Question

What is meant by the term ‘oil spill’?

What is meant by an oil spill?

Answer 1

Oil spill or Leaks: Oil is lighter and insoluble in water, and the oil layer floats on the surface of the water, preventing oxygen transfer from the atmosphere.
Oil leakage and petroleum products into sea water due to accidents of ships and oil tankers or leakage of pipe lines and storage tanks. They occur when oil is being produced from offshore well and may happen due to transportation by pipes and tanks, oil refineries, petrochemical plants etc.
Damage caused by oil spills :

1. Fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians living in such water cannot breathe and die. The oil penetrates the birds' feathers, and they cannot fly, which affects their insulation and damages their reproductive system.
2. It interrupts the food chain, which may cause the extinction of species.

Answer 2

An oil spill is the accidental release of petroleum such as crude oil, fuel oil or lubricants into the environment (most often into oceans, seas, rivers or onto shorelines), where the oil spreads over the water or land; common causes include tanker or pipeline leaks, blowouts at offshore wells, accidental discharges during loading or unloading, and runoff or improper disposal of waste oil. The spilled oil forms a surface layer that blocks oxygen exchange and sunlight, smothers and coats fish and other marine organisms, mats birds’ feathers so they cannot fly or regulate their body temperature, fouls beaches, and leads to large-scale ecological damage and economic losses to fisheries and tourism.