FUCK BP
For the last 12 hours on June 20th (noon to midnight), approximately 7,780 barrels of oil were collected and
approximately 4,430 barrels of oil and 25.1 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.
One barrel of crude oil, when refined, produces about 19 gallons of finished motor gasoline, and 10 gallons of diesel, as well as other petroleum products.
Emissions and Byproducts Are Produced from Burning Petroleum Products
Petroleum products give off the following emissions when they are burned as fuel:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
- Nitrogen oxides (NOX) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
- Particulate matter (PM)
- Lead and various air toxics such as benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene may be emitted when some types of petroleum are burned
Nearly all of these byproducts have negative impacts on the environment and human health:
- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and a source of global warming.
- SO2 causes acid rain, which is harmful to plants and to animals that live in water, and it worsens or causes respiratory illnesses and heart diseases, particularly in children and the elderly.
- NOX and VOCs contribute to ground-level ozone, which irritates and damages the lungs.
- PM results in hazy conditions in cites and scenic areas, and, along with ozone, contributes to asthma and chronic bronchitis, especially in children and the elderly. Very small, or “fine PM” is also thought to cause emphysema and lung cancer.
- Lead can have severe health impacts, especially for children, and air toxics are known or probable carcinogens.