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The existence of crude oil has been known for centuries, and throughout time the growing demand for the resource has driven the exploration, and production to its highest expansion. The Earths' natural reserve of crude oil is finite; it is not a renewable resource. Corn and Copeland stated that based on survey studies one-half of the remaining undiscovered crude oil and natural gas lie under the oceans and seas. According to the book "Public Reaction to Offshore Oil", the demand for crude oil is still increasing and there is no doubt, the resource is depleting and in the future, the world's production will be forced to start declining. Even though water bodies are extremely sensitive ecosystem, as demand for petroleum keeps rising and technological innovations developed offshore drilling introduced to satisfy the rising demand (Corn, and Copeland). There is no doubt oil-drilling, in general, and offshore drilling, in particular, is playing a great role in reaching the ongoing demand for the resource, which immensely benefit our energy and industrial craving. However, this resource exploitation is also costing in ecosystem degradation, environmental pollution, and social health imbalance. Does the existing trend of exponential expansion of offshore oil-drilling exploration and production following the path towards sustainable economic and environmental development?
Based on the article "Offshore Drilling", the term offshore drilling refers to both exploration and final producing of wells accessing underwater resource reservoirs of oil and gas deposits. The first offshore drilling was done on the Pacific Ocean off the shores of Summerland, California, Southeast of Santa Barbara, in 1898. The technological breakthrough that faci...
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...evelopment can only happen if the society is well informed about economic and environmental activities.
Works Cited
Corn, M. Lynne and Copeland, Claudia“The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response.”Congressional Research Service (July 7, 2010).
Mabro, Robert; Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Oil in the 21st century: issues, challenges and opportunities. Oxford Press.(2006).
“Offshore Drilling." Green Energy: An A-to-Z Guide. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications,2010. Credo Reference. Web. 11 November 2013.
"Offshore Oil Drilling (Gulf Oil Spill)." Green Technology: An A-to-Z Guide. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2011. Credo Reference. Web. 11 November 2013
"Public Reaction to Offshore Oil." Encyclopedia of Energy. Oxford: Elsevier Science & Technology, 2004. Credo Reference. Web. 11 November 2013..
There is an abundance of oil underneath earth’s crust on land and in the water but getting to that oil can be proven as a challenge and a negative impact on the earth. Many of these oil reservoirs lie in federally protected land or water to minimize the negative impact on the earth. But should those restrictions be removed? Removing the restrictions can allow the US to tap into domestic reserves rather than rely on imported oil from the Middle East and Asia but tapping these reservoirs can also leave behind an impact that is harmful to this planet. “Critics oppose this move for fear that it will cause irreparable harm environmental harm. They point to the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as evidence of the risks associated with offshore drilling” (SIRS).
Pratt, Joseph A. “Exxon and the Control of Oil.” Journal of American History. 99.1 (2012): 145-154. Academic search elite. Web. 26. Jan. 2014.
As the head of Shell Oil Company, Marvin E. Odum argues for the expansion of offshore drilling in his article; making claims for the benefit of the United States. His article covers the fact that America has become highly dependent on imported oil from foreign countries and that this is no help to the economic crisis of today. With a few facts for backup, Odum discusses the benefits that the expansion of offshore drilling will bring to the United States. Being the president of Shell Oil, his credibility on the topic is undeniable, as he makes his argument for expansion.
People need oil for daily life and work. Since World War II, oil has caused many serious problems in the United States and throughout the world. Remarkably, economic and social problems were heightened by the emerging energy crisis. By 1974, the United States gained a third of its oil by importing from the Middle East. James Oakes, et al.
Scarlett, M. (1977). Consequences of offshore oil and gas-Norway,Scotland, and Newfoundland. St. John's: Memorial University of Newfoundland.
The United States has had several scares throughout its history in terms of oil, most turn out to be over exaggerations of a small event. However, these scares highlight a massive issue with the U.S. and that issue is the U.S.’s dependence on foreign oil. Why does it matter that our oil should come from over seas? In a healthy economy this probably wouldn’t be as relevant, but the U.S.’s economy is not exactly healthy at the moment. There are 4 things that I would like to address: what the problem is, how it affects us, what some solutions are, and what solutions I feel are best.
In ancient times Babylonians used oil as mortar, Native Americans used oil as a topical medicine, and, before electricity, oil was used to create light. Mankind has been dependant on oil as a resource for generations. It has influenced growth, warfare, and technological advancement, but what if mankind were to run out (Alois)? The possibility of this eventuality was first vocalized by M. King Hubbert who introduced the notion of “peak oil.” When global oil production “peaks” it reaches its greatest output level and then permanently declines (Hubbert). There is much debate as to whether this “peak” exists, has already been passed, or will be passed in the near future. Despite the debate there is one undeniable fact; there is a finite amount of oil since it is a non renewable resource. Considering a sudden systemic collapse of all oil production seems unlikely, oil will probably be replaced gradually. This loss of oil could be positive; possibly less CO2 would enter the atmosphere and global warming may be stalled. However, the success of this transition away from fossil fuels will be largely dependant on the ability of developed nations to manage their time. If the US, or any other nation, is going to be successful, they need to start now.
The environmental danger taken by offshore drilling is very straight forward, made clear by oil spills such as the recent BP oil spill and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 off the shore of Alaska. In the circumstances of the Exxon Valdez spill up to 250,000 sea birds died, over 2,800 sea otters and thousands of other animals], (figures from the BP oil spill are not yet concluded), having had a heavy strike on the regional wildlife and directing to a ban on all offshore drilling in America, until George Bush overturned it in 2008 to this repeal was a misjudgment because two years later there was the Deepwater Horizon spill. In this way, offshore drilling ruins ecosystems and fish supplies which creates a wasteland of a shoreline among southern USA.
There are three exploratory oil rigs that have been drilling under contract for several years along the Angola coast. Each oil rig owned by a United States drilling company. The case study focuses on a small oil rig called the “Explorer IV” housing 180 staff, 30 of these being American expatriate workers or “Expat”, and the top administrator in authority regarding life on the rig is an Expat himself. The purpose of the oil rig’s purpose is for drilling oil and to house all of the staff drilling and operating the rig. The rig is approximately 200 feet by 100 feet so cramped and tight living spaces is to be expected. However, there is a difference in living quarters, quality of food, medical care, and means of transportation between the Angolan’s and the Expats.
12) Brad A. Andres (1997) The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Disrupted the Breeding of Black Oystercatchers. The Journal of Wildlife Management. Vol. 61, no. 4 pp. 1322-1328
Swift, W.H, . C.J. Touhill, W.L. Templeton, and D.P. Roseman. 1969. Oil spillage prevention, control, and restoration—state of the art and research needs. Washington, D.C.: The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
In the three months that it took to finally put a stop to the leak, 4.9 million barrels of oil were released into the ocean. The spill caused considerable damage to marine and wildlife habitats and the Gulf’s fishing and tourism industries. The White House energy advisor, Carol Browner, goes as far as to say that the Deepwater oil spill is the “worst environmental disaster the US has faced”. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has had an extremely negative effect on the surrounding wildlife and ecosystem. Oil spreads across the gulf, contaminating any living organism that comes into direct or indirect contact with it.
Winston A, 2010, Five Lessons from the BP Oil Spill, Harvard Business Review, accessed 1 April 2014,
Mast, Tom R. Over a Barrel: A Simple Guide to the Oil Shortage. Austin: Hayden, 2005. Print.
As we have discussed, petroleum, natural gas, and its industries are a major factor in our economy. Oil and natural gas’s history, operations, environmental impacts, and present and future challenges demonstrate the importance of these non-renewable natural resources. The exploration of oil will continue to expand through the study of geoscience, engineering, and most importantly, technology. Midstream, containing the main operations of oil and gas, is improving each year in efficient processes for transporting, refining, and storing oil and gas. Despite the numerous challenges that are faced in the petroleum and gas industry, geologists continue to strive to make their operations safer for the environment, but are these efforts enough to save our planet for our future generations?