What was the environmental impact of the oil spill?

Oil spills frequently kill marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, seals, and sea otters. 10 Oil can clog blowholes of whales and dolphins, making it impossible for them to breathe properly and disrupting their ability to communicate. Oil coats fur of otters and seals, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia.

What damage did the Montara oil spill cause?

In June 2010, the East Nusa Tenggara provincial government estimated that economic losses due to the pollution of the Timor Sea resulting from the Montara spill amounted to more than 2.5-3 trillion rupiah (Rp) or $318–382 million (AUD).

How much oil was leaked in the Montara oil spill?

Ten years ago on Wednesday an estimated 40 million litres of oil leaked from a faulty rig in the Montara field, in the Timor Sea, and for 10 weeks spread over tens of thousands of square kilometres of ocean.

Who was responsible for the Montara oil spill?

PTTEP
The commission found that the Australian subsidiary of the Thai oil company PTTEP was negligent in its operation of the Montara oilwell, 250km off the coast of Western Australia, which exploded in August 2009.

What are the economic and environmental effects of oil spills?

Economic impacts of oil spills generally include cost of clean-up and compensation, damage to agricultural lands, fishery and wildlife. Social impact on the other hand includes community conflicts, violence and frustration which leads to militancy, reduction in tourism and hospitality industries.

What was the biggest oil spill in Australia?

The Montara blowout
The Montara blowout is considered one of Australia’s worst environmental disasters.

Where did the Montara oil spill happen?

The Montara oil spill happened on 21 August 2009 on the PTTEP-owned Montara wellhead platform in the Timor Sea, offshore Western Australia (WA). The leak was at water depths of approximately 76m, from a hole 3km below the seabed.

What are the impacts of oil spills?

Oil toxicity: Oil consists of many different toxic compounds. These toxic compounds can cause severe health problems like heart damage, stunted growth, immune system effects, and even death. Our understanding of oil toxicity has expanded by studying the effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

How do oil spills affect biodiversity?

Oil pollution can have long-term negative effects on plants, and oil trapped in plant roots can become re-suspended in the water column during storms. Pollution from the BP spill oiled more than 1,000 linear miles of shoreline and contaminated marshes and mangrove habitats that support nesting birds.

Who cleans Australian oil spills?

Oil spill control agents (OSCA) may assist in oil spill clean up in Australian waters.

How does oil spills pollute the ocean?

Because oil spills are localized, they can severely contaminate beaches and sediment, and cause serious harm to marine wildlife. Oil spills can suffocate fish, get caught in the feathers of birds and mammals and block light from photosynthetic plants in the water.

What do we do about oil spills?

Spills should immediately be contained and cleaned up with absorbent pads or boomed to prevent their spread. Notify the Coast Guard and your state spill response office, per federal law, and let the marina or fuel dock staff know about the incident, so they can assist.