The production of oil is a multi-billion dollar industry that affects the world on many different levels including environmental and economic, and these affects could be considered either positive or negative. Although there are many products of oil that people rely on every day, oil drilling has long been a controversial topic. Oil spills that endanger wild life and create pollution, and wars fought over lands that contain oil have been just a few of the damaging concerns that become heavily debated when the subject of oil is tackled. The upsides to these debates are the money it generates, the employment opportunities, and the products created using oil such as, gasoline, concrete, plastic, and even some clothes we wear. While oil may also be used to heat houses and generate electricity, one of its major uses is as a fuel.
A huge tanker ship is traveling the icy waters near Alaska en-route to an unknown destination. This tanker has engine trouble which leads to an explosion. Part of the hull is destroyed and a black liquid begins to pour out into the ocean surrounding the ship. Helicopters from the coast guard can be seen trying to rescue the stranded crew members and also contain this disaster. Every news station is doing their best to keep you up to date with the latest on this breaking news. Days later, those same news crews bring you video coverage of the wild life affected by this tragedy. Whales, fish, and birds covered in this black, sticky liquid are shown. Then there are scenes of people capturing animals and removing them from their homes in hopes that they will be able to save their lives. What you have just witnessed is an oil spill.
This story is similar to what really happened on March 23, 1989 i...
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...8, September 5). Alaska permanent fund divident 2008 (Alaska PFD) amount for every Alaska resident is a record $3269. Retrieved January 20, 2010, from Trendite: http://www.trendite.net/2008/09/05/alaska-permanent-fund-dividend-2008-alaska-pfd-amount-for-every-alaska-resident-is-a-record-3269/
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In 1908, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) predicted that the total future supply of U.S. oil would not exceed 23 billion barrels. In 1914, the U.S. Bureau of Mines predicted that only 5.7 billion barrels of oil remained. In 1920, the USGS proclaimed the peak in U.S. oil production was almost reached. In 1939, the Department of Interior declared that there was only 13 years of oil production remaining. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter claimed, “We are now running out of oil.” Despite these predictions, the U.S. has produced over 200 billion barrels of oil since the early 1900’s. (The Futurist, 1997)
How low will gas go? Since the 19th century, gas has gradually become a necessity for mankind. It has been used for lighting our houses, to produce heat, to cook our food and to run our vehicles. As time passes, the price of gas has seen many changes in Montreal. By the year of 2008 the price was relatively low, but suddenly became very high in 2014.
U.S. Energy Information Association. "U.S. Total Crude Oil and Products Imports." Eia.doe.gov. Web. 26 May 2011. .
The United States relies on imports for about forty percent of its crude oil, which is the lowest rate of dependency since 1991 according to the U.S Energy Information Administration. Today our country is trying to keep on track in becoming less and less dependent. When it comes to the topic of the future ways the United States will get its fuel, most of us readily agree that the United States should become more independent by using natural gas that is already here on our land. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of the consequences drilling for natural gas brings. Whereas some are convinced drilling is safe, others maintain that it is actually in fact dangerous. Hydraulic fracturing or "fracking", the terms for drilling for natural gas, is dangerous to our public health and to the environment because of the water contamination it causes. Therefore, it is not something that should become a project for alternative fuel used by the United States.
The modern world of today runs on fossil fuels with crude oil being the live blood of industrialized countries. Though much of the twentieth century old was plentiful easily acquired and low in cost it has only been in the past thirty years that we have seen oil prices rise substantially. This can be attributed to many different reason. These price changes have challenged the industrialized world to become more creative with their techniques of both acquiring oil and using it.
Because it is the most highly publicized of the different forms of ocean pollution, oil spills, oil leakages, and general oil contamination are something that we all seem to be aware of. Since the Exxon Valdez incident, the American public in particular has been more and more critical of oil companies.Each year, over 700 million gallons of oil end up in the ocean. Contrary to what you may have thought, most oil pollution doesn't come from tanker accidents. In fact, tanker accidents account for less than 90 million of the g...
Most people believe that one man-made natural disaster would teach us to be better, but we have learned that history repeats itself. The Exxon Valdez oil spill (in 1989) and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, or BP oil spill, (in 2010) were both devastating oil spills that shocked the nation. The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred due to a tanker grounding. The BP oil spill was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform. These two oil spills were both disasters and had greater effects in certain categories. In this essay, I will be comparing the cause of both oil spills, the damage/effect of both oil spills, and the cleanup of each oil spill.
" Oil is the life blood of our modern industrial society. It fuels the machines and lubricates the wheels of the world’s production. But when that vital resource is out of control, it can destroy marine life and devastate the environment and economy of an entire region…. The plain facts are that the technology of oil-- its extraction, its transport, its refinery and use-- has outpaced laws to control that technology and prevent oil from polluting the environment…" (Max, 1969). Oil in its many forms has become one of the necessities of modern industrial life. Under control, and serving its intended purpose, oil is efficient, versatile, and productive. On the other hand, when oil becomes out of control, it can be one of the most devastating substances in the environment. When spilled in water, it spreads for miles around leaving a black memory behind (Stanley, 1969).
finding new ways to drill for oil and also refine it more efficiently to ensure that
Crude oil is a strategic product, in the sense that it is a most necessary fuel for all industries of nations in the world. While crude oil is a most strategy input for productions, transportations, and national defends, whoever have control over this source of energy will dominate over other countries, so in addition to supply and demand factors that affect the price, consumers must pay attention to the producers and export countries that can use this product as a weapon. Such as during and after the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the oil giant Saudi Arab, members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed an oil embargo against the United States and other Western European countries, which including the Netherlands, Portugal,
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a petrostate. It is a petrostate in the sense that the oil sector dominates the national economy and international exports. (Colgan 226) This is due to Saudi Arabia’s one crop economy, oil. (Ali 100) Oil accounts for 70-80% of the state revenue as well as roughly 95% of export revenues. Before the discovery of oil in the 1930s, the economy rested on Islamic pilgrims. Containing the Grand Mosque, Al-Masjid al-Haram, Saudi Arabia gets a large influx of believers every year for the Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam. During this time of year, income was made by food and shelter sold to the travelers. This was enough to support the state, but not enough to make it the monetary power it is today. What allowed for Saudi Arabia’s climb in the world economic ladder was oil. Oil has been a valuable industrial resource since the beginning of World War 1. Since then the demand for oil has progressively become higher and higher amongst industrial nations, allowing for oil rich states to receive large amounts of affluence. Among these oil rich states is Saudi Arabia, the region with the highest capacity for oil production out of the entire Middle East. From their remarkably high oil production, Saudi Arabia was able to gain considerable amounts of wealth and political significance. Oil in Saudi Arabia politically affected the Saudi government in both their foreign and domestic policy by providing economic power, the ability to fund wars, the ability to use economic diplomacy.
The oil & gas industry is among the largest industries in the world. The sector generates large revenues and employs a large number of people in order to meet the worldwide demand for energy.
PUMP PRICE FOR GASOLINE (US DOLLAR PER LITER) IN AFGHANISTAN. 2010. Photograph. World Bank Indicators - afghanistan - TransportationWeb. 4 Dec 2013.
The worst imaginable environmental catastrophe that could occur in Maryland has just become a reality. The lifeblood of Southern Maryland's Watermen has been forever affected. The ecosystems of the Patuxtent River and Chesapeake Bay have been irreversibly contaminated. The Three Mile Island and Chernobyl Nuclear Accidents have affected the world ecosystems; but the Chalk Point oil spill has reached us here in Southern Maryland. The ethical considerations with generating electricity from fossil fuels, specifically oil, has a profound impact on us all. We all use electricity to make our lives easier and more productive. By using this electricity have we given our permission for the oil companies free reign in order to provide us with the service we demand?? Are we just as responsible for the oil spill as the corporate leaders who run the companies? As citizens we are in a position to develop and enforce regulations to protect ourselves. Do we also protect the environment; or is the environment just something for us to use? These and many other moral dilemmas exist for modern man.
Currency Fluctuation, What is Currency Fluctuation, 2014. Available at: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-currency-fluctuations.htm Retrieved at 6th April 2014