CARBON: Brazilian deep water oil

Question 1

what are the social costs and benefits of the development of Brazilian deep water oil?

Answer 1

costs

• loss of the scenic coast due to offshore refineries
• risks associated with drilling so far offshore (beyond helicopter range and rough seas make access difficult, as well as dealing with huge amounts of toxic, flammable and explosive gasses)
• expensive equipment required

benefits

• the discovery of oil deposits off the Brazilian coast in 2006 was one of the biggest oil finds ever, supporting the economic development of Brazil as an emerging country
• diversifies the country’s energy mix (fossil fuels currently produce only 13% of electricity) to overcome droughts that affect its HEP production

Question 2

what are the implications for the carbon cycle of the development of Brazilian deep water oil?

Answer 2

a

Question 3

what are the consequences for the resilience of fragile environments of the development of Brazilian deep water oil?

Answer 3

The pollution of coastal waters

Oil spillages