Text 2. Ecology Problems: the Impact on the Marine Environment

Having been a traditional source of marine resources and means of communication, the ocean for the last thirty years of the XX century provides people with fuel as well. Today oil-gas production is conducted on the shelf of more than fifty countries, and total number of oil derricks and platforms exceeds 7 thousand units.

Marine oil-gas production industry has become the leading branch of power engineering, and now it provides 30% of the world hydrocarbon output.

The goal of environmental groups all over the world is to prevent and reduce the negative effect of oil and gas economic sector on the nature by making companies more environmentally responsible.

Oil and gas exploration and production operations have the potential for a variety of impacts on the environment. The impact on the environment depends upon the stage of the process, the size and complexity of the project, the nature and sensitivity of the surrounding environment and the effectiveness of planning, pollution prevention, mitigation and control techniques. These impacts, with proper care and attention, may be avoided or minimized. They include atmospheric, aquatic, terrestrial and biosphere impacts.

Before the developing of a shelf oilfield it is necessary to study the bottom structure and make an assessment of oil-gas resources in the area. For these purpose the seismic exploration is conducted, - the probe of the bottom sediments by low frequency hydro acoustic waves, which are reflected from the bottom and accepted by hydrophones. Effects of seismic exploration may result in negative impacts on marine species and especially on the populations of marine mammals. Moreover, additional analysis of bottom sediments is conducted during test drilling. After that the constructors start to develop the oilfield: install the floating platform at the area of drilling or build up an artificial island, lay on underwater pipelines and cables, install the oil-well equipment, build piers and other coastal terminals. Then they proceed to drilling.

These activities may result in the following impacts such as: disturbance of benthos communities in the area of drilling and along the routes of communications, negative acoustic effects, and pollution of marine areas by waste products. The most serious threat for marine organisms from the oilfields development is oil spills, as a result of oil tanker wreck or break of a gas pipeline.

Word combinations

power engineering – энергетика

hydrocarbon output – добыча углеводородов

environmental group – природоохранная организация

mitigation – минимизация воздействия на окружающую среду

oil-well equipment – устьевое оборудование скважин

benthos community – донное сообщество

negative acoustic effects – повышенный уровень шума

Introductory exercises

1. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations.

cредство сообщения; повышение экологической ответственности; воздействие на окружающую среду; оценить запасы; донные осадочные породы; низкочастотные звуковые импульсы; морские млекопитающие; загрязнение моря отходами; разрыв газопровода.