(Tanner, 1)
The tanker, which ran afoul of a support girding for the Bay Bridge, released the remarkable amount of oil into an area which is highly populated by plants, animals and people, and is also incidentally ensconced on three sides by the now tainted Pacific waters. In the immediate aftermath of the event, it was clear that such areas as San Francisco had taken the brunt of this poorly administered ecological threat and that there sacrifice should be seen as a justification for such steps are attempting to gain a global standard on ship safety, guidance and insulation from rupture. The degree to which the spill was destructive and centered in a place of import or public note -- as opposed ot the Alaskan remoteness of the Exxon Valdez spill -- should help to highlight a clear need for a change. Indeed, "the oil spill in San Francisco Bay…...
mlaWorks Cited
Tanner, a. (2007). Large cleanup after San Francisco oil spill. Reuters. Online at http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0822954120071109
Wikpedia. (2008). Oil Spill. Wikimedia, Ltd. Inc.
USEPA. (2008). Oil Spills. Emergency Management. Online at "oil spill settlement funds watershed restoration"http://epa.gov/oilspillthearticle
Fluctuations in any natural ecosystem have the potential to wreak havoc on the environment and animal populations as a whole.
The impact of environmental oil spills has been studied for decades, thus there is a certain predictive quality regarding the events that will occur immediately after an oil spill. One might assume that if the nature of oil spills and recovery efforts are predictive, than adequate measures can be taken to prevent the devastation most often associated with these spills. This is not however always the case.
Among the primary biological impacts of an oil spill include: (1) physical and chemical alteration of the natural habitat, (2) physical smothering of fauna and flora, (3) lethal and sub-lethal toxic effects on marine and wildlife and (4) changes in the biological communities including organisms and animal (Dicks, 1998). Not one of these effects can be described as minor, rather all of them have…...
mlaReferences
Arentz, P. (2004). "Oil Spills a very costly business." Scandinavian Shipping Gazette.
20, November, 2004: http://www.shipgaz.com/english/magazine/issues/2004/10/1004_artikel.asp
Argue, D.A., Furchtogott-Roth, H.W.; Hurdle, G.J.; Mosteller, G. & Owen, B.M. (1995).
The economics of a disaster: The Exxon Valdez oil spill." Westport: Quorum Books.
Oil Spill Damage
The effects of oil spills have had lasting effects on the marine and terrestrial ecosystems that affect the respiratory, food chain, and reproductive systems of marine and terrestrial wildlife for decades. "Human activity has depleted marine species 90%, seagrass and wetland habitat 65%, and degraded water quality 10-1,000 fold" (Narisimha). A major portion of these statistics has been due to oil spills. It has been difficult for scientists to measure the actual effects of an oil spill due to the fact that one oil spill has affects that last decades. There has been more than 320 known offshore drilling oil spills since 1964 alone (A Deadly Toll: The Gulf Oil Spill and the Unfolding Wildlife Disaster, 2011).
On April 20, 2010, P spilled 205.8 million gallons of oil and 225,000 tons of methane in the Gulf of Mexico over a three-month time period, creating one of the largest oil…...
mlaBibliography
A Deadly Toll: The Gulf Oil Spill and the Unfolding Wildlife Disaster. (2011, Apr). Retrieved from Center for Biological Diversity: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/energy/dirty_energy_development/oil_and_gas/gulf_oil_spill/
asladirt. (2010, June 1). Oil Spill Will Hve Long-term Impact on Local Ecosystems. Retrieved from The Dirt: http://dirt.asla.org/2010/06/01/damage-to-gulf-of-mexico-ecosystem-grows/
Narisimha, M. (n.d.). Human Impact on Marine Ecosystem. Retrieved from Aquafind: http://www.aquafind.com/articles/HumanImpact.php
Oil Spill Impacts on Mammals. (n.d.). Retrieved from National Wildlife Federation: http://www.nwf.org/Oil-Spill/Effects-on-Wildlife/Mammals.aspx
So far, this is not the case, and oil companies only pay royalties on production. This is another area under scrutiny in the MMS scandal. There are reports, dating back to 2008, that the royalty offices of the MMS, located in Denver, routinely accepted oil company numbers on the amount of oil they produced, rather than independently auditing the numbers. No one knows how much lost revenue to the government that practice resulted in, and there is no way of finding out now. Clearly, future policy formation on the industry needs to include more oversight, more regulations, and a much less cozy relationship between the regulators and the companies they are regulating.
Future policy formation on other energy sources
The Gulf spill has helped to change public opinion on oil and its production, and on how it is regulated. It seems much clearer after the spill that we are a nation…...
mlaReferences
Editor. (2010). Update on oiled wildlife and marine life recovered along Louisiana's coastline. Retrieved 16 July 2010 from the Louisiana.gov Web site: http://emergency.louisiana.gov/Releases/07142010-wildlife.html .
Editors. (2010). Oil dispersants. Retrieved 16 July 2010 from the Prairie View A&M University Web site: http://www.extension.org/pages/Oil_Dispersants .
Falola, T., & Genova, A. (2005). The politics of the global oil industry: An introduction. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Green groups bolster lobby against offshore drilling; Democrats struggle to pacify uneasy voters. (2008, July 16). The Washington Times, p. A06.
However, this calmness did not translate into crisis management success. Although BP seemed to not be significantly affected by the situation, Hayward stated that the company was overwhelmed by the media attention. The former CEO blames the press for the image that the public has formed on the company in response to its handling of the situation.
The control that the company was supposed to reveal did not match the intensity of the crisis. BP did not show that it fully controlled the situation. The fact that the company tried to share the blame with the rig owner and the drilling company reveals the fact that the company was not in control of the situation. The numerous attempts and strategies that the company developed and implemented in order to stop or reduce the oil spill also prove the lack of control from BP.
The lack of control showed by BP can…...
mlaReference list:
1. Fitzgerald, a. (2010). BP Had Prepared for Oil Spill 10 Times Golf Disaster, Permit Plans Say. Bloomberg. Retrieved March 4, 2011 from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-05-31/bp-told-u-s-it-could-handle-oil-spill-10-times-larger-than-gulf-disaster.html .
2. Raines, B. (2010). BP Told Feds it Could Handle Oil Spill 60 Times Larger Than Deepwater Horizon. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://blog.al.com/live/2010/05/bp_told_feds_it_could_handle_o.html .
3. BP Ex-Chief Admits Company Was Ill-Prepared to Handle Oil Spill (2010). Empowered News. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://empowerednews.net/bp-ex-chief-admits-company-was-ill-prepared-to-handle-oil-spill/183629/ .
4. Moore, K. (2010). Integrated Marketing Communications. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Integrated_Marketing_Communications_-_5_Primary_Communication_Tools.html .
Gulf Spill
In the wake of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, about thirty percent of the oil, and "the most volatile fraction" of it, evaporated in a period of about ten hours (Handwerk, 2011). This was the primary aerosol emanation Another ten to twenty percent evaporated over the course of the next few days, and those turned into a wide plume of aerosol that was later identified as being comprised of intermediate or semi-volatile organic compounds (Xie, 2011). This secondary aerosol was composed of both light and heavy types of hydrocarbons, which have contributed to air pollution over a wide area (Handwerk, 2011). Ironically, the pattern of aerosol evaporation from the oil spill has advanced scientific understanding of how secondary aerosols form after the initial chemical conversion from their most volatile compounds (Xie, 2011). According to the EPA (2014), in addition to volatile organic compounds, the oil spill released…...
mlaReferences
Handwerk, B. (2011). Gulf oil spill helps explain air pollution mystery. National Geographic News. Retrieved online: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110310-gulf-oil-spill-air-pollution-science-nation/
National Wildlife Federation (2014). How Does the BP Oil Spill Impact Wildlife and Habitat? Retrieved online: http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Habitat/Gulf-Restoration/Oil-Spill/Effects-on-Wildlife.aspx
Radermacher, M. (n.d.). Bioremediation of marine oil spills. Retrieved online: http://home.eng.iastate.edu/~tge/ce421-521/matt-r.pdf
Stewart, R.R. (2005). Atmospheric structure and pollution sources. Retrieved online: Atmospheric Structure and Pollution Sources. Retrieved online: http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-book/atmosphere.html
Analysis of the Global View of BPBritish Petroleum (BP) is one of the leading oil and gas companies across the globe with operations in approximately 72 countries. The company has global recognition in the oil and gas industry given its broad range of energy systems in the world. However, the firms operations have been affected by various events in its history including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The incident remains one of the worst environmental disasters in the United States and the biggest oil spill in the nations waters. The oil spill is one of the major issues that the company has faced in its recent history. This environmental problem was influenced by various factors including internal issues within the company.Description of the Organizational ProblemThe Deepwater Horizon oil spill remains one of the major organizational problems and environmental issues experienced by BP in its recent history. Ebinger (2016) notes that…...
mlaReferencesBroder, J.M. (2011). BP shortcuts led to Gulf Oil Spill, report says. The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from C.K. (2016). 6 years from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill: What we’ve learned, and what we shouldn’t misunderstand. Retrieved from The Brookings Institute website: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/planetpolicy/2016/04/20/6-years-from-the-bp-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-what-weve-learned-and-what-we-shouldnt-misunderstand/ ExxonMobil. (2018). The Valdez oil spill. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/Operations/Energy-technologies/Risk-management-and-safety/The-Valdez-oil-spill#Overview Goldenberg, S. (2010). BP oil spill blamed on management and communication failures. The Guardian. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/dec/02/bp-oil-spill-failures Heinitz, K., Lorenz, T., Schulze, D. & Schorlemmer, J. (2018). Positive organizational behavior: Longitudinal effects on subjective well-being. PLoS One, 13(6). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198588 Kalwani, S. & Mahesh, J. (2020). Trends in organizational behavior: A systematic review and research directions. Journal of Business and Management, 26(1), 40-78.Mayrhofer, W. (2004). Social systems theory as theoretical framework for human resource management: Benediction or curse? Management Revue, 15(2), 178-191.Mullins, J. (2010). The eight failures that caused the Gulf Oil Spill. New Scientist. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19425-the-eight-failures-that-caused-the-gulf-oil-spill/ Office of the Spokesman. (2010). Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: International offers of assistance. Retrieved from U.S. Department of State website: https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/143127.htmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/15/science/earth/15spill.html Ebinger,
Rawl confessed that it was "bad judgement involved in even putting a person with a critical skill back in that kind of work...It is pretty clear we have to tighten those things up" (Loeb pp).
hen asked what advice he had for other CEOs, Rawl stated that they had better prethink which way they are going to jump from a public affairs standpoint before they have any kind of a problem, and cautioned that they should always have a public affairs plan, no matter how hard it is to think in terms of disasters (Loeb pp).
orks Cited
Davis, Nancy Y. The Exxon Valdez oil spill, Alaska. Retrieved October 30, 2005 from http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu21le/uu21le0l.htm
Details About the Accident. Retrieved October 30, 2005 at http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/facts/details.html
Loeb, Marshall. (1989 May 08). In ten years you'll see 'nothing.' (interview with Exxon CEO Lawrence Rawl about the Valdez oil spill). Fortune. Retrieved October 30, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library…...
mlaWorks Cited
Davis, Nancy Y. The Exxon Valdez oil spill, Alaska. Retrieved October 30, 2005 from http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu21le/uu21le0l.htm
Details About the Accident. Retrieved October 30, 2005 at http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/facts/details.html
Loeb, Marshall. (1989 May 08). In ten years you'll see 'nothing.' (interview with Exxon CEO Lawrence Rawl about the Valdez oil spill). Fortune. Retrieved October 30, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library Web site.
Roth, Alan T. (2003 April 08). Managing Risk Issues vs. Managing Risk:
"But we did kill a lot of resources," said Beck. That having been said, Beck does believe that some habitat losses -- and some that occurred prior to the oil spill -- can be "re-engineered" if the marshes receive the attention they deserve to receive.
Meanwhile, the assertion that the oil has dissipated and there is "very little" oil that is recoverable goes against the tone of a story in USA Today (Jervis, 2010, p. 3A) on October 19. Jervis writes that "Swaths of fresh oil flatten miles of march grass and cane weeds" in Bay Jimmy in Louisiana. Indeed, although BP has pulled back workers, more than 32,000 gallons of oil were removed (sucked out by industrial vacuum cleaners operated by workers in hazardous materials suits) during a recent 10-day period in Bay Jimmy (Jervis).
"People think it's over," said P.J. Hahn, the coastal zone director for Plaquemines Parish. "But…...
mlaWorks Cited
Bates, Theunis. "BP Unloads Assets So It Can Pay for Gulf Oil Spill." AOL News. 18 Oct.
2010: retrieved Oct. 19, 2010, from http://www.aolnews.com .
Drake, Nadia. "UC Santa Cruz scientist finds the silver lining in the Gulf oil spill disaster."
The Mercury News 18 Oct. 2010: retrieved Oct. 19, 2010, from http://www.mercurynews.com .
283). This led to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This Act acknowledged the fact that there was a lack of knowledge about the ocean ecosystem. This was an important insight and "At its core, NEPA requires federal agencies to produce an environmental impact statement (EIS) whenever they propose a major federal action" but " it was unclear from the original language of the statute whether the lease of oil exploration rights was covered" (othbach, 2007, p. 283). However, in 1978 Congress amended this Act with regard to the current state of the law governing the leasing of offshore oil exploration rights. The 1978 amendments "…specifically state that if a plan for development and exploration of offshore oil resources is a major federal action, then an EIS must be produced" (othbach, 2007, p. 283). These events were to contribute to the growing concern about the environmental impact…...
mlaReferences
Baird, S.L. (2008). Offshore Oil Drilling: Buying Energy Independence or Buying Time?. The Technology Teacher, 68(3).
Boesch, D.F., Butler, J.N., Cacchione, D.A., Geraci, J.R., Neff, J.M., Ray, J.P., et al. (1987). Chapter 1 an Assessment of the Long-Term Environmental Effects of U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Development Activities: Future Research Needs. In Long-Term Environmental Effects of Offshore Oil and Gas Development, Boesch, D.F. & Rabalais, N.N. (Eds.) (pp. 1-53). London: Elsevier Applied Science. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108893334
Boesch, D.F. & Rabalais, N.N. (Eds.). (1987). Long-Term Environmental Effects of Offshore Oil and Gas Development. London: Elsevier Applied Science. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108893325
Bradley, S.B. (1982). The Politics of Offshore Oil (J. Goldstein, Ed.). New York: Praeger.
oil drilling and towards this end this study will examine issues related to oil drilling and specifically as oil drilling relates to the environment.
According to 'Live Science' when it comes to oil drilling "there are extremes on both sides." (2014, p. 1) Firstly, the attempt to "pin down the impact of seismic waves on wildlife often must rely on caged animals" when it comes to experiements in the laboratory. (Live Science, 2014, p. 1) I ti sreported that Exxon Mobile has to suspend Madagascar exploration for oil when in exxcess of 100 whales ended up beaching themselves. (Live Science, 2014, paraphrased) There are however, some important advances in the process of drilling oil in terms of bringing about a reduction in the environmental footprint and stated specifically is that the oil companies "are now able to drain several oil fields from one platform. And new horizontal drilling techniques allow…...
mlaReferences
Drilling risks and Rewards (2014) Live Science. Retrieved from: http://www.livescience.com/4979-oil-drilling-risks-rewards.html
Why is Offshore Drilling So Controversial? (2014) How Stuff Works. Retrieved from: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/offshore-drilling-controversy2.htm
price of oil has fallen from around $120 per barrel about a year and half ago to around $50 per barrel. This has resulted in a sharp fall in revenues for all oil companies and specially the smaller companies that have a limited cash or revenue reserve. IN this condition this paper studies the possible strategies that can adopted by smaller oil companies to tide over the situation.
For this study we take the case of BNK Petroleum. The study reveals that the company expended more than three forth of its revenue of exploration which was one of the major causes of losses. It was recommended that the company should reduce its exploration expenses and look to venture into new markets of South America and Africa. To enable financing of marketing expenses in these markets, it has also been recommended that the company dilute some of its equity. To further…...
mlaReferences
Bhar, R. and Nikolova, B. (2010). GLOBAL OIL PRICES, OIL INDUSTRY AND EQUITY RETURNS: RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 57(2), pp.169-186.
Bnkpetroleum.com, (2015). Frequently Asked Questions -- BNK Petroleum Inc. -- TSE: BKX. [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 Nov. 2015].http://www.bnkpetroleum.com/about-us/faqs?view=category&id=17
Fine, L. (2009). The SWOT analysis. [Place of publication not identified]: Kick It.
Grant, R. and Grant, R. (2005). Contemporary strategy analysis. Malden: Blackwell.
Exxon Mobile Analysis
Industry Background
Exxon Mobile operates in the oil and gas industry which is one of the most valuable industries in the world. Oil fuels much of our modern lives and allows us the mobility granted by the automobile and the infrastructure that allows for easy transportation. Within the industry, ExxonMobil is the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company (ExxonMobil, N.d.). The industry is multifaceted and is composed of many different segments -- everything from the exploration of oil, the refinement process, and the transportation via ship, tanker, or pipeline. The industry as a whole can be thought of as containing three primary components: upstream, midstream, and downstream. The oil and gas is of critical importance to the world's economy because there are many other industries are directly dependent upon these fuels. For example, oil can be used as a raw material to produce many other goods.…...
mlaReferences
ExxonMobil. (N.d.). About Us. Retrieved from Exxon Mobil: http://corporate.ExxonMobil.com/en/company/about-us
Kolmes, S. (2011). Climate Change. Enviornment, 33-37.
OSHA. (N.d.). OSHA's Efforts to Protect Workers. Retrieved from United States Department of Labor: https://www.osha.gov/oilspills/
Saeverud, I., & Skjareseth, J. (2007). Oil Companies and Climate Change: Inconsistencies between Strategy Formulation and Implementation? Global Environmental Politics, 42-45. Retrieved from Global Environmental Politics.
Anyanwu and Obire (2009) note that oil spills like those seen in the Niger Delta leave soil barren for years, devastating not only the resources that were present at the time of the spill, but eliminating any resources that could be reaped from the area in future years (Anyanwu and Obire 211). This notion was mirrored by a 2009 agricultural study conducted in the area of the Niger Delta, which found that the negative impact of the oil spills on agricultural production was found to, reduce crop yield, pollute the rivers for fishing, and reduce land productivity and farm income, along with the standard of living of the Nigerian people (Aviomoh, Okoh and Ojogwu 62).
The future state of the affected area continues to look bleak, especially from the outside world who is largely incapable of understanding Nigerian motivations to continue serving the oil industry in a manner that sacrifices…...
mlaReferences
Akpomuie, Orhioghene. "Tragedy of Commons: Analysis of Oil Spillage in the Niger Delta." Journal of Sustainable Development, 4.2. (2011): 200-211. Web.
Retrieved from: ProQuest Database.
Anyanwu, E.C. And Obire, O. "Impact of Various Concentrations of Crude Oil on Soil."
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 6.2. (2011) 211-221. Web. Retrieved from: ProQuest Database.
It remains uncertain, therefore, that the Exxon Valdez spill was not, in fact, larger in scale and scope than the Horizon disaster.
Conclusion:
The Horizon disaster, as it bears noting, helps to demonstrate how little has truly changed in two decades. Even as environmental concerns grow ever-more pressing, oil companies continue to act with relative impunity. The sheer profitability of the industry keeps it insulated from many of the safety and environmental terms that impact so many other industries. As the most precious finite commodity in the global economy, crude oil controls its own international orbit such that domestic environmental laws and safety regulatory standards may be easily bypassed. Indeed, as the Exxon Valdez events and the Horizon Deepwater events thereafter demonstrate unequivocally, only the occasionally catastrophic disaster serves to illuminate the constancy of irregular, illicit and illegal practices on the part of the oil industry as a whole.
orks Cited:
Bluemink, E.…...
mlaWorks Cited:
Bluemink, E. (2010). Size of Exxon spill Remains Disputed. Anchorage Daily News.
Cleveland, C. (2010). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. The Encyclopedia of Earth.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2011). Exxon Valdez. EPA.gov.
ExxonMobil. (2010). The Valdez Oil Spill. Exxonmobil.com.
## Road Accidents: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention Strategies
### Causes of Road Accidents
Human Factors: Driver distraction, speeding, fatigue, impairment, and aggressive driving.
Vehicle Factors: Mechanical failures, defective components, and inadequate maintenance.
Road Conditions: Poor visibility, slippery surfaces, inadequate signage, and dangerous road design.
Environmental Factors: Weather conditions, visibility, and wildlife hazards.
Technological Factors: Malfunctioning traffic control systems or lack of advanced safety features.
### Consequences of Road Accidents
Human Toll: Injuries, disabilities, and fatalities.
Economic Burden: Medical expenses, lost productivity, property damage, and infrastructure costs.
Social Impact: Grief, trauma, and community disruption.
Environmental Damage: Air pollution, oil spills, and habitat fragmentation.
....
I. Introduction
A. Define fossil fuels and discuss their geological origins
B. State the thesis statement: The impacts of fossil fuel consumption on environmental and societal well-being are multifaceted and profound.
II. Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuel Consumption
A. Air pollution:
1. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global warming
2. Particulate matter and respiratory problems
3. Acid rain and ecosystem damage
B. Water pollution:
1. Oil spills and marine ecosystems
2. Coal mining and water contamination
3. Fracking and groundwater depletion
C. Land degradation:
1. Deforestation for fuel extraction
2. Mining scars and habitat loss
3. Agricultural impacts of climate change
III. Societal Impacts of Fossil Fuel Consumption
A. Energy security:
1. Dependence on foreign imports
2. Geopolitical conflicts....
Cyanobacteria as Bioindicator in Marine Water Pollution
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are a group of photosynthetic bacteria that are commonly found in marine environments. These organisms have been widely recognized as bioindicators of water quality due to their sensitivity to environmental changes and their ability to respond rapidly to pollution.
Numerous studies have shown that the presence of cyanobacteria in marine waters can be used to indicate the presence of pollutants such as nutrients, heavy metals, and organic contaminants. For example, high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in marine waters can lead to the proliferation of cyanobacterial blooms, which are....
1. Real-time data collection: Underwater wireless sensor networks can collect and transmit data in real-time, providing researchers with up-to-date information on ocean conditions and marine life.
2. Increased coverage: Traditional monitoring methods are limited by the size and capabilities of research vessels. Underwater sensor networks can cover a larger area and provide a more comprehensive view of the ocean environment.
3. Cost-effective: Maintaining underwater sensor networks may be more cost-effective than traditional methods, as they require less human intervention and can operate for extended periods of time without the need for frequent maintenance.
4. Environmental impact: By reducing the need for invasive research....
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