The ocean is a complex ecosystem that supports a large variety of marine life because of its size and seemingly endless supply of resources. Numerous research has been conducted on a variety of Ocean-related topics. People also ponder the possibility of an ocean catching fire.
Ocean fires are uncommon when combustible gas seeps from the seafloor and ignites when it touches ocean oxygen. These fires have been known about for ages. Therefore, their discovery could be more recent.
Concerns have been expressed about the ocean fires & the possible effects on marine life and the environment due to the recent rise in their frequency and intensity. Learn more about ocean fires by reading this article.
Oceans Catching Fire
When the ocean & surface catch fire, a phenomenon known as ocean fire & lightning occurs. It may occur as a result of a natural event or human activity. Numerous occasions, including lightning strikes, volcanic eruptions, and oil spills, can start fires on the ocean surface.
Submerged pipelines and offshore oil installations could also cause ocean fires. These buildings have the potential to leak flammable liquids and gasses, which could catch fire if they come into contact with an ignition source.
In 1979, a notorious ocean fire took place in Campeche Sound. A large fire lasted for several months due to an oil rig explosion that discharged millions of gallons of oil into the ocean.
Ocean fires may have detrimental effects on the ecology. They can discharge significant pollutants into the atmosphere and ocean, such as greenhouse gases and other dangerous compounds. It has the potential to damage marine ecosystems and accelerate climate change.
Intentional human action can also contribute to ocean fires and natural and unintentional causes. For instance, some fishing vessels employ ring-of-fire strategies to draw fish to the surface. To produce a circle of light that draws fish, tiny fires are lit on the ocean and its surface.
The Gulf Of Mexico Incident
A major fire in the Gulf of Mexico was started in July 2021 due to a gas leak in a pipeline owned by Pemex, the Mexican state oil firm. The tragedy happened at the Ku Maloob Zaap oil firm, situated off the Campeche coast in southern Mexico.
There were no reported casualties after the fire, which lasted for many hours, was put out by firefighting equipment. The event did, however, spark worries about the security of the Gulf of Mexico’s oil and gas facilities.
According to Reuters, the pipeline’s broken valve was the reason for the gas leak, which allowed natural gas and methane to escape into the ocean surface. The fire, fed by the gas, sent up a massive column of smoke that could be seen for miles.
Pemex launched an investigation into the incident, and its CEO, Angel Carrizales, vowed to enhance safety protocols to avoid similar mishaps in the future. The incident raised issues regarding how industrial accidents in the Gulf of Mexico affect the ecosystem.
One of the most active regions in the world for offshore oil and gas production is the Gulf Of Mexico, according to research from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Natural disasters like hurricanes, which can harm oil and gas infrastructure and result in spills, are also common in the area.
The NOAA report also mentions the possibility of substantial effects on the environment, particularly the ecosystem of the ocean, and the well-being of marine life due to carbon and other pollutants from oil and gas operations in the Gulf 0f Mexico.
Watch this short video to witness the fire in the Gulf of Mexico yourself:
Video shows fire in Gulf of Mexico after gas pipeline rupture | ABC7
Oil Spill Disasters
It is events like oil spills that cause trouble for our seas and oceans in a short amount of time, just as wildfire and bombing disasters end up damaging the aquatic environment in a matter of minutes on land.
Disasters caused by oil spills have long been one of the ocean’s top concerns. They are disasters for the economy and the ecology. The ocean water was contaminated by liquid petroleum hydrocarbons due to a ship or oil rig accident, harming the ecology for years. Some of the biggest and worst oil spills in recorded history are listed below:
Deepwater Horizon
The Deepwater Horizon oil leak, sometimes referred to as the Gulf Of Mexico Oil Leak and the BP Oil spill, is regarded as the biggest oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. An undersea oil gusher discharge in April 2010 set off the catastrophe, which resulted in the explosion of the BP & Deepwater Horizon Oil rig in its Macondo Prospect.
On the rig, the catastrophe claimed the lives of 11 foreign workers and also caused an oil spill that lasted more than three months. Every day, an estimated 53,000 barrels were entering the Gulf of Mexico.
The maritime ecology also suffered significant harm as a result of the catastrophe. The oil disaster, among other things, claimed the lives of approximately 82,000 birds and 25,900 marine animals, as per the Center For Biological Diversity, including sea turtles and tens of thousands of fish.
Gulf War Oil Spill
A conflict caused the biggest oil spill in history. As Iraqi forces left Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1991, they opened oil well valves and pipelines. They set fire to them as a precaution to prevent American Soldiers from landing nearby.
The fire began following the first well opening in January 1991. It continued until the last well capping in April of that same year. As a result, it is estimated that 240 million gallons of oil was spilled into the Persian Gulf, killing many fish and marine mammals.
Atlantic Empress
Two oil tankers crashed in the Caribbean Sea in July 1979 during a tropical storm off the coast of Tobago.
When the tragedy happened, the Atlantic Empress went from Saudi Arabia to Beaumont, and the Aegean Captain sailed from Aruba to Singapore. The supertankers Atlantic Empress and Aegean Captain started to spill cargo immediately after the accident, and both caught fire.
The catastrophe, the largest ship-sourced oil spill in history, is said to have released 88.3 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean. The Atlantic Empress burst after the disaster, killing 26 crew members.
Ixtoc 1 Oil Well
An oil well owned by the Mexican Oil corporation Pemex collapsed in the Bay of Campeche of the Gulf of Mexico in June 1979. Over ten months, over 140 million gallons of oil- or around 10,000 to 30,000 barrels of oil streaming out daily were released into the sea.
Around 1100 square miles of the accident oil slick encircled Rancho Nuevo, a well-known Kemp.
Ridley marine turtle nesting place on the Mexican beaches. Additionally, hundreds of juvenile sea turtles were relocated to the ocean and its cleaner region to lessen the impact on marine life.
Conclusion
The study of oil leak disasters and ocean fires illustrated the precarious balance between human activity and the vulnerability of marine ecosystems. These occurrences serve as vivid warnings of the environmental ramifications that could result from our actions.
To prevent future mishaps and safeguard the oceans, essential sources of life, and resources, we must prioritize sustainable practices and strict safety regulations in sectors like oil and gas as we move forward. We may work towards a more responsible and peaceful coexistence with our seas if we know the threats and learn from our past errors.
