Offshore Oil Drilling - Research Paper Example

? Offshore Oil Drilling: It’s Effects & Consequences on the Santa Barbara Coastline Offshore drilling is one of the major controversial topics in the world at present. There are many arguments both in favour and against offshore drilling. Since the available stock of oil resources are exhausting rapidly, proponents of offshore drilling are of the view that offshore drilling activities should be increased. On the other hand, critics of offshore drilling are of the view that, it should be prohibited or stopped because of the environmental problems associated with drilling and purification of crude oil. Santa Barbara in California is a place which currently caught the attentions of the media and global public because of the protests and support for the on-going offshore drilling operations there. Local environmental groups registered lot of complaints against the drilling operations in Santa Barbara. In their opinion, drilling operations in the coastal regions of Santa Barbara may cause huge damages to the eco system in general and the marine creatures in particular. Introduction The distinctive Southern California coastline has evolved its coastal geography over a 250 million year span. The result of the present coastline comes from a variety of contributing natural processes. Wave activity has been a crucial factor for the development of the beaches, in which rocky points along the coastline and wave erosion have divided the accumulation of sand. The bluffs, consisting of sandstones, have also radically shaped the outcome of an even coast. The tectonic plate shifts, classified as ‘transform faults’ for this chosen location of study, and volcanic activity have been major reasons for the coastal mountain ranges and for the discovery of oil fields in the area. Oil being highly sought-after, has entered the booming economy of Southern California in the beginning of the 20th century. Petroleum companies have been eradicating the coast and seeking rights for offshore drilling relentlessly, promoting that California could become self-sufficient with its vast oil resources. This research study will focus on the effects and consequences of offshore oil drilling on the Santa Barbara coastline, located in Southern California, U.S. The research will be conducted through book and Internet references to compile the information. Offshore Oil Drilling and its Effects & Consequences on the Santa Barbara Coastline “The United States consumes nearly one-fourth of the world's oil. The big discoveries are happening offshore, says Robert Bryce, managing editor of Energy Tribune” (Jervis et al). Moreover, “At its peak in production, which occurred in 1970s, the U.S. produced about 10 million [barrels of oil] a day. Now, America produces about five million barrels a day whereas it consumes 20 million barrels daily (Gertz, p.3). America cannot depend fully on foreign countries for their oil needs. At present, America is importing a substantial portion of its internal requirements of oil from overseas countries. A substantial portion of the revenue is spent by America for oil imports. Under such circumstances, America cannot completely reject the concept of offshore oil drilling in areas such as Santa Barbara. At the same time, America cannot neglect the growing protests of the people and the environmentalists against offshore drilling. “A 1969 platform accident off Santa Barbara has fouled miles of ocean and beaches with wildlife-killing goo” (New Plan For Santa Barbara Offshore Oil Drilling Announced). People near Santa Barbara have not forgotten the damages caused by this oil spill. Such accidents can repeat any time in future also and oil companies may wash their hands after providing some compensation amount for the rebuilding of the eco system and the environment. Quite often such funding is inadequate to meet the requirements in the long run. The second effect of oil drilling near Santa Barbara is the threats from the greenhouse gases emitted at the time of oil drilling and purification. Greenhouse gases like oxides of carbon, sulphur, nitrogen, methane etc will be emitted at the time of drilling and purification of oil which will cause huge damages to the already damaged Santa Barbara environment. Moreover, the possibilities of unreported oil spills at the time of drilling cannot be ruled out. Daniel et al (2006) have pointed out that “between 1976 and 1990, oil companies in Nigeria witnessed a total of 2,796 oil spills. An estimated total quantity of 2,105,393 barrels of oil was spilled on land, coastal and offshore marine environments” (Daniel et al, p.111). Such things occurred in Santa Barbara in the past and it may occur in future also. Only the major oil spills will catch public attention whereas small oil spills may be gone unnoticed. Another concern about the prolonged drilling operations in the coastal areas of Santa Barbara is with respect to the destruction of coastal areas. It is believed that the coastal geography of Santa Barbara was evolved over a 250 million year span as a result of a series of natural processes. Prolonged offshore drilling may spoil the coastal area landscape completely so that the marine creatures struggle to find enough shelters near the coastal areas. Wave activity is vital for the making of beaches and coastal areas. As result of offshore drilling, wave activity may change drastically and destroy the natural landscaping of Santa Barbara coastal areas. At last, something that fossil fuels and renewable energy exploration have in common: They both may cause earthquakes. The New York Times reported Wednesday on concerns that a geothermal energy project about to begin near San Francisco could trigger quakes in the seismically active region. Worried residents point out that a similar project in Switzerland was shut down in 2006 after it was blamed for a magnitude 3.4 quake—enough to cause quite a stir in an area not accustomed to temblors. If all this sounds familiar, recall the hubbub earlier this month when some residents of Cleburne, Texas, blamed natural-gas drilling for causing a series of minor earthquakes in the town. Geophysicists took the concerns seriously enough to deploy seismic sensors around the town—at which point the quakes promptly stopped (Casselman) The possibility of natural calamities such as volcano eruption and earthquake cannot be ruled out as a result of the injudicious oil drilling operation in Santa Barbara. It should be noted that the drilling operation may make some changes in the tectonic plate shifts and as a result of that earthquakes may develop. Tectonic plate shifts are normally resulted in earthquakes of different magnitudes depending on the intensity of the plate shift. Tectonic plates have a tendency to slide one over other because of the geothermal pressure developed at the interiors of earth. This pressure is often released in the form of earthquakes. “Mud and gas accumulates when sea sediments are trapped in subduction zones, where one tectonic plate slides under another, and can erupt out of volcanic cones or simply from a crack in the ground” (Mud volcano floods Java). In areas where volcanos are active, offshore drilling may cause volcano explosion. It should be noted that oil drilling is taking place deep inside the earth’s interiors. Earths interiors are in a molten state with high temperature and pressure. Offshore drilling may weaken the interiors of earth and the geothermal energy may come out in the form of volcano eruption also. 1973 -1975 oil price hike has shocked the world economy. The growth rate fell to 2.1% in 1974 and to 1.45 in 1975. The worldwide trade growth rate also dropped heavily from 12% in 1973 to -5.4% in 1974 and -7.3 in 1975. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has dropped from 40% in 1973 to half of it in 1974 (Oil prices and global economy, p.4). Supporters of offshore drilling at Santa Barbara have mentioned above facts to justify the drilling operations. In their opinion, oil revenue is necessary for California and America to sustain economic progress. They cite examples from Middle Eastern or Gulf countries to substantial their arguments. America is producing only 10% of its total oil needs, which means around 90% of oil required for its domestic usage, is being imported from overseas countries. However, as per the recent findings, the environmental impacts of offshore drilling are more than the economic benefits associated with it. In other words, we are paying more than what we receive as a result of offshore drilling. Another argument in favour of offshore drilling at Santa Barbara is with respect to the superior technologies compared to the technologies in the past. Supporters of offshore drilling are of the view that the disasters such as the oil spill occurred in Santa Barbara around forty years before may not occur in future because of the superior technologies. However, they are keeping a blind eye towards the fact that “Technology may have improved, but it hasn't made human error go away. Human error caused the 1969 spill. You can still push the wrong button. Humans do awful things sometimes” (69 Flashback). What is happening at present at Santa Barbara is a clash between business people and environmentalists. Business people wanted to make as much as profits by exploiting the oil resources at Santa Barbara. They are not much bothered about the consequences. On the other hand, environmentalists wanted to protect the environment at any cost. They are more concerned with the interests of the people rather than the interests of the business. Environmentalists see two basic problems from offshore drilling at Santa Barbara: pollution from everyday operations and oil spills from platforms, pipelines and tankers. The water pumped up along with the oil may contain benzene, arsenic and other pollutants. Even the exploration that precedes drilling, which depends on seismic air guns, can harm sea mammals (Jervis et al). The coastal areas of Santa Barbara has not been fully recovered from the after effects of the oil spill happened there in 1969. Marine life has not been restored yet to normal conditions even after 40 years from the disaster. It should be noted that the current drilling operations are causing more harm to the eco system near Santa Barbara. To conclude, Santa Barbara oil drilling operations may completely spoil the landscape of the coastal region. The after effects of 1969 oil spill have still persisting in this region and a future mishap of similar kind could be suicidal. Moreover, the possibilities of volcano eruption, earthquake etc cannot be ruled out in this region because of the continuing offshore drilling operations. The liberation of greenhouse gases can cause more damage to the Californian environment. In short, offshore drilling near Santa Barbara may bring more harm than good in future and it should be stopped as soon as possible to save future generation and the ecosystem. Works Cited “69 Flashback”. (2008), Web. 03 December 2011. Casselman Ben. “At Fault: Does Drilling Cause Earthquakes?”. 2009. The Wall Street Journal. June 25, 2009. Web. 03 December 2011. Gertz, Emily. “Can Offshore Drilling Really Make the U.S. Oil Independent?”. 2008. Scientific American. September 12, 2008. Web. 03 December 2011. Jervis, Rick, Welch William M. and Wolf Richard. “Worth the Risk? Debate on Offshore Drilling Heats Up”. 2008. USA TODAY. 13.07.2008. “Mud Volcano Floods Java”. 2006. Web. 03 December 2011. “New Plan For Santa Barbara Offshore Oil Drilling Announced”. 2010. Web. 03 December 2011. “Oil Prices and Global Economy”. 2006. Web. 03 December 2011. Read More