L18 Flashcards
what is the law of the seas
in a treaty that placed the control of the seabed, its resources, and the water of the continental shelf under the country that owns the nearest land.
in what year was the law o the sea created and where
1958 and 1960 at the Geneva convention
rule on territorial waters
Territorial waters that extend seaward for 12 nautical miles from the coast and are under the direct jurisdiction of the coastal nation
rule on exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that extends for 200 nautical miles offshore or to the edge of the continental shelf (note geological/tectonic controls), if that is farther, giving coastal nations the right to regulate fishing, mineral resources, pollution, and research. The right of vessels to free and innocent passage outside the territorial waters and through international straits that lie within territorial waters.
what odes the UN international seabed authority do
The United Nations’ International Seabed Authority must approve all private exploitation of mineral resources beyond the exclusive economic zones. Furthermore, part of the revenue from the exploiting resources must be shared with the developing nations.
how much of the ocean is (EEZ) and what is the remaining called
40% and the other 60% is the high sees
where are petroleum, oil and gas derived from
Petroleum, oil, and gas are hydrocarbons derived from sedimentary rocks that were deposited in quiet, productive regions with anoxic bottom waters in which the remains of phytoplankton accumulated
describe the process of petroleum oil and gas being produced
Deep burial resulting in high temperature and pressure converted the organic remains into hydrocarbons. Initially, oil was generated, but as temperatures and pressures increased due to burial, methane (CH4) and natural gas were produced. Pressure forced the oil and gas from the source rock into water-filled porous and permeable strata above. Because oil and gas are less dense than water, they migrated upward until an impermeable layer blocked their path. Oil and gas accumulated, forming a large deposit in the pores of the reservoir rock, usually composed of porous sandstone.
how can the location of oil and gas be determined
seismic reflection and refraction, but only drilling can corroborate the presence of the hydrocarbons
what is a gas hydrates
Gas hydrates refer to the unusual hydrocarbon deposits composed of frozen water molecules entrapping a single molecule of methane (natural gas
where do gas hydrates occur
Gas hydrates occur in polar sediments and in deposits of the continental slope between the depths of 300 and 500 meters, where cold water is in contact with the seafloor.
why are gas hydrates not recovered if the source is so rich
there is no economical method to collect them
how could gas hydrates contribute to global warming
Methane, along with hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, can seep into the water, where they are taken up by microbes. These microbes provide food for filter feeders around these cold seeps. If global warming raises the temperature of bottom water sufficiently, deep-sea hydrate deposits may melt and release large amounts of methane—a greenhouse gas—into the atmosphere. This could dramatically affect the climate.
why are sand and gravel mined
These materials are used for construction of roads and buildings and to replenish eroded beaches
what threat does mining sand and gravel cause
Mining sand and gravel deposits from the shelf threaten both the benthic and pelagic communities and introduce large amounts of fine suspended sediment in the water column.
what are manganese nodules composed of
Manganese nodules are composed of about 20 to 30 percent manganese, 10 to 20 percent iron oxide, 1.5 percent nickel, and less than 1 percent cobalt, copper, zinc, and lead
why are the manganese nodules not mined
Currently, there is no economical method of recovering the nodules from the deep sea