NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Offshore drilling

Offshore drilling typically refers to the act of extracting resources, primarily oil, in an ocean or lake. Natural olive oil Synthetic motor oil An oil is any substance that is in a viscous liquid state (oily) at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer, and is both hydrophobic (immiscible with water, literally water fearing) and lipophilic (miscible with other oils, literally fat loving). This general definition includes compound classes...

Controversy

As with all oil drilling, there has been a certain level of controversy surrounding the issue.

Environmental Impacts

The environmental impacts of offshore drilling are considerable. During the month of July, a bill was passed allowing for offshore drilling in the United States' Gulf of Mexico coastal waters that has been banned since 1981. Each oil rig dumps about 90,000 metric tons of drilling fluid and metal cuttings into the ocean over its lifetime, and each of its 50 to 100 wells (on average) dumps 25,000 tons of toxic metals such as lead, chromium, and mercury into the ocean.^[1] Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Effects on Tourism

Furthermore, offshore drilling will affect beach tourism, which, according to Representative Jim Davis (D-FL), is more important in the long run than securing more oil.^[2] There are different notable people named Jim Davis: Jim Davis, the cartoonist of Garfield. ... This article does not adequately cite its references. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area Ranked 22nd - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] kmÂ²) - Width 361 miles (582 km) - Length 447 miles (721 km) - % water 17. ...

Effects on Energy Dependency

Advocates of opening coastal waters to offshore drilling advocate that doing so would help make the United States more energy independent. Critics of the bill, however, state that doing so would delay the introduction of alternative fuels, which in the long run, would help the United States become energy independent.^[3]

See also

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. ... An oil well is a laymans term for any perforation through the Earths surface designed to find and release both petroleum oil and gas hydrocarbons. ...

References

Category: Oil wells 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (70th in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (70th in leap years). ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (70th in leap years). ...

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