Oil+Spills

= __Oil Spills__ = An oil spill is the release of different types of oils such as diesels or liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into different bodies of water around the world. When the oil spills into the waters, the effect on the environment may be fatal to the living creatures in that ecosystem. The oil kills plants and greenery and pollutes the waters putting so many different marine species in danger. Sea otters, seabirds and seals insulation abilities are reduced when they come in contact with the oil leading to body temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Due to the fact that oil floats, it blocks out the sun, preventing photosynthesis from taking place which creates a disturbance in the food chain. Oil spills take months even years to clean up and even when all the oil is cleared the affect of the damage still remains.

5 Largest oil spills

Gulf War oil spill Location: Persian Gulf Date: January 23, 1991 volume spilled: 136,000 - 1,500,000 tonnes

Ixtoc oil well Date: June 3, 1979- March 23, 1980 volume spilled 454,000 - 480,000 tonnes Atlantic Empress / Aegean Captain Location: Trinidad and Tobago Date: July 19, 1979 Volume spilled: 287,000 tonnes

Fergana Valley Location: Uzbekistan Date: March 2, 1992 Volume spilled: 285,000 tonnes Nowruz oil field Location: Persian Gulf Date: February 1983 Volume spilled: 260,000 tonnes

soucre: http://www.oilism.com/oil/2007/12/28/the-biggest-oil-spills-in-history/