Greta Jimenez
Petroleum, or crude oil, is a fossil fuel composed primarily of hydrocarbons (hydrogen and carbon compounds). It is a critical source of energy, accounting for about 35% of US energy needs, with the transportation sector being the largest consumer. While petroleum products have improved our lives, the processes involved in obtaining, producing, and transporting crude oil can have detrimental effects on the environment. The most common forms of pollution associated with petroleum are air and water pollution, which can occur at any stage of production or use, from exploration and drilling to refining and consumption.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How petroleum is obtained | Petroleum is obtained by mining, drilling, and burning dirty energy. |
| Petroleum products | Petroleum products include gasoline, propane, kerosene, jet fuel, plastics, and paint. |
| Petroleum usage | Petroleum products are used to fuel airplanes, cars, trucks, and boats. They are also used to heat homes. |
| Petroleum and pollution | Petroleum products contribute to air and water pollution. |
| Harmful chemicals in petroleum | Benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and lead are some harmful chemicals associated with petroleum and its byproducts. |
| Environmental impact of petroleum | Petroleum exploration and drilling can disturb land and marine ecosystems and harm fish and other marine mammals. |
| Water usage and wastewater issues | The petroleum industry uses a lot of water, and treating the wastewater produced is challenging. |
| Oil spills | Oil spills from wells, pipelines, ships, trains, and trucks contaminate soil and water and can cause explosions and fires. |
| Regulatory response to pollution | The U.S. government has passed laws like the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to reduce air pollution and address oil spills. |
| Alternative fuels | There is a push towards cleaner, renewable energy sources like wind and solar, and away from leaded gasoline. |
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Oil spills
In the marine environment, oil spills can harm aquatic life, including birds, mammals, and fish. Oil penetrates the plumage of birds and the fur of mammals, impairing their insulating and waterproofing abilities. This makes them more vulnerable to temperature changes and reduces their buoyancy in the water. Ingesting oil during preening can irritate the digestive tract, alter liver function, and cause kidney damage in birds. It can also lead to dehydration, metabolic imbalance, and hormonal changes. Oil spills can disrupt the reproductive cycles of animals, leading to abandonment and starvation of their young.
The cleanup and recovery process after an oil spill requires sound scientific knowledge. Various methods, such as using renewable wood sponges, are employed to selectively absorb oil from the water. The impacts of pollution are assessed, and efforts are made to help the environment recover. However, the costs of oil spills are significant, both economically and ecologically.
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Air pollution
Refineries that convert crude oil into gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas are sources of air pollution. Leaks, flames, and excessive emissions from refineries release dangerous air pollutants that severely impact the environment and are known or suspected to cause cancer and congenital disabilities. Additionally, leaky valves and pumps cause fugitive VOC emissions.
The oil and gas sector's activities, including production, distribution, and use, can result in air pollution at any stage. For example, pollutants can leak from storage tanks during oil and gas production and distribution. When oil is burned to generate electricity, it emits sulfur dioxide, mercury compounds, and nitrogen oxides. The burning of oil and natural gas also produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which include over 100 chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic and used in plastics, dyes, and pesticides.
The health impacts of air pollution from the oil and gas industry are significant. Studies have linked this pollution to thousands of early deaths and childhood asthma cases. Exposure to pollutants near oil and gas wells, such as benzene and formaldehyde, can cause cancer and other adverse health effects. NO2, a pollutant produced by the oil and gas sector, contributes significantly to overall health impacts, including mortality.
To address air pollution from the petroleum industry, governments and organizations have implemented various measures. The Clean Air Act in the United States, for instance, aims to reduce air pollution by requiring engines and fuels to produce fewer emissions. The Act has led to the development of emissions-control devices, cleaner-burning engines, and the banning of leaded gasoline. Additionally, the Paris Climate Agreement seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the energy sector is working towards net-zero emissions targets.
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Water pollution
The Niger Delta, for example, suffers from extensive petroleum contamination. A 2011 study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) found that drinking water wells in Ogale, Nigeria, were highly contaminated with a refined oil product. The water was found to contain benzene at concentrations as much as 1800 times higher than the USEPA drinking water standard. Other studies have found similar results, with benzene and other petroleum hydrocarbons present in borehole drinking water wells. These contaminants have been associated with adverse health effects, including central nervous system toxicity.
Oil spills can also have devastating impacts on marine life and ecosystems. They can block the sunlight that plants need for photosynthesis, killing plants growing in the water. Oil spills can result in closed beaches and harbours, affecting fishing and hunting activities. Some areas are more sensitive to oil pollution than others, with coral reefs, mangroves, and marshes being particularly vulnerable. Oil spills can also harm sea creatures and make seafood unsafe to eat.
Cleanup methods for oil spills include the use of sorbent materials, such as natural or synthetic organic materials, to absorb the oil. Burning is also used to remove oil from the water surface, but it can cause additional pollution and release nitrogen and sulphur, leading to acid rain. While cleanup efforts can remove a significant portion of the spilled oil, it is impossible to remove 100% of it, and some clean-up methods can cause more damage than they remove.
Overall, water pollution from petroleum is a significant issue that can have short- and long-term effects on ecosystems and human health. It is important to address and mitigate the impacts of oil pollution to protect the environment and the communities that depend on it.
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Exploration and drilling
One of the main issues with exploration and drilling is the disturbance of land and marine ecosystems. The construction of roads, facilities, and drilling sites can destroy large areas of wilderness and vegetation that are essential for wildlife and people. This infrastructure requires heavy equipment and can fragment habitats, making it difficult for species to communicate, breed, and nest. The impact on wildlife is not limited to land animals; offshore drilling and exploration can harm fish and marine mammals.
Additionally, exploration and drilling can lead to toxic pollution in the air and water. Normal offshore drilling operations release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), greenhouse gases, and other air pollutants. Gas leaks from cracked seals, tubing, or pipelines can release methane and VOCs into the air. Drilling for oil often requires clearing an area of vegetation, which can affect the surrounding ecosystem. The use of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has also been associated with environmental concerns. This technique requires large amounts of water and potentially hazardous chemicals to release oil from rock strata.
The impact of exploration and drilling is felt by nearby communities, especially those that are Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income. These communities tend to live in neighbourhoods with more pollution and are disproportionately affected by the health threats associated with oil and gas production. The noise, human movement, and vehicle traffic from drilling operations can also disrupt people's lives and livelihoods.
To mitigate these issues, technological advances and stricter regulations have been implemented. Satellites, global positioning systems, and seismic technologies have reduced the number of exploratory wells needed. Horizontal and directional drilling have decreased the environmental impact on the surface and subsurface lands. However, more needs to be done to transition to renewable energy sources and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.
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Wastewater
Petroleum wastewater is a significant environmental concern due to the large volumes of water used and contaminated in the process of extracting and refining oil. The water-to-oil consumption ratio ranges from 3 to 4 barrels of water per barrel of extracted oil. This means that between 80 and 90% of the water used in the process is disposed of as wastewater.
This wastewater is often injected into deep wells, typically saltwater aquifers, which can cause earthquakes. However, the more pressing issue is the potential for this wastewater to contaminate surface water sources and aquatic ecosystems. The pollution of water with oil and other petroleum industry effluents can be extremely harmful to human health and the environment. Petroleum wastewater can contain organic hydrocarbons, inorganic and organic materials, heavy metals, surfactants, salts, and other toxic chemicals.
The discharge of untreated or partially treated petroleum refinery effluents can have devastating consequences for aquatic life and agricultural resources. It can also impact soil environments, altering physicochemical properties, affecting microbial inhabitants and plant growth, and leading to oxygen shortages and harm to animals and plants. Furthermore, the improper handling and faulty construction of wells and pipelines can result in leaks and spills, causing soil and water contamination.
The environmental impact of petroleum wastewater is not limited to the immediate area of contamination. In the United States, it has been observed that people with less power and lower incomes are disproportionately exposed to pollution. Communities of colour, in particular, bear the brunt of water pollution from oil refineries, with refineries located near their communities releasing billions of pounds of pollution into waterways each year. This pollution includes heavy metals, nitrogen, and other compounds that can have severe ecological and health impacts.
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Frequently asked questions
Petroleum is used to make the products we use to fuel airplanes, cars, and trucks; to heat homes; and to make products such as medicines and plastics.
Petroleum causes pollution through air and water pollution, which can occur at any stage of production or use. Oil spills contaminate soil and water and may cause devastating explosions and fires.
Petroleum has many negative effects on the environment. Exploring and drilling for oil may disturb land and marine ecosystems. Drilling an oil well on land often requires clearing an area of vegetation. Mining operations are harmful, especially to the miners themselves, generating toxic airborne particulate matter.
According to a 2017 study, around 17.6 million Americans are exposed daily to toxic air pollution from active oil and gas wells. These include benzene, which is linked to childhood leukaemia and blood disorders, and formaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical.
There are several protocols and maintenance procedures in place to prevent spills and leaks, such as Spill, Prevent, Control, and Countermeasure Plans (SPCC). The EPA has also introduced regulations to strengthen the 2012 rules that limited mercury and air toxics pollutants from power plants and tightened carbon pollution standards.
