drilling is known asRead MoreThe Effects Of Drilling On Offshore Drilling1667 Words   |  7 Pagestremendous devastation and pollution to the ecosystem. Discussion about offshore oil drilling and regulations was inevitable after the spill. In President Obama’s Oval Office speech after the spill, he makes a claim that offshore drilling must be more strictly regulated, and a shift towards clean, renewable energy must be made. In light of this disaster this is a controversial claim due to the United States current reliance on offshore drilling and the scandalously close relationship between oil companiesRead MoreOffshore Drilling Essay1518 Words   |  7 Pagesexpanded their search for offshore oil. Approximately 25% of oil produced in the U.S. comes from offshore rigs. Due to environmental concerns following an oil spill off the coast of California in 1969, an offshore drilling suspension was put in place. Since then, America has amplified its expenditure of ene rgy to nearly 25% of the worlds oil. Meanwhile, the U.S. produces about 10% of the worlds oil, because much of America’s coastline has been out of commission for oil drilling since the early 1980’s