summarize how petroleum presents ecological and health problems at each stage of its life - drilling, refining, transportation, and consumption. in each case, highlight the relevant chemical issues.
please please please help me with this. i tried looking for the stages and i couldn't find ANYTHING. please help, ten points guaranteed!
2006-10-15 15:36:20 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
Drilling disturbs natural habitats
Refining emits harmful (SO2) into the air that damages lungs
and pollutes the air and ground. I have experience with this first hand--my lungs are damaged because I lived down wind from an oil refinery. People in my town has all sorts of lung ailments.
Transportation of petroleum is dangerous and poses problems on our freeways, ferries and in our towns. The trucks are like bombs on wheels.
Consumption is in our hands, we control that with what we drive, how we drive and how often we drive.
2006-10-15 15:48:38 · answer #1 · answered by MadforMAC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At all stages it has to be remembered that petroleum liquids and gases are highly flammable and in some circumstances explosive. Furthermore fires can give rise to toxic smoke and fumes. Also petroleum is handled in very large quantities (There are pipelines carrying in excess of one million barrels per day of crude oil and tankers carrying 500,000 tonnes)
Drilling mud is used in the drilling process and 'chippings' of rock are produced and brought to the surface by the mud. These represent a potential environmental problem if not managed properly. As does any 'blowout' or leakage of oil. Leakage of oil can damage flora and fauna and aquatic life as well as poisoning water supplies (all this applies to later stages of petroleum use as well). Gas is usually produced along with oil (or by itself) and this often contains H2S, a highly poisonous gas which has killed or damaged the health of many oil workers.
In an oil refinery many operations are carried out to produce a range of products from the crude oil. Some processes are carried out at high temperatures and pressures with attendant potential risks. Sulphur in the crude is converted to the poisonous gas H2S and converted in modern refineries to sulphur. There are potential problems with leakage of toxic liquids or gases, fires or explosions.
The most severe problems are out of the way once the products leave the refinery and are dispersed. Products are still hazardous though and a lot of care goes into minimising the potential for accidents.
2006-10-16 00:43:59 · answer #2 · answered by Robert A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this may help
2006-10-15 22:41:32 · answer #3 · answered by M. Abuhelwa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋