Environmental Impacts of Offshore Drilling

Offshore drilling has a significant environmental impact on air, water, and wildlife.

According to the Defenders of Wildlife, there are more than 5,600 offshore oil and gas platforms in the U.S. and more than 27,000 miles of pipelines in the area around the Gulf of Mexico. The drilling industry creates a strong environmental impact on air, water, wildlife and coastal communities. Cleaning up the 2011 BP oil spill alone can cost several billion dollars, according to Reuters..

Air Quality

Air pollution can undermine both personal health and that of local economies.

As oil flows through pipelines and into refineries, some of it is pumped into the air, which creates pollution. In 2004, a Gulfwide Emission Inventory Study was conducted by the Minerals Management Service of New Orleans. The study concluded that most of the air pollution in the Gulf of Mexico came from these activities.

Water Quality

Toxic chemicals from offshore drilling affect the fish we eat.

Drilling and oil platforms impact the ocean floor. Not only do the structures permanently alter undersea habitats, they also are responsible for leakages that can be strewn by currents over a wide area. In 2006, the Mineral Management Service did a study on the effects of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, which concluded that 5he damage to drilling equipment caused 741,400 gallons of petroleum to be spilled into the Gulf. Although metal levels were undetermined, they were found in the marine food chain, which ultimately affects the fish and seafood we eat.

Wildlife

Seismic surveys during offshore drilling operations can injure aquatic wildlife.

According to the National Research Council's 2003 study called "Oil in the Sea III," marine mammals and birds are directly impacted by drilling activities. The oil causes poisoning as wildlife ingest food or try to clean themselves. It also causes tissue damage and bioaccumulation of organic pollutants and metals throughout the food chain. Seismic surveys during gas and oil exploration can impact wildlife negatively, causing hearing loss and behavioral changes such as nesting and animal confusion. It can even physically injure dolphins, whales and seals.

Coastal Communities

Offshore drilling leaves a footprint on our coastal communities.

Coastline communities experience the impact of offshore drilling firsthand via storage tanks, pipelines, processing facilities and oil spills. Drilling erodes beaches, sends toxicity into the wetlands, and pollutes the air people and animals breathe. Oil spills reduce freshwater areas, causing damage to the fishing industry, costing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars, according to projections by the Defenders of Wildlife. Reuters projected that it could cost anywhere from $1.1 billion to $7.7 billion to clean up the 2011 BP spill.

References

• Defenders of Wildlife: Outer Continental Shelf Drilling
• Surfrider Foundation: Not The Answer: Surfrider foundation sounds off on offshore drilling
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement: Mineral Management Service: Updates Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Damage
• National Research Council: Oil in the Sea III: Inputs, Fates and Effects
• CBS News: How Much Does BP Owe for Gulf Oil Spill?; Stephanie Condon

Resources

• Culture Change: No Offshore Oil Drilling: Committee Against Oil Exploration (CAOE)
• USA Today: Worth the risk? Debate on offshore drilling heats up
• Live Science: Oil Drilling: Risks and Rewards