Petroleum Processing and Research

Natural hazards in Petroleum industry

The release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbons into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity is known as Oil Spill. As the petroleum spills pollutes the water surface such as streams or wetlands, individual surface waterways may be closed for travel, swimming, or fishing purpose. Tourism and water recreation can be adversely affected. Oil spills can harm birds, frogs, reptiles, fish, waterfowl, and other animals by direct physical contact, toxic contamination, and destruction of food sources. The deposition of Petroleum in lake bottoms and stream beds is very harmful because sediment traps the oil and affects the organisms that live in or feed off the sediments. Shoreline habitats of lakes and reservoirs provide food sources and nesting grounds, which can be destroyed by oil spills.

Environmental impact of the petroleum industry:

•  Toxicity
• Exhaust
• Acid rain
• Climate change
• Oil spills
• Volatile organic compounds
• Waste oil