There are a number of ways that oil spills can occur. One of the most common causes is an accident involving an oil carrier or pipeline. Another common cause is a leak in underground storage tanks. Accidents involving a ship can also cause an oil spill into the sea causing devastation for marine wildlife. And of course, there are also deliberate acts of sabotage by people that can occur anywhere. For a range of Spill Kits, consult with a site such as https://hydepark-environmental.com/spill-response/spill-kits
Oil spills can affect many different types of organisms. Marine animals, for example, can be affected by acute oil stress. Typically, an oil spill will affect organisms that live in the sea’s surface layers when a leak occurs at sea. However, in many situations, the impact of an oil spill is minimal and can be cleaned up with little impact on the surrounding environment.
Depending on the location of the spill, oil spills may also affect wildlife. Animals that inhabit waters near oil wells are particularly at risk. The oil can clog up their blowholes, rendering them unable to breathe. In addition, oiled animals can die from hypothermia or other complications related to the contamination.
The largest source of oil spills is human activities. Oil users often release oil into the sea during drilling operations, cleaning operations, pipeline leaks, and explosions. These incidents damage marine life and threaten tourism and fishing which is why efforts must be made to prevent such spills occurring in the first place.