Oil Research Paper

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Matthew Higgins English 201 H. Duncan Final Research Paper Title Nowadays, humans everywhere use oil every day. For example, oil is used to fuel our means of transportation, to make cosmetic products, and to make other household goods such as: trash bags, dishwashing liquids, and glue. In the past year, the United States alone consumed almost seven billion barrels of oil. With so many barrels of oil being extracted, it is important to ensure it is done safely. Recent advances in technology have allowed for the safest drilling yet. Technology is constantly evolving to adapt to the needs of current issues. Some of these issues that engineers deal with are: damaging reefs, water and air pollution, and animal safety. Coral reefs are damaged by the drilling process due to both vibrations and the leftover debris. Debris can settle on reef life causing it to struggle to survive. Water becomes polluted through the use of toxic drilling fluids consisting of an oil-base. Oil-based fluids contain chemicals such as mercury; which, at strong dosages, is fatal to aquatic life. During the oil extraction process, multiple fossil fuels, such as carbon monoxide, are being burned and sent into the atmosphere. These chemicals are toxic to both humans and animals alike. In the quest to find oil through seismic imaging, sonar transmission waves are emitted which can be damaging to various aquatic animals. Water can also become polluted through oil spills which has recently been seen. In events such as the BP oil spill, individuals are able to see the true effects of what happens when technology fails. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill by BP made a huge impact on the oil industry, and raised a greater awareness about ... ... middle of paper ... ...ding to the Technical Advancements of Multi-Lateral group, a multilateral well has one or more laterals attached to a central, vertical well. This transports the oil from the well laterally back to the central well (Cengiz et al. 12). Multilateral drilling appears to be the most beneficial and most efficient form of drilling. It has a high production rate due to it’s ability to branch out and cover more surface area than any other type of well. The ability to branch out saves time and cost by cutting down on the number of central wells drilled and reducing the amount of time spent drilling wells. The environment is made safest from multilateral drilling because of its ability to extract the greatest amount of oil leaving behind little residue. This residue can become toxic to marine life which is why it is crucial to ensure that minimal contamination is left.

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