Russian oil spill brings new environmental woe - but at least the end to all this is in sight
Once again an oil tanker has come a cropper while out at sea, unleashing its thick black cargo on unsuspecting marine life. The ship was the Volganeft-139, and this time the area affected is the Kerch Strait, which lies between the Ukraine and Russia. Although the quantity - an estimated 1.3million gallons - is but a tenth that of the Exxon Valdez disaster it has happened in area that environmentalists say already suffers from severe pollution. And with the onset of storms, it's likely the oil will sink and do much worse damage.
Transporting oil in a ship has never seemed a very good idea to me. Seas aren't like canals - there are no safe, secure routes that offer shelter from inclement weather. However, there aren't many better alternatives, so I doubt we'll see the last oil spill until reserves dry up. Looking on the bright side now (if also, in some quarters, the grim side), that's probably only thirty years away at best. I'm glad to know that in my lifetime I'll see an end to oil spills.
ironic how a massive oil spill happens in the black sea
Posted by: zack | November 13, 2007 6:33 AM