Argumentative Essay

British Petroleum

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British Petroleum

Justin Butler

PHI 445: Personal & Organizational Ethics

Instructor Suzanne Humphrey

June 5th 2017

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British Petroleum

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Introduction

Oil and gas industry can be a dirty business since drilling projects operate 24 hrs. They

can cause disruptions to wildlife, human health, and water pollution among others. The accident

that occurred in 2010 in the gulf in Mexico is show how dangerous oil and gas drilling can be

hazardous to the environment. British petroleum, among the biggest Deep-water drilling old

companies in the world, has triggered some environmental disasters during its extractions. On

April 20, 2010, the accident triggered the worst environmental disaster in America history. There

were a gas release and explosion that occurred on the Deepwater Horizons oil rig. The explosion

killed about 11 workers, 17 were injured and about 205 million gallons of oil dumped into the

Gulf of Mexico.

British Petroleum is more focused on saving production cost and undertaking

unnecessary risk, rather than taking into consideration activities that are not only safe and

environmentally friendly for the company but also the surrounding environment. After the

Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, the U.S government came up with a set of laws and

regulation to control oil drilling activities and ensure that the environment is protected. The new

rules tightened control on blowout preventers, industry-standard equipment which is the last line

of protection that seeks to stop explosions on the undersea oil and gas. The rules also had tougher

requirements on designing underwater wells and ensuring the wells had lining coats and finally

monitoring of subsea drilling and spill containment. The new regulation would also oversee

annual assessments by outside organization of the mechanical integrity of blowout preventers.

Ethical Theory

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1. Oil and gas

The oil and gas industry . . .

[Suzanne Humphrey]

2. is show how

shows how hazardous oil and

gas drilling can be to . . .

[Suzanne Humphrey]

3. old

oil [Suzanne Humphrey]

4. April 20, 2010, the

accident triggered the

worst environmental

disaster in America history.

There were a gas release

and explosion that

occurred on the Deepwater

Horizons oil rig. The

explosion killed about 11

workers, 17 were injured

and about 205 million

gallons of oil dumped into

the

Gulf of Mexico.

Where did you find this

information? [Suzanne

Humphrey]

5. the accident

an explosion [Suzanne

Humphrey]

6. were a

was [Suzanne Humphrey]

7. British Petroleum is more

focused on saving

production cost and

undertaking

unnecessary risk, rather

than taking into

consideration activities that

are not only safe and

environmentally friendly for

the company but also the

surrounding environment.

The thesis statement is okay.

[Suzanne Humphrey]

8. Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, the U.S government came up

with a set of laws and

regulation to control oil drilling activities and ensure that the

environment is protected. The new

rules tightened control on blowout preventers, industry-standard

equipment which is the last line of protection that seeks to stop

explosions on the undersea oil and gas. The rules also had tougher

requirements on designing underwater wells and ensuring the wells

had lining coats and finally

monitoring of subsea drilling and spill containment. The new regulation

would also oversee

annual assessments by outside organization of the mechanical integrity

of blowout preventers.

You need to cite the source of this information. [Suzanne Humphrey]

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British Petroleum

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Oil drilling is not environmental friendly. Duty ethics require one to put consideration of

the other people’s welfare and avoid doing wrong things to others. British companies show little

obligation to the environment oil drilling whether an accident occurs or not puts the life of

marine animals and people who benefit economically from the ocean at risk. Companies such as

British Petroleum company to care for the environmental and the people living around their

operational field. Five years ago, the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico exploded living

about ten workers dead and others with injuries. The accident did not only cost the lives of

people but significantly affected the environment, and the accident is the important indication of

the dangers of oil drilling on water bodies (Palmer, 2015).

The spillage had a significant impact on marine, with at least eight of U.S national parks

threaten. More than 400 species were in danger especially those that lived in the Gulf Islands and

the marshlands. The oil from the disaster affected about 1300 miles of the United States coastline

located on the Gulf of Mexico. The heavy PLL age also resulted in the death of vegetation on the

coastlines. During the oil clean ups, they were a lot of damage to the environment. Toxic

chemicals such as polycyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons were components of oil, the two

chemicals are the very risk to humans they are associated with causing cancer, and finally,

animals that came into contact with polycyclic died immediately. The incident proves of what oil

drilling can impact the environment and the divesting effects of oil spillage if cautions are not

taken during extraction of oil and fuel.

Oil spillage that occurred in Deepwater Horizons is evidence of the harm oil drilling can have on

the environment. The spillage caused a death of wildlife and pollution of sea water. In 2011, half

of the dolphins were compromised with lung disease this according to a study by

NOAA (Lawerence W. Smith, 2014). The study reported that the lung disease was as a result of

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1. require

requires [Suzanne

Humphrey]

2. put consideration

to consider the other people's

welfare . . . [Suzanne

Humphrey]

3. obligation to the

environment oil drilling

whether an accident occurs

or not puts

This needs to be reworded. It

is missing words or there are

grammar mistakes.

[Suzanne Humphrey]

4. company to care for the

environmental

company should care for . . ?

You are missing something in

the sentence. [Suzanne

Humphrey]

5. marine,

marine life [Suzanne

Humphrey]

6. The spillage had a significant impact on marine, with at least eight of

U.S national parks

threaten. More than 400 species were in danger especially those that

lived in the Gulf Islands and the marshlands. The oil from the disaster

affected about 1300 miles of the United States coastline located on the

Gulf of Mexico. The heavy PLL age also resulted in the death of

vegetation on the coastlines. During the oil clean ups, they were a lot of

damage to the environment. Toxic

chemicals such as polycyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons were

components of oil, the two

chemicals are the very risk to humans they are associated with causing

cancer, and finally,

animals that came into contact with polycyclic died immediately. The

incident proves of what oil drilling can impact the environment and the

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divesting effects of oil spillage if cautions are not

taken during extraction of oil and fuel.

You need a citation for this information. [Suzanne

Humphrey]

British Petroleum

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toxic exposure to oil. 20% of the dolphins were so ill and were not expected to survive. The

number of turtles found stranded more than 1,700 compared to only 240 found in a normal year.

Also 930 dolphins and whales were found stranded, 2010-2013 compared to only 20 in normal

years. Seabirds were harmed by the surface oil resulting to inability to fly, swim which made it

difficult to find food. To replace other species such ducks and other birds have placed on rice

fields that were not in use.

Premises

After three months of the spillage incident, there was an estimation of over 130 million

gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Making the spillage the largest accidental ocean spill.

After the oil left the well it floated on the surface of the ocean which spread due to the wind.

During the spill about 22-mile oil, plume was reported. The use of chemical dispersants resulted

to water mixing oil, and it remained suspended on the surface while some oil sunk to the seafloor

by attaching itself together with particles in the water there was a formation of marine snow. The

result of spillage was damaging of the ecosystem and deep sea coral.

Different sectors were affected by the spillage they included tourism, fishing, and

hospitality. Species in the Gulf are expected to be affected by the accidental and the quality of

marine life is supposed to go back to its normal status after a few generation. The seafood

harvest also dropped after the incident. The government of United States put regulation and rules

to governor oil drilling that companies such as the British Petroleum are supposed to adhere to

prevent similar cases from ever happening gain (Palmer, 2015).

Comparative Analysis

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1. Making the spillage the

largest accidental ocean

spill.

This is an incomplete

sentence. [Suzanne

Humphrey]

2. spill

Add a comma after spill and

add "a" after about.

[Suzanne Humphrey]

3. adhere to

adhere to to . . . [Suzanne

Humphrey]

British Petroleum

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The virtue theory states for any properly functioning business, they must have virtues

such as justice, courage, honesty, and self-control among others. If British Petroleum uses the

different virtues when carrying their activities, they are likely to put more consideration on the

effects their operations have on the environment and how they affect people living in the areas

around sites (Arjoon, 2000),. Oil drilling would ensure that the environment is taken care and

human beings and other creatures are protected during the extraction processes. Use of virtue

theory will ensure oil drilling companies are open about the extraction and ensure people who

are affected by their activities are compensated in case of any harm or accidents that they may

encounter due to the company’s operations. Virtue theory relies on virtues as honesty the

companies on the possible dangers that come with their operations and the precaution they intend

to put in place to ensure there is safety for everybody as well as the surrounding environment.

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British Petroleum

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References

Arjoon, S. (2000). Virtue Theory as Dynamic Theory of Business. Journal of Business Ethics,

124-127.

Beever, J. H. (2016). Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill:An Ethics Case Study on Environmental

Enigneering. Scholar Works, 123-126.

Kristiie Dillistone, J. H. (2011). The Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Elesiver, 226-232.

Lawerence W. Smith, P. A. (2014). Analysis of Environmental and Economic Damages From

British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Coporate Social Responsibility, 25.

Palmer, D. E. (2015). Handbook for Research on Business Ethics and Coporate Responsibility.

New York: IGI Global Copyright.

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