Hazards of offshore Oil Spill and Subsequent Cleanup and Recovery Technologies

1. Introduction

An oil spill is accidental petroleum released into the environment. On land, oil spills are usually localized and thus their impact can be eliminated relatively easily. In contrast, offshore oil spills may result in oil pollution over large areas and present serious environmental hazards. The primary source of accidental oil input into seas is associated with oil transportation by tankers and pipelines (about 70%), whereas the contribution of offshore drilling and production activities is minimal (less than 1%) [1].

Large and catastrophic spills releasing more than 30,000 tons of oil are relatively rare events and their frequency in recent decades has decreased perceptibly. Yet, such episodes have the potential to cause the most serious ecological risk (primarily for sea birds and mammals) and might result in long-term environmental disturbances (mainly in coastal zones) and economic impact on coastal activities (especially on fisheries and mariculture).

This paper provides a portfolio of information about offshore oil spills. The purpose is to explain the basic concept of oil spill for the public and to summarize the state of the art of oil spill recovery and clean-up technology, which the authorities and related organizations rely on to make proper strategies about potential offshore oil spills.

The current Deepwater Horizon Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has raised serious concerns about the likely impact on the marine organisms and ecosystems [2]. Based on historical oil spill accidents and the author's experience,