• Offshore drilling supplies a significant percentage of the fossil fuels consumed in the United States. According to the Coastal Response Center at the University of New Hampshire, the Gulf of Mexico alone supplies 44 percent of our crude oil. Oil imported from other oil-producing countries arrives in giant tanker ships. Both practices involve the risk of releasing crude oil into the surrounding waters, causing serious environmental damage. In the unfortunate event of an oil spill, there are a number of options experts consider to remove the oil from the water and minimize harmful effects on the environment.
  
  

Booms and Skimmers

• Oil stays on the surface of water because it has a lower density than water. Booms placed on the water's surface act as barriers, preventing oil from spreading. With the oil confined to a specific area, cleanup crews can deploy skimmers to remove the oil from the water. When oil threatens a shore or fragile ecosystem, crews deploy booms between the area to be protected and the oil. Certain conditions, such as high winds or rough seas, limit the effectiveness of booms and make other options more appropriate.
  
  

Chemical Dispersants

• The use of chemical dispersants is controversial. Dispersants chemically break oil into smaller, more soluble drops in much the same way that dish washing detergents cut grease on pots and pans. Dispersants make oil less likely to coat birds and shorelines. However, the now more soluble oil can mix more easily with water and, therefore, spread deeper underwater. As a result, a wider variety of marine life may be affected by the oil.
  
  

Bioremediation

• Bioremediation involves the introduction of microorganisms to speed up the natural degradation of oil. The microorganisms hasten or amplify the natural processes of oil degradation without disrupting an area or ecosystem. Bioremediation does not represent a quick fix for an oil spill. The processes involved take years--sometimes many years--to clean an area of spilled oil.
  
  

In-Situ Burning

• Under ideal conditions, in-situ burning removes up to 98 percent of spilled oil from the surface of water. Cleanup crews use booms to contain spilled oil and then decrease a contained area to increase the thickness of the oil slick. The oil slick must be approximately 2 to 3 mm thick to sustain burning, and the seas must be calm. Environmental concerns exist regarding the use of in-situ burning, as the resulting smoke is high in particulates and other air pollutants. Experts weigh the risks against the benefits of each situation to determine whether in-situ burning will be appropriate.