Marine Oil Spills

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Oil spills from tankers, drilling operations, and natural seeps cause a concentrated input of oil into the ocean, often occurring in a very short period of time, and thus can have serious local effects on animal and plant life and on land cherished for its recreational value. The seriousness of an oil spill depends on several factors in addition to size, including the type of oil spilled, "fate" or final destination of the oil, and environmental factors such as the weather and time of year.
Oil is actually a very complex mixture made up of hundreds of compounds, mostly hydrocarbons. Lighter portions of the oil, though more toxic than crude oil, are more likely to evaporate or otherwise dissipate before they can reach the sensitive shoreline habitat. In fact, laboratory studies have shown that evaporation can reduce the volume of even a crude oil slick by 20-40 percent. Heavier oil that does not evaporate, although not as toxic as refined oil, can wash onto rocky and sandy shores and there can cause serious short-term harm to shellfish and plant l...