Health Effects of Oil Spills

Question 1

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill location

Answer 1

Gulf of Mexico near Mississipi Delta US

Question 2

Estimated discharge of oil in Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Answer 2

4.9 million barrels

Question 3

Cause of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Answer 3

Wellhead blowout

Question 4

Fault of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Answer 4

BP and rig opperator Transocean and contractor Halliburton

Question 5

Criminal reasoning for Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Answer 5

Gross negligence, cost-cutting decisions, and inadequate safety system

Question 6

Where is oil said to be imbedded all the way in Florida Panhandle and Tampa Bay

Answer 6

In the sand

Question 7

Infant dolphins died at this rate after the spill

Answer 7

6x normal

Question 8

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill affect on tuna

Answer 8

Heart deformaties

Question 9

Poster animal for oil spill, why

Answer 9

Turtle, affected at every stage of life

Question 10

Main effect of oil spill on birds

Answer 10

Cannot thermoregulate, spend all their time preening

Question 11

Baseline data

Answer 11

Data about the area prior to an event or disaster

Question 12

Corexit

Answer 12

Chemical dispersant that sinks to the seafloor when mixed with oil

Question 13

Evidence of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill found on the Gulf Coast

Answer 13

oily sea foam, tar balls

Question 14

Medical issues after 5 years since the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Answer 14

chronic cough, skin rash, memory loss

Question 15

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill effects on real estate market

Answer 15

Houses spent a long time on the market

Question 16

Methods of containing oil in when spilled

Answer 16

1. skimmer ships
2. floating containment booms
3. controlled burns
4. oil-eating microbes
5. Corexit

Question 17

Criticism of containment booms

Answer 17

• Only effective in relatively calm water
• wash up on shore with oil
• oil can escape above or below boom

Question 18

Mixture of emulsifier and solvent that breaks oil down into small droplets that may be more readily biodegradable

Answer 18

Corexit

Question 19

Dispersant trade-offs

Answer 19

exposing coastal life to surface oil and exposing aquatic life to dispersed oil

Question 20

Concerns with Corexit

Answer 20

• possible cancer causing agents
• hazardous toxins
• endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Question 21

Georgia Tech 2012 study

Answer 21

Corexit increased toxicity of oil by 52x

Question 22

Excessive exposure may cause CNS effects, nausea and vommitting, anesthetic or narcotic effects

Answer 22

Corexit

Question 23

Banned in the UK

Answer 23

Corexit

Question 24

Clean-up workers of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Answer 24

• increased risk for cancer and leukemia
• altered blood profiles, liver enzymes

Question 25

Deepwater Horizon

Answer 25

Mobile, floating, dynamically positioned drilling rig that could opperate in waters up to 10,000ft deep

Question 26

9:45pm on April 20, 2010

Answer 26

high-pressure methane gas from well expanded into drilling riser and rose into drilling rig, which exploded and engulfed the platform

Question 27

Macondo well

Answer 27

Area of the oil reservoir being used in Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Question 28

Kick

Answer 28

unplanned flow of well fluids into wellbore

Question 29

Blowout

Answer 29

uncontrolled release of flammable oil and gas from the well

Question 30

Features of blowout preventer

Answer 30

- can close pipes - circular annular preventers - blind shear rams

Question 31

Why did the pipe buckle in Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and what effects did this have

Answer 31

Buckling caused by compression from large pressure difference inside and outside the pipe (pipe was closed at the top but oil continued to flow in from the bottom) Buckling caused the blind shear rams to fail

Question 32

Financial consequences for BP

Answer 32

42.2 billion and additional 18.7 billion in fines