PAJ Symposium

February 2007BEST INTERNATIONAL
PRACTICESFOROIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANNING
E.H. Owens
E. Taylor
D.F. Dickins

1. The Issue
In the absence of standards or “best practice”
practice”
guidelines, how to evaluate oil spill
response readiness in terms of: the Oil Spill Response Plan (OSRP),(OSRP), and the actual response capability

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2. The Challenges
There are no standards for the:1. content or information that should be
included in an OSRP, or the
2. format and presentation of the information
within an OSRP.
Readiness includes the experience, training,and skills of those involved. These humanelements are intangible and difficult toevaluate.

BTC Pipeline Review Process
As there is no single standard for OSRPs wedeveloped a 4-stage framework against which
a set of OSRPs and related documents could
be evaluated based on internationallyrecognized guidelines, conventions, and laws.
A. Critical oil spill response components
B. Contents of an OSRP
C. Organization of material in an OSRP
D. Response adequacy

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The procedure involves thedefinition of:
A. The critical components that arenecessary to enable an oil spill response
operation to be effective and successful,andB. The key contents and information
requirements for an OSRP.

Then each OSRP document isevaluated in the context of:
C. The organization and presentation of theinformation and material in the OSRP,andD. The adequacy of the OSRP in terms ofwhether the plan would enable aneffective and wellwell-managed response tobe carried out at the time of a spill.

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A. Critical Components of a
Successful Oil Spill ResponseOperation
FIRST:
7 planning and 7 response elements
identified as the key components that would
be required to implement a successful oilspill response operation.

Critical Components of a Successful
Oil Spill Response Operation
PLANNING ELEMENTSRESPONSE ELEMENTS

Spill Reporting
NotificationNotificationCommunications
Defined Roles andResponsibilities
RiskRisk-Based Planning
Competent National
Authority
National Oil Spill Plan

Responsible Authority
Resource Base
Knowledge

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Strategy Selection
Functional ManagementSystem
Appropriate andMaintained Equipment
Appropriate Training andExercises

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B. Key Information and Content
Requirements of an OSRPSECOND:SECOND:
reviewed recognized guidelines, standards,
conventions, and laws to establish a list of
the information items that are necessary for
a complete OSRP.
This information list is the basis of aninformation matrix of 80 specific line items
that can be used as a checklist against
which to evaluate an OSRP.

International Guidelines– International Finance Corporation, 2000.

Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines. Oiland Gas Development (Offshore).
– ISO, 2000. ISO 15544. Petroleum and natural gas
industries – Offshore production installations –Requirements and guidelines for emergencyresponse.
– USA, 1996. United States ICP - Integrated
Contingency Plan (“(“One Plan”Plan”)– IMO, 1995. IMO Manual on Oil Pollution, Section II –Contingency Planning.
– IPIECA, 1991. A Guide to Contingency Planning for
Oil Spills on Water.

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B. Key Contents of an OSRP
Matrix approach provides a systematic
method by which:(a) the content of the plans could be crosscrossreferenced to topics and information
items,(b) document completeness and status
could be identified, and(c) specific summary review comments
could be included.

Matrix Layout

80 line items organized according to therecommended “Plan Format”

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C. Key OSRP Format Considerations
Once the contents and information
requirements were defined, then weevaluated the organization andpresentation of that information.
Again, no format standards,standards, so wereviewed internationally recognized
guidelines to develop a functional andlogical format that could berecommended for the organization andpresentation of this information.
information.

C. Key OSRP Format Considerations
PLAN FORMAT and ORGANIZATIONINTRODUCTION AND SCOPEOIL SPILL RISKSRESPONSE ORGANIZATIONSAFETYNOTIFICATIONINITIAL RESPONSE ACTIONSRESPONSE OPERATIONSWASTE MANAGEMENTWILDLIFE

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LOGISTICS
FINANCE AND CONTRACTING
TRAINING AND DRILLSAppendices:
Contacts
Equipment Lists
Maps
Forms

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C. Key OSRP Format Considerations
CONCISE/COMPLETE
DOCUMENT CONTROLEASE OF USE FORMATORGANIZATIONSTANDARD DESIGNACRONYMSINTEGRATEDTIER 1 STANDSTAND-ALONE. . Intangible Elements of an OSRPD
There are many components to OSR planning.
Key elements include the experience, training, andskills of those involved.
These human elements are intangible and difficult
to evaluate.
One approach to this challenge is to review thequestion “what are the critical elements necessary
to adequately and appropriately respond to an oil
spill and are they in place?
place?”

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Response Adequacy
The generation of an information base for
an OSRP is no guarantee that the plan
will enable an effective and wellwell-managed
response to be carried out at the time of aspill incident.
incident. So…
So…

To evaluate the adequacy of each
OSRP, in the context of the purpose
and scope of response planning, weconsolidated the general issues byreviewing 10 topics suggested by
ITOPF with one additional item (# 11).

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Topics used to Evaluate theAdequacy of an OSRP (1)1. RISK ANALYSIS – is there arealistic assessmentof possible threats, resources most at risk, basedon probable movement of spilled oil?
2. PROTECTION PRIORITIES - have agreed
protection priorities taken into account the viabilityof the various protection and clean-up options?
3. RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND PROTECTIONSTRATEGIES – are protection and cleaning
strategies agreed and clearly explained?

Topics used to Evaluate theAdequacy of an OSRP (2)4. MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION AND
TRAINING – is the necessary organization
outlined and responsibilities of all those involved
been clearly stated (no ‘gray areas’); areparticipants aware of what is expected of them?
5. EQUIPMENT FOR TIERS 1, 2, AND 3 – arelevels of equipment, materials and manpower
sufficient to deal with the anticipated size ofspill? Are back-up resources identified and havemechanisms for obtaining their release andentry to the country been established?

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Topics used to Evaluate theAdequacy of an OSRP (3)6. WASTE MANAGEMENT - Have temporarystorage sites and final disposal routes forcollected oil and debris been identified?
7. NOTIFICATION AND MONITORING - Are thealerting and initial evaluation procedures fullyexplained?
8. COMMUNICATIONS - Have the arrangements
for ensuring effective communication between
shore, sea and air been described?

Topics used to Evaluate theAdequacy of an OSRP (4)9. EXERCISES - Have all aspects of the plan
been tested and nothing significant foundlacking?
10. TIER 2 AND 3 PLAN COMPATIBILITY - Is theplan compatible with plans for adjacent areas
and other activities?
11. HEALTH AND SAFETY - Is there a Health andSafety Plan that is appropriate for theoperating environment?

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Exercises
A final step in the evaluation of OSRP
implementation and completeness involves ononsite evaluations of oil spill response exercises.
exercises.
Exercises should include management (tabletop) and field (deployment) components to testplanned response procedures, organization,communications, and management using
realistic scenarios.
Exercises demonstrate (internally andexternally) how the OSRP is applied and provide
a mechanism to test, critique, and improve theOSRP and associated documents.

Review Findings Letter Codes
R a required improvement to comply withagreements and/or to meet international
standards or best practices,
M material that is missing or lacking
D a discrepancy or inconsistency between
documents and/or source materials
I an item that is not strictly necessary but would be
an improvement to conform with international
best practices (I), orC a comment or observation that may notnecessarily involve a remedial action, but thatwould improve the document.

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Specific Findings andRecommendations – for example…
Required Improvement
Missing
Discrepancy
Improvement
Comment1846124

Examples of Possible Key Issues“R” or “M” Elements:
Elements:
Upgrade scenarios to include resource
requirements
Add winter operations and transtrans-boundary
scenarios (with country OSRP links)
Clarify transtrans-boundary notifications
Organization of plan material (I(I)

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Examples of Review Findings

Review Process
Exhaustive, systematic, forensicforensic-type, 44stage process to identify and review bothtangible and intangible elements.
Use Information Matrices to cross checkline item content
Review Planning, Response, Format, andPresentation elements
Evaluate intangible elements using (i) 11“adequacy”
adequacy” questions and (ii) exercises

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OSR “Tools”
Oil Spill Response Plans
Tactics Manuals
Oil Spill Response Plans
Designed to meet regulatory requirements
Limited value for responders – procedures
document - more useful for managers

Oil Spill Response Plans
facility plan

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NATIONAL PLAN
1 Introduction

11 Health & Safety

2 Response Team Org.

12 Logistics

3 Notification & Initial Actions

13 Training & Exercises

4 Spill Risks

14 Claims & Investigation

5 Sensitive Areas

A Plan Maintenance

6 On-water Response

B Contacts

7 Shoreline Response

C Equipment

8 On-Land Response

D Role Checklists

9 Waste Management

E Forms

10 Wildlife Response

F Bibliography & References
G Mutual Aid Agreements

Facility Plan (Tier 1)
1. INTRODUCTION
2. FACILITY AND
OPERATIONSOVERVIEW
3. INITIAL RESPONSE
ACTIONS
4. NOTIFICATION /REPORTING
5. SPILL RESPONSE
MANAGEMENT

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6. PLANNING
7. OPERATIONS
8. LOGISTICS
9. SPILL INVESTIGATION
10. TRAINING &EXERCISES
A. MSDS SHEETS
B. EQUIPMENT LISTS
C. MUTUAL AID
D. FORMS
E. PLAN MAINTENANCE

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Tiered Response Teams
On-Scene Incident Commander
Halul Island Terminal Manager
Incident Commander
SafetyOfficer
DeputyIncident Commander
Operations
Planning
Logistics
Section Chief
Section Chief
Chief Chief
Operations Chief
Planning Chief
Logistics ChiefSection FinanceLand Cleanup
Resource
Field Supervisors
Status Unit&CrewsWater Cleanup
Situation Status
Unit

SupportBranchTime/Cost Unit

ServiceBranch

Procurement
Unit

Damage Control

Documentation
Unit

Communication

Wildlife Rescue

Environmental
Unit

Air Operations

Demobilization
Unit

OSR “Tools”
Tactics Manuals and Tactics Sheets
Designed for the responder - tactics
Useful for strategy decision makers

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Tactics Manuals
Describe response techniques- what to do and how to do it
Define appropriate applications
Identify operational limitations
Indicate things to avoid

Tactics Sheets
Provide First Responders with information on:
How to get to a site – e.g. driving directions
What the site looks like - photos and sketchmaps
What to do when get there - first responseintercept or control points

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Tactics Sheets
One set of Tactics Sheets per site
Visual simplicity – easy to read
Only contain essential information
Summer and winter conditions/photos

CoverSheet• general location map• site character• driving instructions• distances from OSR base(s)• oil spill travel times• contacts

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multi-lingual

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To Evaluate
Oil Spill Response Readiness
Define the ...
A. Critical oil spill response components
B. Key contents of an OSRP
Systematically review and evaluate the ...
C. Organization of material in an OSRP
D. Response adequacy

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