The Environment Of Oil

Since the early 1970s, experts have recognized that petroleum pollutants were being discharged in marine waters worldwide, from oil spills, vessel operations, and land-based sources. Public attention to oil spills has forced improvements. Still, a considerable amount of oil is discharged yearly into sensitive coastal environments. Oil in the Sea provides the best available estimate of oil pollutant discharge into marine waters, including an evaluation of the methods for assessing petroleum load and a discussion about the concerns these loads represent. Featuring close-up looks at the Exxon Valdez spill and other notable events, the book identifies important research questions and makes recommendations for better analysis ofâ€"and more effective measures againstâ€"pollutant discharge. The book discusses: Inputâ€"where the discharges come from, including the role of two-stroke engines used on recreational craft. Behavior or fateâ€"how oil is affected by processes such as evaporation as it moves through the marine environment. Effectsâ€"what we know about the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on marine organisms and ecosystems. Providing a needed update on a problem of international importance, this book will be of interest to energy policy makers, industry officials and managers, engineers and researchers, and advocates for the marine environment.

Oil is the lifeblood of the global economy, and its misuse carries the risk of heavy economic and environmental penalties. This book is a collection of essays bearing on economic growth and environmental concerns for a world that will continue to be dependent on oil throughout the next century. Topics include the outlook for petroleum demand and supply, the potential for alternatives to a petroleum-based economy, the costs of controlling automobile emissions, the environmental costs of moving oil by tanker and pipeline, and competition issues in the production and distribution of petroleum products. The wide range of topics reflects the many different ways in which petroleum and use affect the quality of our lives. The essays are the end results of an initiative by the University of California Energy Institute and reflect careful research into the costs and benefits of the petroleum economy. Together, they offer new insights into the critical task of living with oil, for today and for the future.

A. AHNELL and H. O'LEARY 1.1 Environmental technology Perhaps the place to start this book is with definitions of the two key words [1]: • Technology - the scientific study and practical application of the industrial arts, applied sciences, etc., or the method for handling a specific technical problem. • Environmental - all the conditions, circumstances and influences surrounding and affecting the development of an organism or group of organisms. Environmental technology is the scientific study or the application of methods to understand and handle problems which influence our surround ings and, in the case of this book, the surroundings around oil industry facilities and where oil products are used. Traditionally the phrase has meant the application of additional treatment processes added on to industrial processes to treat air, water and waste before discharge to the environment. Increasingly the phrase has a new meaning where the concept is to create cleaner process technology and move towards sustainabili ty. 1.2 The beginning As we begin our discussion of environmental technology, it is important to take a few moments to remember how we became so involved with this substance, oil. Regardless of our opinions about its use, oil is, and has been, the key resource in the twentieth century. From humble beginnings as a medicine and a lamp oil, oil has become the energy of choice for transport and many other applications and the feedstock for a major class of the material used today, plastic.

Oil Spill Environmental Forensics provides a complete view of the various forensic techniques used to identify the source of an oil spill into the environment. The forensic procedures described within represent various methods from scientists throughout the world. The authors explore which analytical and interpretative techniques are best suited for a particular oil spill project. This handy reference also explores the use of these techniques in actual environmental oil spills. Famous incidents discussed include the Exxon Valdez incident in 1989 and the Guanabara Bay, Brazil 2000. The authors chronicle both the successes and failures of the techniques used for each of these events. Dr. Zhendi Wang is a senior research scientist and Head of Oil Spill Research of Environment Canada, working in the oil and toxic chemical spill research field. He has authored over 270 academic publications and won a number of national and international scientific honors and awards. Dr. Wang is a member of American Chemical Society (ACS), the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC), and the International Society of Environmental Forensics (ISEF). International experts show readers the forensic techniques used in oil spill investigations Provides the theoretical basis and practical applications for investigative techniques Contains numerous case studies demonstrating proven technique

The petroleum industry must minimize the environmental impact of its various operations. This extensively researched book assembles a tremendous amount of practical information to help reduce and control the environmental consequences of producing and processing petroleum and natural gas. The best way to treat pollution is not to create it in the first place. This book shows you how to plan and manage production activities to minimize and even eliminate some environmental problems without severely disrupting operations. It focuses on ways to treat drilling and production wastes to reduce toxicity and/or volume before their ultimate disposal. You'll also find methods for safely transporting toxic materials from the upstream petroleum industry away from their release sites. For those sites already contaminated with petroleum wastes, this book reviews the remedial technologies available. Other topics include United States federal environmental regulations, sensitive habitats, major U.S. chemical waste exchanges, and offshore releases of oil. Environmental Control in Petroleum Engineering is essential for industry personnel with little or no training in environmental issues as well as petroleum engineering students.