Hydrocarbons

Question 0

What countries have the greatest demand for oil?

Answer 0

USA, China and Europe

Question 1

How are hydrocarbons formed?

Answer 1

Marine deposits are compressed under heat and anaerobic decay. Oil pockets are formed when earth plates move

Question 2

Where has the greatest oil reserves?

Answer 2

Canada, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq

Question 3

FPSO

Answer 3

Floating production, storage and offloading vessel

Question 4

Major oil spills via transportation?

Answer 4

Torrey Canyon, Exxon Valdez and Milford Sound

Question 5

How can we predict where the oil spill us and where it might go?

Answer 5

1. Energy from space radars, resolution (10-25 metres), no affected by clouds, can also be used to track icebergs and fishing vessels.
2. GNOME - advanced modelling that predicts movement using software, wind and current data.

Question 6

How is oil contained?

Answer 6

Booms, skimmers, aerial dispersants, burning, scraping and pressure hosing it back to sea where it’s contained by booms and skimmers

Question 7

How to dispersants work and what are the disadvantages of using them?

Answer 7

Break oil down faster but are often full of harsh chemicals or oil based products

Question 8

What is PAH?

Answer 8

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, extremely cytoctoxic compounds released in dispersants

Question 9

How do oil spills physical impacts wildlife?

Answer 9

Modifies breathing behaviour
Impairs respiration
Changes preening and causes heat loss, hypothermia and weight loss 
Failure to react to predators 
Displacement from habitats

Question 10

How to oil spills physiologically impact wildlife?

Answer 10

Lethal toxicity - disruption of endocrine and immune systems

Carcinogenic problems linked with PAHs

Down stream effects on progeny, effect cell division and chromosome

Bio accumulation

Question 11

Damage to oiled seabirds includes…

Answer 11

Matted feathers, loss of waterproofing and thermoregulation

Loss of buoyancy and failure of internal organs and then weigjt loss

Question 12

How are turtle eggs effected by oil?

Answer 12

Development, acute deformities and fewer hatchlings

Question 13

How does exposure to oil effect adult turtles?

Answer 13

Salt glands fail, epithelium breaks down which allows infections to occurs

Question 14

What are the four mentioned affected habitats?

Answer 14

Rocky shores, mangroves, open ocean and beaches

Question 15

What is the best method to clean up oil?

Answer 15

Bioremediation - whereby natural responses are enchanted and oil consuming bacteria might help

Question 16

What is bad about physic washing and removal of oil?

Answer 16

Oil penetrates further in to the ground, greater opportunity for bioaccumulation

Question 17

What is the best way to deal with future oil spills?

Answer 17

Increase preparedness along with technological fail sages during extraction and transportation