Environmental Disaster in Gulf of Mexico - Essay Example

?Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster in Gulf of Mexico on April 20/ Environmental disasters negatively influence the ecological balance of nature and affect all the living things. When this subject matter is superimposed to the sphere of Man made disasters, the after effects of the same become worse. Due to the development in the field of science and technology, the world nations are less concerned about preservation of nature. On the other side, conservation leads to unrestricted exploitation of renewable and non-renewable natural resources. The Environmental disaster in Gulf of Mexico is one of the greatest manmade disasters. For instance, Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster or The Deepwater Horizon oil spill affected the marine ecosystem and the surrounding areas. Thesis statement: Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster in Gulf of Mexico proves the ineffectiveness of Health and Safety Management efforts because it was preventable by relevant Legislation and effective monitoring. Report 1. Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster in Gulf of Mexico on April 20/ 2010: Brief description The Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster (exact date: 20 April, 2010) is the largest oil spill in the history of mankind. Court (2010, p. 144) states that ‘ The worst man-made domestic environmental disaster since the Exxon Valdez spill struck on April 20, 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon Offshore oil-drilling rig exploded and sank into the Gulf of Mexico’. The immediate cause of the disaster was an accidental explosion in the drilling rig. As the drilling rig was working on a floating platform, the explosion resulted in leaking of oil to the surface of the sea. The Deepwater Horizon was an offshore drilling unit, capable to dig wells to exploit petroleum and gas products. When the disaster took place, the workers of the Deepwater Horizon were indulged in digging a well in the seabed near to Louisiana coast, Gulf of Mexico. The Deepwater Horizon was under the ownership of Transocean, and BP bought it on lease from the year 2008 to 2013. In the explosion caused by leaking of oil, 11 were killed at the spot (lost at the spot and later assumed as dead) and 17 were severely injured. At the time of the explosion, most of the workers were on the platform of the rig. Somehow, most of them managed to escape with the help of life boats. The authorities initiated an emergency program to tackle the disastrous situation. The initial measure taken by the authorities was evacuation and rescuing the disaster victims (workers). Several boats and helicopters were assigned to rescue the victims. Then the authorities tried their level best to control the fire. Unfortunately, on April 22 (after 36 hours) the Deepwater Horizon sank into the sea. The real problem was not yet resolved because the oil leaking from the well was spreading on the surface of the sea and to the surrounding areas. By November 2010, the authorities were able to control the situation. The next phase of the mitigation program aimed settlement. Still, the BP authorities were unable to control the leaking oil. But in July 2010, the BP authorities were able to control the situation by stopping the oil leak. This limited the possibility of gushing of oil to the surface of the sea. Two more wells were dug to control the oil spill and cement was poured into the bottom of the main well. Later, in September 2010, the Federal Government declared that the measure taken to stop the leak was successful and the situation is under control. For instance, cement that was pumped into the bottom of the oil well hindered the flow of oil. The declaration of the Federal Government as the situation was under control and the abandoning of the main well and other two relief wells prove the effectiveness of the disaster mitigation program adopted by the BP authorities and the government. 2. The consequences of the Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster The consequences of the Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster can be broadly divided into two: ecological and economical. The subdivisions of ecological consequences include: ecology (marine and land), fisheries (disappearance of fish and other living things and contamination of sea-food products) and health problems. The subdivisions of economical problems include: decline in revenue from tourism, reduction of revenue from offshore drilling, and decrease in real estate prices in the surrounding areas. A. Ecological consequences 1. Ecology (marine and land) The after effects of the Deepwater Horizon disaster is considered as the worst among ecological disasters occurred in the US. For instance, after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, around 8 of the National Parks within US faced ecological problems. Besides, endangered species of sea animals like turtles were under threat. Corn (2010, p.22) states that ‘There are unanswered questions about the amount of oil already released and still remaining in the Gulf, how the oil will degrade in the environment, what mitigation actions will be taken, and what immediate and long-term damaging effects might result from the actions’. As the leaked oil spread through sea water, most of the coastal areas near to the Gulf of Mexico faced environmental problems. The dolphins which live near to the Gulf of Mexico faced the problem of food shortage. High level toxic chemicals in the sea water cause death of sea animals and fish. For instance, the damaged corals in the Gulf of Mexico reduced the scope of survival of a number of sea animals and fish in this area. In short, recovery from this disaster may take decades because it deeply affected the ecological balance of land and the sea. 2. Fisheries The coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico faced threat because the revenue from fishing industry rapidly decreased in these areas. For instance, the Deepwater Horizon disaster affected the fishing industry in Louisiana coast. Besides, the government, especially the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration decided to ban commercial fishing in these coastal areas of Gulf of Mexico. Other areas like Alabama and Florida faced a number of problems from this ban on fishing. 3. Health problems The initial health problems that were seen among the people who live near to the Gulf of Mexico include symptoms like vomiting and head ache. Gradually, more health problems were reported. For instance, some of the first responders who took part in the rescue mission faced dehydration. The chemical contaminants which were soluble in water affected the health of the nearby residents, and the cleanup workers who used to serve at the BP. B. Economical consequences 1. Decline in revenue from tourism In the initial stages of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the hotels in coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico were filled with people. They were not tourists but rescue workers. When the after effects of the oil spill began to affect the coastal areas, the tourists kept themselves away from these areas. King ( 2010, p.4) makes clear that ‘Many expect the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil spill to cause unprecedented losses in the commercial fishing and tourism industries along the Gulf of Mexico, and seriously damage some of the delicate wetlands and intertidal zones along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida’. The hotels in the coastal areas like Louisiana and Alabama, tried to attract tourists (by cutting rates) but for vain. Decline in the number of tourists resulted in revenue shortage. In short, the Deepwater Horizon disaster resulted in low revenue from tourism. 2. Reduction of revenue from offshore drilling As the revenue from oil industry is based on new sources of oil, one can easily identify the fact that the Deepwater Horizon disaster drastically affected the economic backbone of the coastal areas. When more and more money was used for rescue and follow up work, the revenue from offshore drilling began to decrease and it affected the economic balance. In short, the expenditure on oil spill was so high that it drastically affected the economy. 3. Decrease in real estate prices The Deepwater Horizon disaster deeply influenced the real estate sector in the coastal region. The land and property prize rapidly declined and the officials were forced to reduce the property tax to the market value. This reduced the scope of high revenue from property tax. In short, the decrease in real estate prices in the areas near to the Gulf of Mexico created a number of economic problems. 3. The importance of relevant Legislation to preventing man made environmental disasters in future First of all, relevant legislation can prevent man made environmental disasters in future. In US, ample importance is given to disaster assistance and other follow –up works. First of all, the Stafford Act authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be in the forefront of disaster assistance measures. Still, there exists scope for innovative legislative measures that can prevent man made environmental disasters in future. The Tort Law, which is related to the offshore oil pollution in US aims to provide compensation to the victims. Besides, the law deals with safety measures in the field of offshore drilling and the reduction of oil spills in future. The regulatory actions according to the Tort Law are important because it aims to apply financial responsibility of oil pollution upon the responsible companies. This law is effective because it leads the oil companies to be cautious about their duties and responsibilities. The Oil Pollution Act (1990) and the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) are relevant because these sort of acts and funds does not help the oil companies to escape from their duties and responsibilities towards the public. The Louisiana Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act (LOSPRA) is another innovative step because is declared the responsibility of the BP to be responsible for the removal of pollutants. Potter (2010, P. 225) makes clear the lobbying by British Petroleum that ‘Thus, on the one hand it had been quietly lobbying Congress to loosen environmental –protection laws, while on the other it had been promoting itself as environmentally friendly’. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) which is authorized for the licensing process can play an important role in preventing man made environmental disasters like Deepwater Horizon disaster in future. 4. How the Health and Safety Culture changed due to the change in the field of Health and Safety Management The development in the field of Health and Safety Management is rapid because of the increase in men made disasters. At the same time, this deeply influences the field of Health and Safety Culture. Earlier, human encroachment upon natural resources, especially upon the non-renewable resources was rare. Due to the development in the field of science and technology, the importance given to preservation of nature became outdated. Now, more and more sources of non-renewable resources are exploited without any concern. So, over exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources leads to man made disasters like Deepwater Horizon Environmental disaster. To be specific, change in lifestyle and attitude towards nature leads to change in Health and Safety Culture and Health and Safety Management. Most of the world nations are aware of the importance of preservation of nature. Veenema (2007, p. 354) states that ‘ Despite the nation’s best efforts to prevent spills, almost 14,000 oil spills are reported each year, mobilizing thousands of specially trained emergency response personnel and challenging the best - laid contingency plans’. But most of the measures adopted to preserve nature become unsuccessful because man made disasters affect the whole world without considering national borders. For instance, the negative effect of Deepwater Horizon Environmental disaster is not limited to the nearby areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The ebb and tide spread the toxic waste material to other parts of the world. The development in the field of industrialization leads to rapid change in Health and Safety Management. Again, this accelerates the change in Health and Safety Culture. Within this scenario, the deeds (over exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources) by the multinational companies/corporations affect the lives of innocent people. So, measures must be adopted to inculcate an effective and generally applicable Health and Safety Culture. In this context, the measures to be adopted by the world nations, especially the governments can play an important role in inculcating innovation to the field of Health and Safety Management. 5. The cost of Deepwater Horizon of Bp (British Petroleum) Environmental disaster in Gulf of Mexico The cost of Deepwater Horizon disaster can be roughly calculated as between $20 billion - $60 billion. Hiles (2010, p. 623) states that ‘ Legal action against BP could last ten years or more: the final total bill for the spill, including liabilities, has been estimated at $20 billion - $60 billion if the leak continues into August as expected- pessimists claimed the leak could last until late December 2010’. But its negative impact upon ecology, fisheries, public health, tourism sector, oil revenue etc is beyond calculation. For instance, the cost to restore the ecological balance cannot be calculated because it is a long-term effect. The fisheries and tourism sectors in the surrounding areas of the Gulf of Mexico faced a number of problems because of the government banned fishing and there were restrictions upon tourism sector. King (2010, P.4) makes clear that ‘BP is also potentially exposed to statutory liability pursuant to the Louisiana Oil Spill Preventions and Response Act (LOSPRA) that could hold parties responsible for up to $350 million in damages arising from the discharge and must pay all pollution removal costs and damages regardless of any defences it may assert’. Some of the direct health impacts (short-term) of the Deepwater Horizon disaster were easily tackled by the authorities. But the long-term impacts are not yet verified and may cost more than expected. The revenue from oil is another sector which was negatively affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The cost of digging two extra wells to cap the main well, disaster mitigation and follow-up programs increased the initial cost of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. In short, the initial costs of the disaster can be considered as between $20 billion - $60 billion, but its negative impact on nature is still to be measured. The Deepwater Horizon disaster proves the ineffective legislation and monitoring of off water drilling and exploitation of oil resources. The safety measures adopted by the BP Company were ineffective but the timely response from the side of the Federal Government and it various agencies reduced the scope of further issues. The consequences (long/ short term ecological and economical effects) and the high cost of the disaster will be helpful for the world nations and the multinational companies/ corporations to restructure their policies and overall attitude towards nature. To be specific, man made disasters can be prevented by relevant legislation and effective monitoring of the safety measures adopted by the companies/corporations that are indulged in the process of exploiting renewable and non-renewable resources. The Deepwater Horizon disaster is an eye opener to the whole world because it reveals the fact that human beings cannot survive without considering nature. Besides, ample importance must be given to inculcate innovation to the sphere of Health and Safety Management because it is helpful to mould an effective and acceptable Health and Safety Culture. Summing up, the Deepwater Horizon disaster, occurred in Gulf of Mexico is a man made disaster which can be preventable with the help of relevant Legislation and effective monitoring of the same. Besides, the role of the Federal government in disaster mitigation measures at the time of Deepwater Horizon disaster is noteworthy. For instance, the different agencies within the Federal government played an important role in disaster mitigation and follow- up work. The consequences of the disaster, i.e. ecological (ecology: ecological balance, fisheries: ban on fishing and health problems: toxic waste materials) and economical (tourism: decline in revenue from tourism, offshore drilling: decline in revenue from offshore drilling, and real estate: decline in revenue from real estate business) proves the immediate and far reaching consequences of the same. The roles played by the Acts Laws, Fund and licensing agencies like Stafford Act, Tort Law, Oil Pollution Act, Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, Louisiana Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (licensing body) prove its effectiveness in Deepwater Horizon disaster mitigation and can play an important role in preventing man made environmental disasters in future. From a different angle of view, the change in Health and Safety Management deeply influence the Health and Safety Culture. But the world nations must show the courage to inculcate innovative measures to implement sustainable development and conservation of renewable and non-renewable resources. The drastic effects and high cost of the Deepwater Horizon disaster is a solid evidence to prove the importance of sustainable development and the need of positive change in the field of Health and Safety Management. References Corn, L., 2010. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response. N.P.: DIANE Publishing. Court, J., 2010. The Progressive's Guide to Raising Hell: How to Win Grassroots Campaigns, Pass Ballot Box Laws, and Get the Change We Voted For-- A Direct Democracy Toolkit. Canada: Chelsea Green Publishing. Hiles, A., 2010. The Definitive Handbook of Business Continuity Management. 3rd ed. West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons. King, R.O., 2010. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Disaster: Risk, Recovery, and Insurance Implications. N.P.: DIANE Publishing. Potter, W., 2010. Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing USA. Veenema, T.G., 2007. Disaster nursing and emergency preparedness: for chemical, biological, and radiological terrorism and other hazards. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Read More