Context Clean-up crews and the US Coast Guard are trying to locate the source of an oil spill spotted in the Gulf of Mexico after deadly Hurricane Ida.
Recent satellite photos by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed the slick about two miles (3km) off Port Fourchon, Louisiana.
What is the source of the spill?
The source of the miles-long oil spill was believed to be in the Bay Marchand area of the Gulf of Mexico.
It appears to be coming from a source underwater at an offshore drilling site
Damaged pipelines in the Bay are possible reasons for the spill.
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent.
What is an oil spill?
An oil spill refers to any uncontrolled release of crude oil, gasoline, fuels, or other oil by-products into the environment.
Harmful effects of oil spill
Oil spills can pollute land, air, or water.
It prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface.
It also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen.
Oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia
Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals, and damage their habitat and reproductive rate.
Cleanup of Oil Spill:
Containment Booms: Floating barriers, called booms are used to restrict the spread of oil and to allow for its recovery, removal, or dispersal.
Skimmers: They are devices used for physically separating spilled oil from the water’s surface.
Sorbents: Various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water are used.
Dispersing agents: These are chemicals that contain surfactants, or compounds that act to break liquid substances such as oil into small droplets.
Biological agents: Nutrients, enzymes, or microorganisms such as Alcanivorax bacteria or Methylocella silvestris that increase the rate at which natural biodegradation of oil occurs are added
