scholarly journals The diversity of fungi consortium isolated from polluted soil for degrading petroleum hydrocarbon

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
RIRYN NOVIANTY ◽  
ANNISA HIDAYAH ◽  
SARYONO SARYONO ◽  
AMIR AWALUDDIN ◽  
NOVA WAHYU PRATIWI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Polluted Soil ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Terrestrial Environments

Abstract. Novianty R, Saryono, Awaluddin A, Pratiwi NW, Hidayah A, Juliantari E. 2021. The diversity of fungi consortium isolated from polluted soil for degrading petroleum hydrocarbon. Biodiversitas 22: 5077-5084. One of the major problems in the petroleum industry nowadays is crude oil spills. Riau Province, Sumatra is one of the largest oil producers in Indonesia. Accidental releases of petroleum products are of particular concern to the environment. The process of drilling and refining petroleum generates a large amount of oil sludge. One of the effective technologies used in the waste degradation process is bioremediation using certain microorganisms. The prime objective of the current research was to evaluate the efficiency of fungi consortiums in crude oil degradation in Bumi Siak Pusako-Pertamina Hulu, Indonesia. There are three potential fungi isolates as petroleum hydrocarbon degradation agents with four consortium variations. The parameter values of Optical Density (OD), pH, and diluted CO2 were measured on 0, 4, 8, and 16 days. To evaluate the fungal biodegradation activity using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The result showed that consortium II (KF II) has the highest potential to degrade petroleum hydrocarbon (50.61%). The visual GC-MS examination confirmed a decrease in the peak area for eight hydrocarbon compounds, indicating the efficiency of the fungi in the oil decomposition and dismantling of hydrocarbons. Our findings may provide new information on native fungal resources from chronically contaminated terrestrial environments, and will be useful for petroleum-contaminated bioremediation and other industrial applications.  

scholarly journals Physicochemical Indices of Phyto Remediated Hydrocarbon Polluted Soil and the Effect of Bio-nutrient Amendment

2021 ◽  
pp. 14-33
Author(s):  
J. O. Dasetima-Altraide ◽  
D. N. Ogbonna ◽  
T. K. S. Abam ◽  
A. E. Gobo
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Polluted Soil ◽  
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Plant Roots ◽  
Phyllanthus Amarus ◽  
Cyperus Esculentus ◽  
Percentage Reduction ◽  
Nutrient Supplements ◽  
Test Plants

Aim: To assess the Physicochemical indices of Phytoremediated Crude Oil polluted amended soil using grass plant Cyperus esculentus (Cyp) and Phyllanthus amarus (Phy). Study Design: The study employs experimental design, statistical analysis of the data and interpretation. Place and Duration of Study: Rivers State University demonstration farmland in Nkpolu- Oroworukwo, Mile 3 Diobu area of Port Harcourt, was used for this study. The piece of land is situated at Longitude 4°48’18.50” N and Latitude 6ᵒ58’39.12” E measuring 5.4864 m x 5.1816 m with a total area of 28.4283 square meter. Phytoremediation process monitoring lasted for 240 days; analyses were carried out monthly at 30 days’ interval. Methodology: The study was carried out on Crude Oil Polluted soil (PS) amended with bio-nutrient supplements (Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) and selected fungi (Aspergillus niger(AN) andMucor racemosus (MR)) used to stimulate and augment the indigenous microbial population present in a crude oil polluted soil thereby enhancing hydrocarbon reduction in pari per sue with phytoremediation (uptake of Crude oil by test plants) over a period of 240 days. Ten (10) experimental plots (two Control (Unpolluted and polluted soil without amendment) and eight polluted amended/treated plots) employing Randomized Block Design (each having dimensions: 100 x 50 x 30 cm LxBxH); formed and mapped out on agricultural soil and left fallow for 6 days before contamination on the seventh day; after which it was allowed for 21 days for proper contamination and exposure to natural environmental factors (to mimic soil crude oil spill site); thereafter nutrients/organics (biostimulating agents) and bioaugmenting organisms were applied. Baseline studies were carried out on soil profile before and after contamination, major parameters monitored and assayed were Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) uptake by plant roots and stem, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and TPH reduction in soil. Other physicochemical properties analyzed in the soil from different plots were pH, Electrical Conductivity, Moisture Content, Total Nitrogen, Available Phosphorus, Potassium, Total Organic Carbon, Plant Height, Iron, Lead and Zinc at regular intervals; days 1, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 & 240. The rate of phytoremediation was estimated from percentage (%) uptake of Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in plant roots and stem from day 1 -240; while percentage (%) reduction of TPH and PAHs in soil was estimated from day 1 to the residual at day 240. Results: The test plants decreased significant amount of crude oil as revealed in TPH uptake in their roots and Stem. Mean amount and percentage Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) uptake by Cyperus esculentus roots and stem were; 152.33±50.34mg/kg, 12.57±4.16% and 201.13±8.80mg/kg, 13.27±0.58% respectively; while that of Phyllanthus amarusroots and stem were 141.50±35.62mg/kg, 11.68±2.94% and 174.44±19.98mg/kg, 11.51±1.32% respectively; revealing higher Uptake of TPH in plant stem than roots. From the initial TPH contamination value of 5503.00mg/kg, it was observed that plots planted with Cyperus esculentus (TPH 5492.75±76.36mg/kg) showed higher reduction of TPH from soil than those planted with Phyllanthus amarus(TPH 5449.72±18.27mg/kg); while PAHs degradation/reduction showed a reverse trend with plots planted with Phyllanthus amarus (PAHs 28.72±2.74mg/kg; 60.46±5.77%) higher than plots planted with Cyperus esculentus s (PAHs 25.77±2.12mg/kg, 54.24±4.47%). Conclusion: Plots planted with Cyperus esculentus showed higher reduction of TPH from soil than those planted with Phyllanthus amarus while PAHs degradation/reduction in plots planted with Phyllanthus amarus was higher than plots planted with Cyperus esculentus. TPH uptake was higher in plant stems than roots; more so, plots amended with nutrient supplements showed significant higher percentage reduction in hydrocarbon in the polluted soil than unamended polluted soil. It is therefore recommended that Cyperus esculentus is a suitable plant species for phytoremediation of crude oil contaminated soil with high TPH value while Phyllanthus amarusis the best option in phytoremediation of polluted soil with high PAHs value, both in combination with bio-nutrient supplement.

scholarly journals OIL SPILL INCIDENTS AND DISPERSANT APPLICATIONS IN KUWAIT

1987 ◽  
Vol 1987 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-253
Author(s):  
Salah M. Al-Mazidi ◽  
Omar Samhan
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Coastal Environment ◽  
Industrial Activities ◽  
Oil Refineries ◽  
North And South

ABSTRACT Since the discovery of oil in Kuwait, most oil-related activities have been located along the coastline 50 km south of Kuwait City. Other related industrial activities have been developed in this area apart from oil and petroleum products export in order to diversify the national sources of income. For these reasons, the potential for large oil spills in Kuwait's marine environment is highest along the south coast, where oil refineries and exporting facilities are located. An average of 219 barrels of oil were spilled annually between 1979 and 1985, and 2,100 gallons of dispersants were used in cleanup operations. The majority of incidents involved less than 5 barrels of oil and 500 gallons of dispersants. Incidents involving more than 100 barrels of oil and 5,000 gallons of dispersants were confined to the Sea Island and Mina Al-Ahmadi North and South Piers. This distribution undoubtedly affects the concentration of petroleum residues in various components of the marine environment, resulting in an increase in tar ball density along this coast, reaching a maximum at Ras Az-Zor, and significantly higher levels of vanadium and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments and oysters collected south of Mina Al-Ahmadi. The objective of this paper is to report on the number, volume, and frequency distribution of oil spill incidents in Kuwait and the usage of dispersants in cleanup operations. Vanadium and petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations also are described as is the sensitivity of the southern coastal environment to oil spills. Recommendations have been made on how to conduct cleanup operations for any future oil spill incidents along the southern shoreline of Kuwait.

scholarly journals Percentage Bioremediation Assessment of Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) and Mucor racemosus in Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soil

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
D. N. Ogbonna ◽  
S. A. Ngah ◽  
R. N. Okparanma ◽  
O. Ule ◽  
R. R. Nrior
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Heterotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Polluted Soil ◽  
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Spent Mushroom Substrate ◽  
Mucor Racemosus ◽  
Rivers State ◽  
Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacteria

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess Percentage Bioremediation of Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) and Mucor racemosus in hydrocarbon contaminated soil Place and Duration of Study: A portion of Rivers State University demonstration farmland in Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Mile 3 Diobu area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State was used for this study. The piece of land is situated at Longitude 4°48’18.50’’N and Latitude 6o58’39.12’’E measuring 5.4864 m x 5.1816 m with a total area of 28.4283 m2. Bioremediation monitoring lasted for 56 days, analysis carried out weekly (per 7 days’ interval). Methodology: Five (5) experimental plots employing the Randomized Block Design were used each having dimensions of 100 x 50 x 30 cm (Length x Breadth x Height) = 150,000cm3. Baseline study of the uncontaminated and the deliberately contaminated agricultural soil was investigated for its microbiota and physico-chemical properties. Two of these plots were designated as pristine (Unpolluted soil) (CTRL 1) and crude oil contaminated soil without nutrient organics and bioaugmenting microbes (CTRL 2); these two serve as controls. Each of the experimental plots, except the control (CTRL 1), was contaminated with 2500 cm3 (2122.25 g) of crude oil giving initial Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) value of 8729.00 mg/kg. The crude oil polluted soil in Plot 3 was further treated with 750 ml of Mucor racemosus broth (CS+Muc), Plot 4 was treated with 3000 g of Spent Mushroom Substrate (CS+SMS) while plot 5 was treated with the combination of both (CS+Muc+SMS). The plots were left for 7 days to ensure even distribution and soil-oil bonding. Sampling was done at seven-day interval (Day 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56).  Physicochemical parameters monitored were pH, Temperature, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) throughout the experimental period. Microbial parameters monitored were Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THB), Total Heterotrophic Fungi (THF), Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacteria (HUB) and Hydrocarbon Utilizing Fungi (HUF). Percentage (%) Bioremediation was estimated from percentage (%) reduction of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) from day 1 to day 56 in relation to control plots.  Net % Bioremediation were also assessed to ascertain the actual potential of treatment agents singly or combined. Results: Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THB) (CFU/g) recorded on day 7 and day 56 of the bioremediation were; day 7; CTRL 1 – US (1.07 x109), CTRL- CS (5.4 x108), CS+Muc (3.0 x108), CS+SMS (4.6 x108) and CS+Muc+SMS (5.0 x108). On day 56, data obtained were CTRL 1 –US (9.4 x108), CTRL 2 –CS (7.2 x109), CS+Muc (3.7 x108), CS+SMS (8.1x108) and CS+Muc+SMS (6.8 x108). The increase in number in the treated plots is a depiction of an increase in activity of the organism and the stimulating effect of bio-organics SMS while the untreated plot CTRL 1-US showed decrease in population at day 56. Similar trend showed for Total Heterotrophic Fungi. Generally, it was observed that the highest growth/ count was recorded at the 7th and 8th week (day 42 or day 49), at the 9th week there was an observable decrease; probably due to depletion of nutrients and other factors such as rainfall and seepage. The Net Percentage Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacteria and Fungi (Net %HUB and Net %HUF) were highest in Crude Oil contaminated plot treated with Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) singly; that is (CS+SMS) (11.02% and 12.07%) and lowest in the uncontaminated soil – Control (CTRL 1 –US) (5.41% and 9.26%) respectively. The trend in decreasing order of Net % Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacteria were as follows: CS+SMS (11.02%) > CS+Muc+SMS (10.14%) > CS+Muc (9.43%) > CTRL 2 –CS (8.1%) > CTRL 1 –US (5.41%) while Net % Hydrocarbon Utilizing Fungi followed similar trend and were: CS+SMS (12.07%) > CS+Muc+SMS (11.76%) = CS+Muc (11.76%) > CTRL 2 –CS (11.05%) > CTRL 1 –US (9.26%). Evaluation of Amount of Crude Oil or Hydrocarbon remediated and Net %Bioremediation revealed Crude Oil contaminated plot augmented with Mucor racemosus broth singly (CS+Muc) as having the highest bioremediation potential while the least is the untreated soil. The trend is as follows:  CS+Muc (8599.19 mg/kg; 33.93%) > CS+Muc+SMS (8298.95 mg/kg; 32.74%) > CS+SMS (8197.03 mg/kg; 32.34%) > CTRL 2 –CS (166.54 mg/kg; 0.66%) > CTRL 1 –US (85.48 mg/kg; 0.34%) Conclusion: This shows that a single nutrient substrate or augmenting microorganism applied appropriately may have a more positive result, that is; higher bioremediation potential than combined or multiple mixed treatments. It was further observed that microbial counts decreased with time in treatments with augmenting organisms alone but increased considerably in treatments supplement with organics having its peak on the 49th day.   It is therefore recommended that bioremediation of crude oil-polluted soil using bio-augmenting microorganism should be applied appropriately noting the volume: area ratio and be supplemented with efficient nutrient organics after every 49-day interval.

Oil Water Separation By Centrifugal Force

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anshita Awasthi ◽  
Akansha Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Separation Efficiency ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Offshore Platforms ◽  
Water Separation ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Marine Areas ◽  
Drilling Rigs

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually applied to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land. Oil spills may be due to releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil. This paper deals with the problem of recovery of spilled crude oil. It has been observed that the separation efficiency is greater for high range of viscosity and oil water ratios. Separation efficiency data on tests of water versus diesel, crude oil, and IS0 460 gear oil will be presented for two sizes of separators. Oil spills can have disastrous consequences for society; both economically and environmentally. As a result of these consequences oil spill accidents can initiate intense media attention and political uproar. Despite substantial national and international policy improvements on preventing oil spills adopted in recent decades, large oil spills keep occurring.

scholarly journals Bioremediation Potential of Native Hydrocarbons Degrading Bacteria in Crude Oil Polluted Soil

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana MARINESCU ◽  
Anca LACATUSU ◽  
Eugenia GAMENT ◽  
Georgiana PLOPEANU ◽  
Vera CARABULEA
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Polluted Soil ◽  
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Polluted Soils ◽  
Degrading Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Inoculum ◽  
Native Crude ◽  
Petroleum Pollutants

Bioremediation of crude oil contaminated soil is an effective process to clean petroleum pollutants from the environment. Crude oil bioremediation of soils is limited by the bacteria activity in degrading the spills hydrocarbons. Native crude oil degrading bacteria were isolated from different crude oil polluted soils. The isolated bacteria belong to the genera Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, Arthrobacter and Bacillus. A natural biodegradable product and bacterial inoculum were used for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal from an artificial polluted soil. For soil polluted with 5% crude oil, the bacterial top, including those placed in the soil by inoculation was 30 days after impact, respectively 7 days after inoculum application, while in soil polluted with 10% crude oil,  multiplication top of bacteria was observed in the determination made at 45 days after impact and 21 days after inoculum application, showing once again how necessary is for microorganisms habituation and adaptation to environment being a function of pollutant concentration. The microorganisms inoculated showed a slight adaptability in soil polluted with 5% crude oil, but complete inhibition in the first 30 days of experiment at 10% crude oil.

Evaluation of skin irritation following weathered crude oil exposure in two mouse strains

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 788-799
Author(s):  
Jesse M Kemp ◽  
Lerin R Luckett-Chastain ◽  
Kaitlin N Calhoun ◽  
Benjamin Frempah ◽  
Tayler R Schartz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Skin Irritation ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Mouse Strains ◽  
Exposed Skin ◽  
Thickness Skin ◽  
Skin Response ◽  
Oil Exposure

Petroleum crude oil spills are common and vary in size and scope. Spill response workers throughout the course of remediation are exposed to so-called weathered oil and are known to report diverse health effects, including contact dermatitis. A murine model of repeated exposure to weathered marine crude oil was employed utilizing two strains of mice, C57BL/6 and BALB/c, to investigate the pathology of this irritant and identify the principal hydrocarbon components deposited in skin. Histopathology demonstrated clear signs of irritation in oil-exposed skin from both mouse strains, characterized by prominent epidermal hyperplasia (acanthosis). BALB/c mice exposed to oil demonstrated more pronounced irritation compared with C57BL/6 mice, which was characterized by increased acanthosis as well as increased inflammatory cytokine/chemokine protein expression of IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL10, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, and CCL11. A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method was developed for the identification and quantification of 42 aliphatic and EPA priority aromatic hydrocarbons from full thickness skin samples of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice exposed to oil samples. Aromatic hydrocarbons were not detected in skin; however, aliphatic hydrocarbons in skin tended to accumulate with carbon numbers greater than C16. These preliminary data and observations suggest that weathered crude oil is a skin irritant and this may be related to specific hydrocarbon components, although immune phenotype appears to impact skin response as well.

scholarly journals Culture of Bacterium Bacillus subtilis as Degradation Agent in Attempt of Sea Water Remediation Contaminated By Petroleum

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adi Setyo Purnomo ◽  
Hamdan Dwi Rizqi ◽  
Lia Harmelia
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Water Remediation ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Bacterium Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Bacterium Bacillus ◽  
Simulated Seawater

Crude oil spills pose a serious threat to the marine environment. This is due to crude oil, in large part, is composed of aromatic, aliphatic, and alicyclic hydrocarbons which are toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic to the marine life. However, the degradation of crude oil spills with bacteria in simulated seawater media is rarely reported. In this study, oil spill in the seawater, especially petroleum, had been successfully degraded by bacterium culture Bacillus subtilis in simulated seawater under 7 and 14 days incubation.  Simulated seawater had synthesized based on ASTM D1141-98 for Standard Practice for the Preparation of Substitute Ocean Water. The petroleum recovery was analyzed using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.  In this research, the optimum recovery value of crude oil degradation by the bacterial culture obtained by octadecadienoic acid compound gave a percentage recovery of 8.20% and 8.87% after 7 and 14 days of incubation, respectively. This result indicated that the B. subtilis culture has the ability to degrade crude oil spill in simulated sea water.

scholarly journals Evolution of the Microbioal Population in a Polluted Soil with Petroleum Hydrocarbons

1970 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana MARINESCU ◽  
M. DUMITRU ◽  
Anca LĂCĂTUŞU ◽  
Gabriela MIHALACHE
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Natural Product ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Polluted Soil ◽  
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽  
Biodegradation Rate ◽  
Green House ◽  
Bacterial Inoculum

Crude oil bioremediation of soils is limited by the bacteria activity in degrading the spills hydrocarbons. The aim of this study is to enhance the bioremediation of soils polluted with crude oil by adding the natural biodegradable product and bacterial inoculum. Biodegradation was quantified by total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) analyses. Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution is one of the main environmental problems, not only by the important amounts released but also because of their toxicity. The main objective of this work is to accelerate the biodegradation processes. The enhancement of petroleum hydrocarbons degradation was achieved under natural product treatment and bacterial inoculum. The bacterial inoculum was used to enrich indigenous microbes to enhance biodegradation rate in the green house experiment.

A Statistical Model for Estimating Natural Resource Damages from Oil Spills

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard W. Dunford ◽  
Miranda L. Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Model ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
The United States ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Point Estimate ◽  
Heavy Crude ◽  
Time Required

ABSTRACT This paper presents a statistical model using multiple-regression analysis that explains variations in past natural resource damage (NRD) settlements (excluding assessment costs) for oil spills in the United States based on a variety of factors, such as the amount of oil spilled, the type of oil spilled, and the geographic location of the spill. The results of this statistical model indicate that, other things being equal, NRD settlements are higher for larger oil spills, spills in California, spills that occur in the winter months (December, January, and February), and when endangered species are injured. Alternatively, other things being equal, NRD settlements are lower for spills of light crude oil than for other types of petroleum products (mainly heavy crude oil), and spills with unvalued compensatory restoration projects. In this paper, the authors use their statistical model to predict a point estimate and range for the NRD settlement for two hypothetical oil spills. This demonstrates that their statistical model could be used to predict the NRD settlement for future oil spills within a few weeks of occurring, which could significantly shorten the time required to reach a settlement.

Refined Politics: Petroleum Products, Neoliberalism, and the Ecology of Entrepreneurial Life

2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATTHEW HUBER
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Cultural Politics ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
American Petroleum Institute ◽  
Oil Well ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Multiple Products ◽  
History Of

Oil is often thought of as a sole commodity with singular powers to shape geopolitics, economic development, and environmental change. Yet the complex hydrocarbon assemblage of crude oil is only commodified through the refining process, which produces a multiplicity of products (e.g. gasoline, heating oil, petrochemicals). In this paper, I argue that petroleum products provide the supplementary materiality for a neoliberal cultural politics of “life.” In the first section, drawing from Gramsci and Foucault, I argue that the popular basis of neoliberal hegemony is rooted in a cultural politics of “entrepreneurial life” that accompanied increasing suburbanization, single-family homeownership and widespread automobility in the post-World War II United States. By the 1970s, masses of white suburban homeowners buttressed the “rightward turn” in American politics based around an “ideology of hostile privatism” and the demonization of taxes and wealth redistribution. In the next section, I suggest that this geography of life is rooted in the history of refineries and their search for multiple marketable outlets for petroleum by-products. Increasingly, the petroleum industry sought to actively remind the public that their lives were saturated with petroleum products. In the last section, I examine a film produced by the American Petroleum Institute titled Fuel-Less, a parody of the film Clueless. In the film, the main character, Crystal, is forced to discover what her life would be like without petroleum products. Crystal is taken to an oil well and refinery to learn about how crude oil becomes the multiple products she uses in her life. As she learns to appreciate oil, she develops a neoliberal form of environmental responsibility focussed upon volunteerist actions like recycling. The overall lesson is both the unavoidability of oil in everyday life and that privatized actors (consumers and capital) can all “pitch in” to create a sustainable future.

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