RIASSUNTO
Abstract
Since the late 1970's, offshore operations have expanded throughout the world in Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia, and in other areas. Before this, onshore drillings were developed since the end of last century. Restrictions on the petroleum exploration activities around the world are governed by standards, norms, laws and regulations designed to provide protection to the surrounding marine environment. Operations have been ongoing in waters off the American coasts and the North Sea for the longest period of time and both areas have developed the most detailed set of restrictions in order to control environmental impacts and to incentive the development of technologies capable to increase worldwide production target, considering nature conservation.
United States, one of the oldest oil industries in the world and Brazil, the new potential petroleum producer, have a huge obligation related to environmental concerns and investments. The last accidents in those countries show what can occur if new technologies would not be applied and what regulations are responsible for industry control and population consciousness. This paper describes the political regulative evolution in both countries, detaching the most important facts and how they are connected. Citing the most important past accidents, this project show what could be changed and how the oil industry works with the new perspective of being ""green?? at the same time they should increase their production rates and reserves.
1. Introduction:
Increased demand for oil in industrialized nations since World War II has fostered an intensive exploration and drilling program in oil producing countries. Many new wells are being drilled offshore, thus increasing the potential of major oil pollution is coastal areas. Oil must be transported by pipelines and tankers from the primary surplus regions as well as within countries. Marine oil spillage can affect coastal areas rapidly and becomes a serious international problem. The ocean is important as an agent for absorbing and transferring pollution.
Data on the damages that result from large oil spills is largely descriptive. But it does not provide an indication of the range of consequences that can result from a spill. When spilled, oil is a potential floating drifting nuisance, capable of covering large expanses of water in a relatively short time. Each spill is unique, but there is no doubt that oil inflicts damage. While surface damage is quite obvious and while damage to the subsurface marine and coastal ecosystems can be hidden and the full cost is never known.
Oil spills can be a graveyard for species of animal and plant life. Birds, especially those frequenting coastal areas, are particularly vulnerable. They land on the oil mass and the feathers become matted and oil soaked and the birds often drown through lack of buoyancy. If they do not drown, toxicities from ingested oil and exposure through loss of body heat can also result in death.
While spilled oil inflicts damage on the marine environment, efforts to clean up the spill cause much more destruction. Experiences in South Africa have demonstrated that spraying chemical detergents from ships is most effective way to treat oil slick, although the detergents were highly toxic to marine life.