What is an oil spill?
An oil spill is an accidental release of a large amount of oil on to land.
List at least 2 reasons why we need oil refineries.
Fuels for transportation, generating electricity, feedstocks for making chemicals, paving roads
List 3 (minimum) different pollutants produced by oil refineries.
Sulfur dioxide, Particulate matter, Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, Hydrogen sulfide
How does air pollution affect climate change?
The black carbon produced from oil refineries warm the earth’s atmosphere, absorbing sunlight. This causes glaciers, snow, and ice to melt.
Within what distance do humans have to live from an oil refinery to have a higher risk for developing health diseases?
About 16 kilometres
What do oil spills have impacts on?
Environment, Human health, Marine ecosystems, plants, air quality and local economies
What causes oil refineries to produce air pollution?
Hydrocarbons, heavy, medium, and light chemicals.
What are some popular oil refineries? List at least 3 examples, and where they are located if you can.
Jamnagar Refinery, Gujarat, India. Ulsan Refinery, Ulsuan, South Korea. Ruwais Refinery, Ruwais, United Arab Emirates, Motiva Port Arthur Refinery in Texas
What happens when the oil components are separated?
Once the oil components are separated, the finished product can be sold to many different industries to gain profit.
What are biorefineries?
A biorefinery is a facility that converts biomass into energy, chemicals, and other products
What causes oil spills to happen? List at least 1 example.
Offshore drilling, transportation accidents, and industrial activities.
What are the benefits of preventing oil spills?
Environment, human, wildlife health.
What are some of the biggest oil spills? List at least 3.
The Persian Gulf War Oil Spill (1991), BP's Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010), The Ixtoc 1 Oil Spill (1979), The Atlantic Empress Oil Spill (1979)
How can biorefineries help our planet?
Reduce fossil fuel consumption and import dependence, Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase employment in agriculture and forestry
