Page 90 - ICSE GEOGRAPHY

country’s high oil consumption. Th e US Louisiana has sustained 14 signifi cant oil
uses nearly one-quarter of the world’s oil. spills, the largest of any state, followed by
Th is high rate of consumption requires the California (8), Pennsylvania (4), Texas (3)
handling and transferring of huge amounts and Alaska (3). Th ese are the states with
of oil daily, making the chances of spills more large transfers of petroleum taking place via
probable. pipelines and ships.

Let’s Learn

A Fill in the blanks.
1. Production and ___________________ of oil is increasing, as a result the risk of oil spills is
also increasing.
2. ___________________ reduction depends on the magnitude of the oil spill.

3. 13,500 barrels of crude oil leaked into the Mississippi River in November 2000 in
___________________.

4. Underground tanks that are more than 15 years old should be ___________________.
5. The Gulf War in ___________________ resulted in the largest oil spill in history, damaging
the environment greatly.

B Answer the following questions briefl y.
1. Defi ne an oil spill.

2. How can oil spills be prevented?
3. How are oil spills caused?
4. What causes oil spills in the US?`

C Answer the following questions in detail.
1. What are the eff ects of oil spills?
2. Find out more about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. What do you think would be the eff ects on
the environment and ecosystem of Alaska if there was an oil spill in its waters?

D Explain what you see in the picture. How could this have been prevented?

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