Knowra Oil spill Oil spill An uncontrolled release of petroleum into the environment, especially water or land. Its effects depend on the oil, the receiving environment, and how quickly the release is contained.
Oil slick : A thin surface layer of oil spread across water. Wind and currents stretch a spill into slicks that can cover large areas.
Oil spill response : The coordinated actions used to contain, remove, and reduce harm from an oil spill. Response planning determines how a release is contained and its impacts managed.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill : The 2010 blowout of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The prolonged deep-sea release exposed limits in well control and response.
Oil pollution : Environmental contamination caused by petroleum entering air, water, or land. A spill is a sudden source of oil pollution, unlike chronic discharges.
Oil tanker : A ship designed to transport petroleum in bulk. Tanker accidents are a visible spill source, distinct from releases at fixed facilities.
Weathering of petroleum : The physical, chemical, and biological changes petroleum undergoes after entering the environment. Evaporation, dissolution, and degradation alter spilled oil over time.
Containment boom : A floating barrier used to contain or deflect oil on water. Booms limit spreading and guide oil toward recovery when conditions permit.
Exxon Valdez oil spill : The 1989 grounding of the Exxon Valdez tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Its shoreline contamination became a defining case of tanker-spill damage.
Marine oil pollution : Contamination of marine environments by petroleum and its products. Waterborne spills can affect organisms, shorelines, and seabed habitats.
Offshore oil platform : A structure used to explore for or produce petroleum beneath the seabed. Well blowouts can release oil continuously from depth rather than from a ship's cargo.
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