“I guess it is better for it to leak into the ground then the ocean.”
Either way these are not things cannot be mitigated and do not make permanent damage in the long run.
Oil & gas & methane are leaking CONSTANTLY in the oceans and in the ground through natural fissures from their original sources. To the extent they disturb something biological nature - writ large - does recover.
Can we do a lot to mitigate for a “mop up” such accidents as well, instead of just waiting for natural courses to take their time? Yes. Should we? Yes. So we can take of these things. They are seldom permanently debilitating.
excellent response to oil spill kooks