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The origin of the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico traces its roots off the coast of Louisiana back in early 1940’s (Salvador, p. 23). In the beginning, the production of offshore oil seemed decimal. However, by 1974 the offshore oil production contributed 14% to the world’s oil supply. In fact, one third of today’s global oil production comes from offshore oil production. In addition, close to 25% of the world’s natural gas come from offshore mining (Salvador, p. 24). Skilled men who returned from the second world’s war settled in the gulf. They used the knowledge they acquired while in the war to explore oil production from the sea. People from Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, were the firs to work in the Gulf of Mexico Oil mines (Salvador, p. 25). The recent past has seen people from different parts of America and, the world coming to work in the oil and gas mining hub. However, oil and gas production often affects the surrounding environment.
During the production of oil, high concentrations of dissolved salts come out as a byproduct (Gao, p. 67). The current regulations demand that most brine be disposed off in deep formations. Oil and oil field brine usually spill into the soil surface or become directed into shallow holding pits. The brine usually flows out of the bottom of unlined holding pits and enters into ground water system. Movement of the brine and the oil into the surface pose a threat to the quality of ground water. Nearby water masses become affected. On the hand, pollutions from oil production sites destroy marine and coastal line ecosystems. Petroleum hydrocarbons find their way to the sea floor. This leads to toxic contamination of plants and animals. The contaminants can affect a whole ecosystem in case plants and animals feed on contaminated sources of food. In addition, human beings who feed on contaminated foods end up with disastrous health complications (Gao, p. 69).
Oil companies can carry environmental impact assessment in several ways. Environmental impact assessment strives to come up with the potential beneficial and none-beneficial effects before the commencement of the oil exploration project. The assessment requires oil companies to conduct environmental life cycle analysis on the industrial products (Gao, p. 70). This enables the project managers to recognize potential effects of the environment on industrial products. The assessment in cooperates the technological strategies to be used, raw material extraction and waste material disposal procedures. The measurement of environmental impacts might prove impractical because some aspects of the environment cannot be measured (Gao, p. 75). Proper assessment uses a scientific approach to assess possible errors and evaluate the reliability of the predictions. In addition, the assessment evaluates the success likelihood of the proposed mitigation strategies.
Proper environmental impact assessment can help people achieve sustainable development. Before oil companies embark on the mining process, a comprehensive environmental risk assessment should be carried out. This enables the stake holders to avoid any preventable shortcomings. In addition, the assessment enables the stakeholders avoid situations that would otherwise cause conflicts between them and the natives. Environmental risk assessment guarantees health security of the natives. Therefore, the natives are able to go on wit their daily activities without any worry. This step enables the stakeholders to prevent future conflicts that would otherwise derail the development of the natives. Thus, the natives get an ample to time to achieve sustainable development.
Deleterious changes in the environment linked to oil production activities usually cause conflicts between oil manufacturing firms and the people around. Such changes may include environmental pollutions that affect people’s health or the ecosystem. Occasional conflicts arise during accidental gas explosions and oil spills. Oil producing firms may end up paying high compensation fees to the natives. This may arise when oil companies fail to follow the required regulations or when they show aspects of negligence. Thus, natives can sue the oil companies for negligence. In such cases, natives can seek legal action to terminate the oil company’s mining activity.
Works Cited
- Gao, Zhiguo. Environmental Regulation of Oil and Gas. London: Kluwer Law International, 1999. Print.
- Salvador, Amos. The Gulf of Mexico Basin. Michigan: Geological Society of America, 1991. Print.
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