An Analysis of the Environmental and Security Risks Related to Crude Oil Transportation

Author

Carolina Ana Da Graca

Date of Award

Spring 5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Transportation Studies

First Advisor

Dr. Yi Qi

Abstract

This paper informs and reviews the environmental and security risks related to crude oil transportation. The necessity for oil in various nations has increased the volume of oil transportation, resulting in the exponential change in the maritime oil transportation business. As a result, the vulnerabilities and the demand for safety have grown in importance. Today, transportation oil spills account for roughly 13% of all oil contamination in the world's waterways. This paper aims to understand how oil spills happen, the major contributors' factors, and prevention methods. To complete my goal, I interviewed 20 people, 4 of them independently and the rest in 3 focus groups on collecting data. As in this study, the use of both one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions can be beneficial in ensuring the accuracy of the collected data. While conducting this research, the researcher encountered a few obstacles. The inability to locate an interview time and date that works for everyone is expected to be the first obstacle. Because this research is aimed at oil experts, securing an interview with one was not easy. Due to the ongoing covid-19 restrictions, meeting with most professionals for face-to-face interviews may not be easy. This study concludes that the use of inspectors (federal, local, or private) and monitoring systems are the most effective risk prevention mechanism for oil spill management. The recommendation, therefore, is that all oil transportation mediums or vessels, for instance, trucks, ships, pipelines, transshipment stations, and tankers on railways, should have a monitoring system installed or in the case of stationary facilities like transshipment stations and railway stations hire the services of inspectors (oil experts/engineers) who understand the system, functions, and routes involves in the movement of crude oil from one source to the other.

Recommended Citation

Da Graca, Carolina Ana, "An Analysis of the Environmental and Security Risks Related to Crude Oil Transportation" (2022). Honor’s College Freeman Research Journal. 34.
https://digitalscholarship.tsu.edu/frj/34