The existence of crude oil has been known for centuries, and over time, the growing demand for this resource has pushed exploration and production to its greatest expansion. Earth's natural reserves of crude oil are limited; it is not a renewable resource. Corn and Copeland said that, based on survey studies, half of undiscovered crude oil and natural gas are found beneath the oceans and seas. According to the book "Public Reaction to Offshore Oil", the demand for crude oil continues to increase and there is no doubt that the resource is depleting and in the future global production will be forced to begin to decline. Although bodies of water are an extremely sensitive ecosystem, the demand for oil continues to increase and technological innovations developed by offshore drilling are introduced to satisfy the growing demand (Corn and Copeland). There is no doubt that oil drilling, in general, and offshore drilling, in particular, play an important role in meeting the continued demand for this resource, which immensely benefits our energy and industrial thirst. However, this exploitation of resources also has a cost in terms of ecosystem degradation, environmental pollution and imbalance in social health. Is the current trend of exponential expansion of offshore oil drilling exploration and production following the path of sustainable economic and environmental development? Based on the article "Offshore Drilling", the term offshore drilling refers to both the exploration and final production of wells accessing subsea resources. reservoirs of oil and gas fields. The first offshore drilling was done in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Summerland, California, southeast of Santa Barbara, in 1898. The technological breakthrough that facilitated the development of paper was bound to come. whether society is well informed about economic and environmental activities. Works Cited Corn, M. Lynne and Copeland, Claudia “The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response.” » Congressional Research Service (July 7, 2010). Mabro, Robert; Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Oil in the 21st century: issues, challenges and opportunities. Oxford Press. (2006). “Offshore drilling. » Green Energy: An A to Z Guide. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2010. Reference Credo. Web. November 11, 2013. “Offshore Oil Drilling (Gulf Oil Spill). "Green Technology: An A to Z Guide. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2011. Credo Reference. Web. November 11, 2013 “Public Reaction to Offshore Oil." Energy Encyclopedia. Oxford: Elsevier Science & Technology, 2004 . Credo Reference.Web November 11. 2013..