Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

 

You’re probably familiar with petroleum (oil), like the gasoline that is used for cars. Petroleum is a natural resource – it’s a product that comes from the Earth and can be helpful to people. Petroleum is found deep underground and is made from once-living ocean plants and ocean animals that have been buried under sediment (think dirt, rocks, and dust) for millions and millions of years! Because these fossils are not exposed to air, they “cook” in all of the heat and pressure that surrounds them underground and instead of decaying, turn into thick, slimy, black petroleum! 

In order to get to petroleum, companies must drill deep holes in the ground and pump it out. Beginning in late April 2010, a drilling rig being leased by the BP oil company underwent a series of problems that lead to a massive oil spill. The oil rig was located offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, about 40-50 miles from the Louisiana coast, so the spilled oil has been pouring into the gulf waters. The estimates of how much oil is leaking have been changing, but it’s currently believed to be at least 5,000 barrels per day, or 200,000 gallons. (One gallon is the size of a really big milk jug, so try to imagine 200,000 of them gushing out oil every single day!) 

Unfortunately, when petroleum spills into the water, we can’t just wipe it up. The oil mixes in with the waters around it and currents carry it away. It then harms ecosystems and endangers the wildlife that inhabits these regions. Coastal birds, fish, dolphins, and plants can be greatly harmed or even killed. Businesses run by fisherman and boaters are being hurt, too. Plus, petroleum is not a resource that should be taken for granted – because it takes millions of years to create, wasted oil cannot be easily replaced!

An additional problem that is making the situation worse is that BP engineers and other scientists have been unable to fix the leak ever since it began! The spill is believed to be the worst of its kind in American history, and many experts are even calling it the country’s biggest environmental disaster ever. 

As scientists and engineers work to stop the leak, President Obama and government agencies are trying to take measures to help the problem, too. New offshore oil drilling projects have been put on hold until regulations can be made to prevent spills and other problems from happening in the future. Investigations will also take place to make sure the companies involved had done everything they could to prevent the leak from happening in the first place. Environmentalists and government departments will work on ways of cleaning the waters and helping the wildlife and the communities being affected by the spill. 

If you’d like to help, ask a grown-up if you can look for some charities working on the cleanup so that you can donate your time or your money! You can also write letters to the government or the companies involved in the problem to let them know how you feel about the situation and what ideas you have that could help!