Oil's Dark Side: Uncovering Pollution's True Cost

Oil pollution is a pressing global issue that significantly impacts the environment and human health. It occurs due to oil spills, improper waste disposal, shipping accidents, and leaks from pipelines and wells. Oil drilling, fracking, and mining operations also generate large volumes of wastewater, often laden with toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and radioactive materials, which can contaminate soil, water, and the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels, including oil, contributes to air pollution, with harmful emissions affecting millions of people daily. These emissions have been linked to various adverse health effects, including cancer, blood disorders, and childhood asthma. The transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is imperative to mitigate the environmental and health consequences of oil pollution.

Oil spills

The immediate negative effects of oil spills on human health include respiratory issues, reproductive problems, and damage to the liver and immune system. Oil spills can contaminate drinking water supplies, leading to potential beach closures, park closures, fishery disruptions, and fire hazards. They can also impact the everyday lives of humans, such as causing a decline in future oil supplies. The cleanup and recovery process after an oil spill can generate additional air pollutants, and it is challenging to remove 100% of the spilled oil.

The fishing industry is one of the most affected by oil spills, often resulting in the immediate suspension of commercial fishing to prevent damage to vessels, equipment, and the contamination of catch. Oil spills can have long-term impacts on the ecological system, and it may take several years or even decades for an ecosystem to fully recover. The costs of oil spill cleanup and compensation can be significant, providing a strong incentive to reduce the chances of such events occurring.

Drilling and mining operations

One of the main issues with oil and gas drilling is the release of harmful pollutants into the air and water. This includes toxic chemicals, greenhouse gases, and air toxics, which are known or suspected of causing cancer and other serious health issues. The burning of excess natural gas at oil and gas wells, known as flaring, releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The oil and gas industry is also the largest industrial source of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, or smog. Exposure to ozone has been linked to various negative health effects, including aggravated asthma and increased emergency room visits.

In addition to air pollution, oil and gas drilling can also contaminate water sources. Produced water, which is used in drilling and production, may contain high concentrations of salts and other contaminants that can kill vegetation and sterilize soils. The storage and disposal of drilling wastes in pits can also contaminate groundwater and surface waters. Oil spills, such as the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of America in 2010, further highlight the risks of oil and gas extraction to marine ecosystems.

The infrastructure built for oil and gas extraction can also have a significant impact on wildlands and habitats. The construction of roads, facilities, and drilling sites can destroy large areas of wilderness and vegetation, and fragment habitats for many species. The noise and human activity associated with drilling operations can disrupt animal communication, breeding, and nesting. In the case of offshore drilling, the increased shipping can mask communications for marine mammals and increase the potential for collisions.

Indigenous and low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by the pollution caused by oil and gas operations, as these groups tend to live in neighborhoods with more pollution. Residents in these communities are often forced to deal with the health threats and negative consequences of fossil fuel development.

Air pollution

Oil and gas production is a major contributor to air pollution, with the industry emitting many greenhouse gases, primarily methane. In 2016, oil and gas accounted for over half of the world's energy consumption, and the production, processing, and use of these resources have had a significant impact on air quality.

The US oil and gas industry, in particular, has been identified as a leading source of air pollution, with Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Louisiana being the top five states impacted by oil and gas pollution. The sector pollutes the air with methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and leaks, flaring, and venting of these emissions occur throughout the production, transmission, and distribution chain. According to the EPA, the US oil and gas industry releases nearly 8 million metric tons of methane into the atmosphere annually, and this figure is believed to be a significant underestimation.

The health impacts of oil and gas-related air pollution are extensive. A study by the School of Public Health at Boston University found that air pollution from the oil and gas sector in the US has led to thousands of premature deaths and cases of childhood asthma. The study also revealed that states with the highest emissions are not necessarily those with the highest health risks, as pollution can travel long distances, affecting populations far from extraction sites.

To mitigate the effects of air pollution from the oil and gas industry, leak detection and control are essential. Spatial management of emissions in production facilities and continuous monitoring are crucial steps to reduce emissions and minimize environmental and health impacts. With the growing global demand for clean energy and the concerns about climate change, there is increasing pressure on oil and gas companies to decarbonize and transition to renewable energy sources.

Water pollution

Oil spills are a major cause of water pollution, with thousands of minor and several major spills reported each year. The total quantity of oil released annually into the world's oceans exceeds one million metric tons. Oil spills can occur in many ways, but the largest events usually involve spills from tankers, drill platforms, barges, or ships, or from blowouts of wells or broken pipelines on land.

Oil spills can have disastrous consequences for the environment, causing both short- and long-term damage to local ecosystems. Oil on the water surface can block sunlight from reaching underwater plants, killing them. It can also reduce the level of dissolved oxygen in the water, which is vital for aquatic life. Oil spills can ruin the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, causing hypothermia in birds and marine mammals. Oil can also be toxic when ingested by animals, and it can damage their habitats and reproductive rates, slowing the long-term recovery of animal populations.

Sensitive habitats, such as coral reefs, mangroves, and marshes, are particularly vulnerable to oil pollution. Oil spills can result in closed beaches and harbours, affecting tourism and commerce. They can also contaminate water sources intended for drinking and disrupt fishing and hunting activities, especially in rural communities that rely on these for their livelihood. The clean-up process after an oil spill must be carefully managed to avoid causing further harm, as some methods can drive the oil deeper into the ground or cause additional pollution.

While stringent shipping and environmental regulations have made large oil spills from supertankers rare, there is still progress to be made in reducing water pollution from oil. Improper disposal of oil and other hazardous chemicals can contaminate oceans, rivers, and lakes, and the release of used gasoline solvents and crankcase lubricants by industries and individuals further aggravates the problem.

Health impacts

Oil and gas production has significant adverse impacts on air quality, human health, and health costs. The health effects of oil and gas production create substantial annual health costs, with one study placing the figure at $77 billion.

Nitrogen oxide, a common pollutant associated with burning natural gas, is the largest contributor to mortality, causing over 80% of asthma attacks. The pollutants nitrogen oxide, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and ozone (O3) from oil and gas production contributed to 7,500 excess deaths, 410,000 asthma attacks, and 2,200 new cases of childhood asthma across the US in 2016. Factoring in related respiratory and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and other health challenges, the health costs of oil and gas production are significant.

Oil spills, which frequently occur during transportation or due to accidents at oil wells, pipelines, ships, trains, and trucks, contaminate soil and water and may cause devastating explosions and fires. Exposure to oil spills has been linked to various health issues, including nausea, vomiting, skin irritation, and certain types of cancer. In oil-producing regions, residents may also be exposed to heavy metals like cadmium through tainted vegetables, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences of oil pollution.

The activities associated with offshore oil exploration, transportation, storage, and accidents often result in oil spills, with crude oil becoming a prominent pollutant in water bodies. Oil spills can have significant ecological impacts, reducing naupliar development by 20-40% in the open ocean. Exploring and drilling for oil may also disturb land and marine ecosystems, and the seismic techniques used to explore for oil under the ocean floor can harm fish and marine mammals.

The oil and gas industry's ozone pollution causes 750,000 summertime asthma attacks in children and 2,600 asthma and respiratory emergency room visits nationwide. Ozone, or smog, can cause or worsen respiratory conditions, including asthma and emphysema. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and NOx molecules (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) mix with sunlight to form smog, which harms human health and can result in early mortality. Hydrogen sulfide gas, which is released during natural gas processing, can make breathing difficult and irritate the eyes and throat. High amounts of exposure are lethal and have killed several oil and gas personnel.

Frequently asked questions