The Biggest Oil Spills in History

Posted by Oilism.com on December 28th, 2007 at 03:27pm

Major oil spills shave occurred in the oil industry since many years and some have had devastating effects on the environment,  local climate and habitat of animals. Oil spills are the accidental release of oil in environment due human activity on oil riggs and containerships. This oil cargo can be of different types including crude oil, natural gases, refined petroleum or any other type of petroleum product. Sometimes it is also releases by natural geologic seeps in the sea floors. Most oil spills occurre due to large oil carrying tankers on sea but there have been also cases of oil disasters on land. Like the confrontation in Nigeria with rebels which has led to closing down refinery stations because several oil pipelines were on fire.

Environment studies have proved that effect of oil spill can be more than it is expected to be in some places. Petrochemical products can harm the marine life in the oceans as well as degrade the air quality in the atmosphere. Some variants of oil are highly toxic which can create a huge dent in the ecosystem once they are faced to the open air. The oil is thought to be evaporating quickly once they are opened in air but some types are less volatile and remain for longer period of time in the air. These types gasses are serious threats as they posses longer effect in the ecosystem. Moreover if the oil spill is not cleared and cleaned in short time of period then it mixes up with pebble and sandy beaches and pose danger even to human society living around the sea shores.

Many countries have spent million of dollars in cleaning their sea shores due to the accidental fault of oil tankers. The major oil spills in history are mostly found in middle east countries like in Gulf War oil spill which occurred in Persian Gulf in the year January 23, 1991, Nowruz oil field in Persian Gulf in the year  February 1983 and more in recent times. This oil spills effect a large number of area which has to be cleared by a army of people.  Many different methods including skimming, Bioremediation, Burning, etc are used to clear the oil spill but that really fails in times when the operation is not started in quick response of oil spill.

Update: Gulf of Mexico oil rig disaster 2010:

Experts have warned that the Gulf of Mexico oil rig disaster caused by BP could develop into one of the worst spills in US history if the well is not sealed quick. Currently there are about 5,000 barrels, or 200,000 gallons, spewing every day into the Gulf of Mexico. This Massive Oil Spill reaches Louisiana Shore any moment depending on wind and stream.

5 Largest oil rig spills

1. Gulf War oil spill
   Location: Persian Gulf
   Date: January 23, 1991
   volume spilled: 136,000 – 1,500,000 tonnes
2. Ixtoc oil well
   Date: June 3, 1979- March 23, 1980
   volume spilled 454,000 – 480,000 tonnes
3. Atlantic Empress / Aegean Captain
   Location: Trinidad and Tobago
   Date: July 19, 1979
   Volume spilled: 287,000
4. Fergana Valley
   Location: Uzbekistan
   Date: March 2, 1992
   Volume spilled: 285,000 tonnes
5. Nowruz oil field
   Location: Persian Gulf
   Date: February 1983
   Volume spilled: 260,000 tonnes

Under Oil+ Oil Spill+ Oil and gas