Oil slick

A oil slick is a industrial Catastrophe and ecological which results in the discharge of an important quantity of Pétrole gross or heavy oil products with the sea, and arrival of this tablecloth of hydrocarbons in coastal area under the effect of the Marée S and the winds.

Origin

The origin of this oil slick can come:

of ship following rejection, involuntary (an accident) or volunteer (so that one names improperly degasification ),
of an accident on an installation of drilling on the open sea (oil Plate-forme),
of an industrial accident in seaside,
of an armed conflict.

On average, 6 000 000 of tons of oil are poured each year in the oceans.

Consequences

The oil slicks are a true traumatism for the affected regions. These Pollution S has an at the same time ecological, economic and medical impact total. The black spring tides are spectacular and tragic events, which mark out the history of the maritime transport of hydrocarbons. Several great catastrophes occurred: most important was that of the head of the well submarine of Ixtoc One, in the Gulf of Mexico where 600.000 tons of crude oil flowed in the ocean between June 1979 and February 1980 (that is to say three Amoco Cadiz), but there was also in 1967, Torrey Canyon; in 1978, Amoco Cadiz; in 1989, Exxon Valdez and Erika in December 1999. They all strongly disturbed fauna and the marine flora. The oil slicks are dangerous for the environment.

Ecological

Disturbance of the ecosystem;
Destruction of sea-beds and the habitat of many animals.

Economic

Deficit of image for the tourist sites ;
Contamination of the products of the fishing which become unsuitable with consumption (layoff of the flotillas of fishing, and the induced uses with ground).
the cleaning of the beaches is very expensive.

Medical

Hazardous substances by inhalation and contact with the skin.
important Destruction of the fauna and the flora of the coasts.

Prevention

Certain countries take dissuasive measures: strong fines for hydrocarbon rejections or defect of maintenance and safety, controls companies of classification, impose the double-hulls, of the systems of assistance to the pointing radar, anti-explosion, a redundancy of the mechanical systems and safety. Privately held companies (ex: JLMD Ecologic Group) propose the assembly upstream (with the construction or at the time of programmed stops of maintenance) of systems known as " FOR systems" (FOR means Fast Oil Recovery) passive safety, which makes it possible in the event of shipwreck to transfer, more quickly, more easily contents of tanks or ballasts. With such a system, the contents of the tanks of the Prestige would have can be been able to be pumped twice more quickly and at the less risks. The boats answering the label Green Award see their reduced harbor taxes of 5% with Rotterdam and in certain large European ports. Certain insurers also reduce the cost of the police forces to the holders of the label.

Fight against the oil slicks

The Cedar was created in 1978 within the framework of the measurements taken following the shipwreck of the oil tanker “Amoco Cadiz” to improve the preparation with the fight against pollution accidental of water and to reinforce the device of French intervention. It is responsible, at the national level, of documentation, research and the experiments concerning the polluting products, their effects, and the methods and specialized means used to fight them. Its mission of council and expertise includes as well marine water as interior water.

Legislation

In Europe, a hardening of the legislation on oil transport and dangerous goods in general is in hand: increased controls, followed ships, notification of positioning, and in particular the obligation of the double hulls for the ships Oil S (measurement prone to controversy), the series of measures taken at the beginning of this century were called Erika 1 and Erika 2 , of the name of one ship at the origin of an oil slick in December 1999 (Erika). The package Erika 3 was put under discussion in 2006 and will undoubtedly be taken into account in the second half of 2008.

Various measurements:

a narrower control must be exerted on the companies of classification,
to banish of all the ports of the Union the ships of more than fifteen years of age which were immobilized more twice during the two previous years,
to create a new base of data on the safety of the ships: EQUASIS,
creation of a European Agency of the maritime security, one of its roles: the Agency provides to the Member States and the Commission, an technical assistance and scientist as regards accidental or intentional pollution by the ships and supports, with their request, the fight plans against pollution of the Member States with complementary means and a manner presenting a satisfactory cost-effectiveness ratio, without damage of the responsibility which falls on the Coastal states relating to the installation of suitable devices of fight against pollution, and in the respect for the co-operation founded in this field between the Member States.

With the USA, the legislation is historically more strict than in Europe, last measurements tend to reduce the differences.

Principal oil slicks

See also: List of the principal oil slicks

See too

Random links: