bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OIL SPILL SPILL TRAINING AND EXERCISES – IS IT QUANTITY AND QUALITY?1
Authors: Mead Lindsay
Published: January 2013

The good news it that the frequency of oil spills is reducing. Better preparedness and prevention measures, quality systems and the sheer threat of the political and economic damage that may rise have focussed attention on this area.

We should not however allow ourselves to be complacent. A key component of preparedness is the training and exercising of contingency plans. Whilst the regime for the submission of contingency plans is generally well established, training and exercises are poorly regulated.

Some countries regulate the frequency with which training must be carried out, but in most places it is haphazard and generally dependent on local management. In very few places is the currency of training considered as a factor in the competence of those trained. To draw a parallel, is a terminal fire drill limited to once every three years just because we do not have fires, and is the competence of staff assumed or measured in some manner?

This paper will look at the issues behind training and exercises and propose that not only should the frequency be regulated but also question whether the quality, competence and currency of trainers be assessed. The author will also look at different training regimes around the globe to assess their relative merits as a template for others to follow.
WHERE CRISIS AND CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT MEET1 (MANAGING CONCURRENT OPERATIONS)
Authors: Sarubbi Jonathan D. , Lynch Brian , Deal Tim Y.
Published: January 2013

The National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) was created in response to the 1989 EXXON VALDEZ oil spill disaster and is focused on strengthening a port community's preparedness to respond to oil spills. In planning for its PREP exercise in 2003, the oil spill response community within the Delaware River Port Complex saw an excellent opportunity to leverage the PREP exercise program to create an exercise that combined a major oil spill response with law enforcement operations that included: implementing security measures for protection of maritime infrastructure, crime scene investigation and intelligence collection.

The PREP exercise scenario involved a catastrophic oil spill that was the result of a terrorist incident. The overarching objective of the exercise was to use the Incident Command System (ICS) to manage concurrent operations involving law enforcement response (Crisis Management) and response operations aimed at protecting public health and safety (Consequence Management). To integrate the two distinct disciplines of law enforcement operations and oil spill response, the exercise objectives included: (1) testing an ICS organizational model to manage spill response and maritime security with the FBI's Joint Operations Center (JOC), which is responsible for investigation and intelligence activities; (2) developing Incident Action Plans that integrate both oil spill and maritime security operations; and, (3) using the common processes inherent in ICS, to coordinate the efforts of 25 responding agencies to create a cohesive response. In the case of the Philadelphia exercise, the convergence of crisis and consequence management required unprecedented cooperation by all responding agencies. Focusing on the Incident Command System was absolutely critical for multi-agency operations. This paper discusses the 2003 Philadelphia PREP exercise and the valuable lessons learned in conducting concurrent operations under a single management system.
CONSIDERATION OF TOTAL VOLATILE HYDROCARBON EXPOSURE DURING OIL SPILL RESPONSE1
Authors: Grimes Alexandra , Olden Nicholas
Published: January 2013

Public perception and environmental awareness place increasing demands on the petroleum industry to facilitate fast and efficient oil spill containment and recovery to mitigate environmental damage. HSE legislation also places increasing demands on Oil Spill Response Organisations to ensure a safe working environment for responders. This paper looks at the trade-offs facing oil spill response planning from the perspective of occupational exposure to Total Volatile Hydrocarbons (TVH).

TVH is a term used to represent a large group consisting of hundreds of chemical compounds that derive from crude oil. Under certain circumstances, in-situ response measures represent a significant risk to local air quality and human health. Mechanical and manual oil spill recovery in close proximity with TVHs place spill responders and potentially the general public at an increased risk from fire/ explosions as well as acute and chronic health implications.

Over the course of a spill, physical and chemical processes are continuously changing TVH composition. This requires rapid on-scene monitoring and/ or predictive modelling to optimise spill counter measures and responder safety. The use of personal and area TVH monitoring equipment is discussed in a practical spill recovery context, and an overview is provided of portable gaseous testing equipment with respect to key criteria such as; conformity, configuration, user-friendliness and robustness. Current developments in TVH monitoring models are reviewed and their contribution to future oil spill contingency planning assessed.

Consideration is given to hazardous vapour exposure and the resulting health and safety issues that were faced by OSRL during the Tasmin Spirit and an inland well-blow out in Georgia.
SAFETY FIRST IN MARINE SPILL RESPONSE
Authors: Brown Keith
Published: January 2013

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the Australian Government agency responsible for managing Australia's National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious and Hazardous Substances (National Plan). AMSA achieves this by working with State/Northern Territory governments, the shipping, oil, exploration and chemical industries and emergency services to ensure there is an effective response to pollution incidents in the marine environment.

The National Plan has been in place since 1973. The purpose of the National Plan is to maintain a national integrated Government/industry organisational framework capable of effective response to oil or chemical pollution incidents in the marine environment and to manage associated funding, equipment and training programs to support National Plan activities.

Part of AMSA's management responsibilities under the National Plan is the coordination of a comprehensive National Training Program to familiarise personnel at all levels with the requirements of planning and responding to the needs arising from an oil or chemical spill.

Over many years the training program, developed and delivered by Commonwealth and State Governments and oil industry representatives, has been enhanced with a clear emphasis of improving and integrating responder Health and Safety into the overall management of a response.
IOSC WORKSHOP REPORT: A PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL GUIDE FOR OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANNING AND READINESS ASSESSMENT
Authors: Taylor Elliott , Steen Alexis , Meza Mark , Couzigou Benjamin , Hodges Marc , Miranda Dario , Ramos Jeff , Moyano Miguel
Published: January 2013

This paper presents a proposed Oil Spill Response (OSR) Readiness assessment tool for international application that is designed to support spill response planning and readiness assessments by industry and government. This paper summarizes the content of a larger report developed by an IOSC Workshop Subcommittee and refined during an IOSC Special Workshop: Assessment of Oil Spill Response Capabilities held on 3 December 2007 in Gamboa, Panama.

Each nation and industry sector has different interests and areas of knowledge with respect to spill response priorities and capabilities. As personnel change jobs, their knowledge departs with them. Consequently, expectations for response capability and the manner by which it should be attained can vary. Requirements for levels of response competency may change over time, may not be balanced by the risk of spills, and may not support long-term readiness to meet actual spill risks.

There have been few attempts in the spill response community to prepare generic checklists or comprehensive guides for the assessment of response capability. Most guidance is focused on the content of OSR contingency plans. The current IOSC effort aims to be as comprehensive and as detailed as possible encompassing an entire OSR system or program. The IOSC Workshop Subcommittee prepared a broad suite of planning and readiness assessment elements to encourage improved response capacity by aiding development and maintenance of response management systems from a site level to a multi-national level and to reach beyond OSR contingency planning. This approach turns the document into a powerful management tool for evaluating oil spill response capacity at different planning levels, from local, to regional, national and multi-national.

Government and industry representatives from Latin America and the Wider Caribbean Region met in Panama on 3 December 2007 to review and discuss the preliminary IOSC Guidelines. This paper and its companion report are intended to advance best international practice for OSR planning and readiness assessment. It is hoped that this IOSC Guide can be maintained as an evergreen tool by consistent use and feedback from within the spill response community.
AUTORIZACIÓN DEL USO DE DISPERSANTES EN AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE
Authors: Miranda Darío , Casco Alberto , Moyano Miguel
Published: January 2013

Los dispersantes se vienen utilizando para combatir derrames de hidrocarburos desde hace muchos años en varias partes del mundo. En la actualidad, estos productos están formulados para mitigar con rapidez y seguridad el daño potencial al medio ambiente que plantea un gran derrame de hidrocarburos. De hecho, los dispersantes se consideran una de las primeras opciones de respuesta con las que cuentan los responsables de controlar un derrame e incluso pueden ser aplicados concomitantemente con otras alternativas de atención o como complemento de éstas. ARPEL (Asociación Regional de Empresas de Petróleo y Gas Natural en Latinoamérica y el Caribe) desarrolló una Guía para ayudar a los encargados de la toma de decisiones, bien sean éstos miembros de las empresas o funcionarios de las entidades gubernamentales, a responder los interrogantes básicos que rodean el proceso de toma de decisiones. Aún cuando el proceso de aprobación, para que el uso de los diversos dispersantes sea autorizado dentro de un país determinado es una decisión exclusiva de los organismos gubernamentales correspondientes de cada país, para el presente trabajo y como parte complementaria de la Guía elaborada por ARPEL, se elaboró una modelo de estrategia que puede ser útil para desarrollar un proceso de construcción de una política nacional para la aprobación del uso de dispersantes en el manejo de derrames mayores de hidrocarburos.
DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION OF THE OPERATIONAL OIL SPILL FORECAST SYSTEM TESEO
Authors: Abasca ANA J. , Castanedo Sonia , Gutierrez A. David , Medina Raul , Losada Inigo J. , Comerma Eric
Published: January 2013

In the framework of the ESEOO Project (Spanish Operational Oceanography System) a complete set of models has been developed to simulate oil spills transport and fate processes. These models have been integrated in a user friendly operational system called TESEO. The main objective of the TESEO system is to integrate the meteorological and oceanographic data as well as the oil properties data required by the oil spill model to provide the evolution of contaminating spills at a regional scale. The system is linked with the operational winds and currents forecast system and, consequently, is able to provide useful information to decision-makers in a crisis situation. The performance of TESEO system has been successfully tested during four operational oil spills exercises organized by the Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Agency (SASEMAR) with the collaboration of the ESEOO Group. In these exercises, the TESEO system was used to provide forecast spill trajectories and fate processes to decision-makers in real time. Detailed information regarding the operational requirements of the system and its utilization during the Finisterre-2006 exercise is presented in this paper. The Finisterre-2006 exercise, as well as the other operational exercises performed, shows the TESEO system'S capability as a useful tool in an oil spill response.
THE NAPOLI INCIDENT, DEVON UK–THE FORMAL NCP ENVIRONMENT GROUP
Authors: Colcomb Kevin
Published: January 2013

The concept of an ENVIRONMENT GROUP (EG) was introduced into the UK maritime incident response process shortly after the SEA EMPRESS incident. The Groups role is to provide public health and environmental advice to all response units.

The NAPOLI incident presented responders with a highly complex matrix of issues concerned with major salvage, oil pollution at sea and onshore, potential for HNS into the sea and subsequent concerns for environment and public health.

Two response cells were set up:- a Salvage Control Unit for all salvage activity and a Marine Response Cell to respond to all pollution at sea. Unusually for a UK incident the response to oil and cargo ashore was dealt with by contractors engaged by the insurers.

The NAPOLI EG was set up immediately the container vessel was in difficulties, chaired by a UK Environment Agency officer. The Group was immediately tasked with evaluating the likely impact of a series of possible scenarios involving oil and/or cargo loss.

The key to successful management of environmental considerations was the communications network set up between the response cells at Portland Coastguard, the operational EG and the specialist scientists and technicians in UK government departments/agencies. Whilst the EG individual members have specific responsibilities associated with their parent bodies regulatory status, the Groups remit is to present one voice to the response cells when consulted on any issue. That process can be challenging when meeting short timelines.

Advice taskings were essentially split between immediate environmental consultations e.g use of dispersants in the event of a spill, and discrete “project” risk evaluations and monitoring protocols e.g. modeling of releases of specific cargo and development of risk assessments and worst case scenarios. Project work was typically carried out by people away from the operations centre thus freeing up the operational EG to concentrate on live issues on a day by day basis.

The operational EG maintained regular conference calls with UK government specialists to discuss the need for, the modus operandi and the progress and outcomes of environmental monitoring.
CENTRO REGIONAL DE ENTRENAMIENTO DE RESPUESTA A DERRAMES DE HIDROCARBUROS EN EL MEDIO MARINO COSTERO GUATEMALA
Authors: de Navio Teniente
Published: January 2013

Después de trabajar con las Brigadas de Respuesta a Derrames de Hidrocarburos en las zona de los Litorales Atlíntico y Pacifico de Guatemala, y el desarrollo de los Planes de Contingencia a nivel local; se presenta el Proyecto de crear un Centro Regional de entrenamiento en respuesta a los Derrames de Hidrocarburos en el medio Marino Costero, que seria importante para los países de Centroamérica y el Caribe.

Este estaría ubicado en la zona del Caribe guatemalteco, en el Puerto de Santo Tomas de Castilla, Izabal; con la finalidad de capacitar y entrenar, a todas las personas que se desempeñen en esta írea.

Otra importancia que tiene Centro América y el Caribe es por sus características geogríficas, que la convierten como írea de ecosistemas vulnerable en lo que se refiere a la conservación de la flora y fauna marino costero.

Existen infinidad de proyectos para conservar el Golfo de Honduras, como actualmente se le conoce al írea marítima del Océano Atlíntico de los países de Belice, Guatemala y Honduras; pero, esta propuesta, unirí mís a todas las entidades privadas, del estado y del medio ambiente; en capacitar a todas las personas que participan en exportar petróleo o importar sus derivados por la vía marítima, y que tengan contacto con el mar.
CENTRO DE RESCATE DE TORTUGAS MARINAS DEL COMANDO NAVAL DEL PACÍFICO DE GUATEMALA
Authors: Navio Teniente de
Published: January 2013

El Comando Naval del Pacifico de la Marina de la Defensa Nacional de Guatemala, ha trabajado duro por mís de 15 años en conservar la flora y fauna marino costera de nuestro país; haciendo que se respeten las leyes nacionales e internacionales en salvar las especies marinas.

Un claro caso es la Tortuga Marina, o Padama; como se conoce en el litoral del Pacifico de Guatemala. Nace, crece y se reproduce desde México y los países de Centroamérica; pero presenta varios problemas durante su periodo de vida, como lo son, los depredadores y personas que les gusta consumir los huevos, creyendo que son afrodisíacos para la potencia sexual.

Por esta situación, el Comando Naval del Pacifico (antes Base Naval del Pacifico), como las personas de la región lo conocen; inicio el proyecto de conservar la tortuga marina. Este fue fundado en el año de 1990, recolectando los huevos de tortuga parlama y depositíndolos en un tor tugar io, para que; al tiempo que nacen los neonatos (aproximadamente de tres meses), se procede a liberarlos en la playa del comando naval.
UNITED STATES NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM GUIDELINES FOR PLACES OF REFUGE DECISION-MAKING FOR VESSELS NEEDING ASSISTANCE
Authors: Bergmann Pamela , DeVries Mark
Published: January 2013

The major oil spills that resulted from the T/V ERIKA and M/V PRESTIGE breaking up and sinking off the coasts of France in December 1999 and Spain in November 2002, respectively, underscored the need for regulatory authorities, natural resource trustees, and other stakeholders to conduct pre-incident planning for vessels needing assistance. Both of these incidents provided the impetus for the development of places of refuge guidelines. By the end of 2003, both the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Australian Government had developed guidelines for places of refuges decision-making. By the end of 2006, places of refuge guidelines had also been developed and adopted by a number of entities in North America; including, the Alaska, Region 9, and Region 10 Regional Response Teams (RRTs) and the Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force (Pacific States/BC Task Force).

In August 2006, the United States (U.S.) National Response Team (NRT) created an NRT Places of Refuge Workgroup (NRT POR Workgroup) to develop nationwide places of refuge guidelines for use throughout the U.S. The resulting NRT Guidelines for Places of Refuge Decision-Making (NRT POR Guidelines), which were approved by the NRT in July 2007, were based on the places of refuge guidelines developed (and adopted) by the Alaska RRT in 2004.

This paper provides an overview of the development of the NRT POR Guidelines, a brief overview of key elements of the document, and a discussion of the successful implementation of the concepts included in the NRT POR Guidelines in five incidents in Alaska.
POTENTIAL PLACES OF REFUGE FOR SHIPS IN DISTRESS–THE CALIFORNIA APPROACH TO DEVELOPING DATA CAPTURE AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES
Authors: Faurot-Daniels Ellen , Dietrich Kelly
Published: January 2013

California'S coastal Area Contingency Planning Committees began the process to develop “California Distressed Vessel/Potential Places of Refuge (PPOR)” data-gathering and decision-making tools in July 2006. The first step in this process was for members of California'S statewide Area Contingency Plan (ACP) Committee to be open to the possibility they may allow a distressed vessels into their backyard. Next, they were challenged with representing non-situational data in a common data collection format for use by all six California coastal Area Committees. Modeled largely on the PPOR products developed in Alaska, the committee relied on the Regional Response Team IX Guidelines, and the Commandant Instruction (COMDTINST) 16451.9 U.S. Coast Guard Places of Refuge Policy Enclosure (2) (POR Job Aid) resources. Stakeholder involvement throughout this process helps to establish realistic expectations in advance and build trust between stakeholders and decision makers. The populated databases, located in the ACPs, will support incident-specific decision-making and risk assessment anywhere in California by any California Federal On-Scene Coordinator or Unified Command during an actual Places of Refuge (POR) event.
MODELING AS A SCIENTIFIC TOOL IN NRDA FOR OIL AND CHEMICAL SPILLS
Authors: French-McCay Deborah
Published: January 2013

In natural resource damage assessments, as well as in analyses of response alternatives, modeling is a useful and effective scientific tool in assessing injury and risk. Often field data documenting spill impacts are incomplete, such that injuries are underestimated or impossible to assess. In order to quantify impacts using field observations, comprehensive sampling of affected biota is needed in both exposed and unaffected areas. Because marine organisms are so patchy in their distribution, large numbers of stations and samples within stations are needed to accurately map abundance. Such extensive sampling of all (or even selected) species affected is often not feasible, given the rapidity at which the evidence disappears (by scavenging of killed organisms and by migration of animals into the impacted area). What is feasible and cost-effective, is to estimate impacts using existing scientific knowledge of the fates and toxicity of oil components, along with as much site-specific data as is available or feasible to collect. Oil and chemical fates and effects models integrate this information into a form that may be calibrated to and/or verified with field data, such that injuries are quantified with a combined field-based and modeling approach.
SMALL SCALE PILOT PROJECT AS A TOOL FOR PLANNING LARGE SCALE RESTORATION
Authors: Craig Leslie J. , Pride Tom
Published: January 2013

The use of pilot studies can be a useful tool in determining the most appropriate location, method and design for a large scale restoration project. This paper provides a case study where Trustees implemented a small pilot project and feasibility study to determine the best approach for a large scale oyster reef creation project. While the specific case study is the result of a CERCLA settlement (Alafia River Acid Spill of 1997), this model is transferable to other instances where Trustees are scoping for the most appropriate sites and methods to conduct settlement funded restoration.

The Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment on which the case settlement was based called for creation of approximately 4 acres of oyster reef in addition to 4 acres of estuarine marsh restoration. Through an initial scoping process, the Trustees determined that more information was needed to select the most appropriate locations and techniques to implement the large scale oyster restoration project. The Trustees identified 3 general locations with potential for larger scale oyster reef creation. A portion of settlement funding was used to contract for construction and monitoring of an oyster reef pilot project to examine the efficacy of oyster reef construction at the three locations using 4 different cultch materials. At each of the locations, 4 small reefs (approximately 75’ × 20’) were constructed and monitored for spat set, oyster survival and growth as well as subsidence. A baseline construction report and final monitoring report detailed the results. In addition, a separate report was completed that outlined the feasibility of constructing a 4 acre oyster reef in Hillsborough Bay, FL. This report included several construction considerations such as local sources and costs of cultch materials, shipping/transport, staging areas, construction equipment as well as potential local contractors.

This paper reports the results of the oyster pilot project and feasibility report as well as lessons learned from each approach.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATE RESTORATION PROJECTS AND INJURY ASSESSMENT
Authors: Kern John , Dipinto Lisa , Rapp John
Published: January 2013

The natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) process under the Oil Pollution Act regulations is restoration-focused. In order to proceed with a NRDA after Preassessment Phase activities are completed, the natural resource trustees must determine that feasible restoration actions are available to address the potential injuries resulting from the discharge of oil. If this determination is made, the trustees can move forward and conduct injury assessment and injury quantification as part of the Restoration Planning Phase. The availability of appropriate restoration alternatives for natural resources can have a profound effect on the nature of both injury assessment and injury quantification that is necessary for a particular oil spill.

This paper examines that relationship, using some examples from settled oil spill NRDA cases to illustrate how the availability of appropriate and cost-effective restoration alternatives can reduce the overall cost of a NRDA and the length of time necessary to reach an appropriate settlement. The type of restoration and the degree to which it is scaleable can also influence both cost and time to reach settlement. It also discusses some of the factors that are important in determining to what degree restoration opportunities influence the injury assessment and quantification process for oil spills, including geographic location, previous experience with similar spills, and the degree of cooperation that exists between the trustees and the responsible party.
M/V SELENDANG AYURESPONSE: SHORELINE SURVEYS AND DATA MANAGEMENT; TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS; AND THE COMPLETION INSPECTION PROCESS
Authors: Owens E.H. , Engles J. W. , Lehmann S. , Parker-Hall H. A. , Reimer P.D. , Whitney J.
Published: January 2013

The grounding of a bulk carrier on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Chain, Alaska, on 8 December 2004, resulted in a spill of fuel oil that affected approximately 800 km of coastline in a remote area. Initial tracking of the spill commenced at the first opportunity on 11 December using a fixed-wing aircraft to conduct low-altitude surveys during weather windows. Subsequent Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) surveys involved both boat- and helicopter-based interagency teams to document and characterize oiling conditions. Of the 763 km of shoreline surveyed 713 km had “No Observed Oil (NOO)”. Information obtained by the surveys was entered and managed in a data base that was accessible to all members of the spill response team. Several innovative approaches were developed to assist the shoreline cleanup endpoint decision and inspection processes. Where oil was observed that did not meet the defined treatment end points, a Shoreline Treatment Recommendation Transmittal (STRT) form was completed and submitted to the Unified Command (UC) spill management team. As part of the shoreline survey program, Operations personnel accompanied the two teams surveying outside of the “core” area to remove small amounts of oil. This was, in effect, a “clean as you go” and a “sign off as you go” strategy to obviate the need to employ separate sorties for initial survey, return for treatment, and a third return to inspect the completed cleanup in the segment and determine if endpoints were met. If the segment met the treatment end points or was cleaned to that standard, a Shoreline Inspection Report (SIR) was completed and signed in the field by the UC representatives on the SCAT team recommending to the UC that cleanup in that segment was not necessary or that cleanup be terminated. The completion inspection process involved the land managers, and landowners, comprised primarily of native tribes and corporations for the bulk of the affected areas, as well as Federal and Alaskan state agencies.
M/V SELENDANG AYURESPONSE: MIXING AND SEDIMENT RELOCATION ON OILED COARSE SEDIMENT BEACHES
Authors: Shigenaka G. , Owens E. H.
Published: January 2013

The grounding of the M/V Selendang AYU on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Island chain, Alaska, in December 2004, resulted in a spill of an estimated 339,538 gallons of primarily intermediate fuel oil that affected approximately 300 km of coastline in a remote area. The majority of the oil that stranded was deposited as heavy concentrations on coarse sediment beaches within a few tens of kilometers of the spill site. The shoreline cleanup operation focused on manual methods to minimize sediment removal and waste generation. Mechanical removal, dry mixing, or sediment relocation techniques were approved for eight locations where deeply-penetrated oil could not be effectively or efficiently removed by manual means. On several of the high-energy exposed beaches, the oil had penetrated or been buried to depths greater than 2 m, necessitating the excavation of considerable volumes of sediment to ensure that no untreated oil residues remained. One element of the Unified Command shoreline treatment oversight process required preparation and implementation of a monitoring and sampling plan. The plan included documentation of SCAT observations, surveyed beach profiles, photography, and mussel tissue chemistry. Evaluation of the data collected during the monitoring and sampling program showed that the relocation resulted in little adverse impact. Between 2005 and 2006, SCAT observations and photographs documented steady decreases in shoreline oiling, beach profiles were quickly restored by even modest storm events, and aromatic hydrocarbons in mussel tissues declined significantly. Although in situ treatment does not “clean” beaches, accelerating the weathering of the subsurface oil and decreasing the amount of oil remaining on the beaches ostensibly reduced the residence time of the oil and therefore, also reduced the exposure or risk to coastal birds and animals.
THE KATRINA OIL SPILL RESPONSE: THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND POST-DISASTER UPDATES
Authors: Keel Kim , Crecy Stacey , Henry Charlie
Published: January 2013

In addition to the loss of life and property caused by Hurricane Katrina, the powerful storm caused significant environmental injury. The destruction and failure of hundreds of oil facilities and oil storage tanks resulted in many oil spills. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received reports that more than 8 million gallons of crude oil were discharged throughout the region. The largest single incident resulted in the loss of an estimated 90,000 bbls of crude oil from two large storage tanks in a very remote location near Cox Bay, Louisiana.

Other authors will describe how the initial response managers overcame the incredible challenges of managing multiple oil spills in an enormous area devoid of support infrastructure, human resources and the logistical networks normally present. By January 2006, most of the oil spills from facilities impacted by Hurricane Katrina had entered the natural recovery phase while the response had transitioned from the initial disaster response phase to a more traditional response. However, in February 2008, there are still several sites that require continued clean-up and monitoring by federal and state officials. This paper will review the final stages of the federal government'S response to the Katrina-related oil spills and include planning and prevention measures that could reduce the risk of oil spills during similar storm events. Some of the topics included are: Hurricane Planning in Southeastern Louisiana'S Coastal Zone and consideration for improving facility Hurricane and Contingency Plans.
COAST GUARD AND INDUSTRY COOPERATION: DEVELOPMENT OF ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF INFORMATION
Authors: Sadler Brian
Published: January 2013

In June 2006, two million gallons of oil spilled in to the Calcasieu River near Lake Charles, Louisiana. In response to the spill, the U.S. Coast Guard activated the first Marine Transportation System Recovery Unit (MTSRU) within the Incident Command System (ICS). A MTSRU tracks and reports on the status of the Marine Transportation System (MTS), identifies critical pathways for recovery, recommends courses of action, and provides MTS stakeholders with a means of input to the response organization. The MTSRU was successful in providing valuable recommendations and priorities to the Unified Command; these recommendations mitigated the impact of the spill on both the local and national economies. Due to its success at the Lake Charles event, the MTSRU is now an integral part of the Coast Guard ICS.
UNIQUE LIQUID CARGO HANDLING SIMULATOR IN FINLAND
Authors: Fransas Anne
Published: January 2013

Most of the hazardous incidents and accidents in liquid terminals occur during the cargo handling operations, i.e. tanker loading and discharging. The main reason of these incidents is lack of cooperation and communication between the terminal and the ship.

Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences (UAS) and the Kymenlaakso Region in Southeast Finland aim to improve the operational safety in tanker terminals. One example of this is the Liquid Cargo Handling Simulator located in Kotka in the Seafaring and Logistics Department of Kymenlaakso UAS. The simulator unit consists of two parts, the tanker and the terminal simulator, which are integrated together. In case of oil spill accidents it is possible to train oil combating with the help of PISCESII Oil Spill Management Simulator which is also on part of this unit.

The simulator enables the practice of the loading and discharging of different types of tankers and railway wagons. The training aims to teach routine practises as well as safety practises in certain risk situations.

It includes also the theoretical part and it is directed at all personnel and students of the field who deal with liquid cargoes in ports. The simulator will be used in the basic studies of Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu UAS, as part of course activities, and in the training of its personnel and interest groups.

The production of the Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences’ simulator programme is carried out by Transas from St. Petersburg, a world-leading developer and supplier of Information Technology solutions for the maritime industry. Neste Oil, Port of Porvoo, also contributed to the project.

The liquid terminal simulator project is financed by European Union, State Provincial Office of Southern Finland, Kymenlaakson ammattikorkeakoulu, Crystal Pool Ltd, Port of H amina Ltd, Vopak Chemicals Logistics Finland Oy, Neste Oil Oy, Kauko-Telko Oy, SGS Inspection Services Oy, and Baltic Tank Oy.
REVIEW OF BRAZILIAN REGULATION FOR FACILITY OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANNING
Authors: Junior Alvaro Souza
Published: January 2013

In April 2002, the Brazilian National Environment Council (CONAMA) enacted Resolution 293, which defines the contents and requirements for oil spill response plans for ports, terminals, pipelines and oil platforms.

CONAMA Resolution 293 was undoubtedly a landmark in the history of Brazilian planning and preparedness for oil spill accidents as long as it provided a technically consistent reference for elaboration of oil spill response plans based on the identification of spill sources, vulnerability analysis of potentially affected areas, and adequate response organization, procedures and resources.

A clause of the Resolution required its review in 5 years after entering into force. To accomplish this requirement, the Ministry of Environment (MMA) opened a public hearing process to collect comments and suggestions for changes. One main contributor in this hearing process was the Brazilian Petroleum and Gas Institute (IBP), which represents the oil and gas industry. IBP created an internal workgroup which discussed proposals for changes in CONAMA Resolution 293 that were subsequently sent to MMA.

After the public hearing process, MMA invited a number of institutions to join a workgroup to discuss the received comments and proposed changes. In general, these institutions were mostly the same which participated in the CONAMA Resolution 293 workgroup five years before: IBAMA (federal environmental agency), Maritime Authority, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Mines and Energy, AN? (oil & gas activities regulatory agency), IBP and some state environmental agencies.

Proposed changes to CONAMA Resolution 293 were sent from the workgroup to one of the CONAMA technical chambers, which approved the proposal with minor amendments. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the relevant changes in this regulation that will affect facility oil spill response plans in Brazil.
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR SPILL PREVENTION AT OIL STORAGE FACILITIES
Authors: Yoshioka Gary , Reber Julie , Thompson Ryan , Tilghman Joan
Published: January 2013

Performance standards state requirements in terms of required results, with criteria for verifying compliance but without stating the methods for achieving required results. A performance standard may define functional requirements for the item, operational requirements, or interface and interchangeability characteristics. A performance standard may be viewed in juxtaposition to a prescriptive standard, which may specify design requirements, such as materials to be used, how a requirement is to be achieved, or how an item is to be fabricated or constructed. A performance standard for spill prevention specifies the outcome required, but leaves the specific measures to achieve that outcome up to the discretion of the regulated facility. In contrast to a design standard or a technology-based standard that specifies exactly how to achieve compliance, a performance standard sets a goal and lets each regulated facility owner or operator decide how to meet it. Since 1993, U.S. Federal regulations complied with Executive Order 12866, which specifies the use of performance standards. Thus, it is not surprising that the 2002 revisions of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency'S Oil Pollution Prevention regulation, which was first published in 1973, included several performance-based provisions. The regulation requires nearly every significant oil storage facility in the nation to prepare a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan. Regulatory provisions that had set prescriptive standards or design requirements in 1973, allow much more flexibility today. This poster presentation briefly examines the trend toward performance-based environmental regulations in the U.S. and the evolution of the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation.
A COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR LOCATING, TRACKING AND QUANTIFYING SUBMERGED OIL USED DURING THE T/B DBL 152 INCIDENT
Authors: Redman Ramsey , Pfeifer Chris , Brzozowski Erik , Markarian Ralph
Published: January 2013

A variety of methods and equipment were employed during the response and long-term monitoring phases of the DBL 152 incident to locate, track and quantify the nearly 2 million gallons of low-API gravity oil that sank in the western Gulf of Mexico approximately 30 nautical miles off the coast of Cameron, Louisiana. Methods and equipment used to survey submerged oil included: divers; stationary snare sentinels; chain-weighted snare drags using devices known as vessel-submerged oil recovery systems or V-SORS; remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), underwater video drop camera, sled-mounted towed video, side-scan sonar and Rox-Ann sonar. This paper will describe each method and associated equipment and its specific application to submerged oil detection and assessment for this incident. It will also explore the evolution and refinement of approaches used throughout the course of the response and the underlying rationale for these changes. Guidelines and relevant considerations for selecting among these methods will be suggested. Finally, strengths and limitations of each approach will be discussed with the goal of capturing and communicating the lessons learned so that future submerged oil response efforts may benefit from the practical experience gained during the DBL 152 response.
SPILLS OF NONFLOATING OIL: EVALUATION OF RESPONSE TECHNOLOGIES
Authors: Michel Jacqueline
Published: January 2013

A study was conducted of the current state of technology for non-floating heavy oil response operations for the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center. The study included characterization of heavy oils that did not float and documentation of lessons learned during recent heavy, submerged oil spills, specifically the M/V Athos 1 and TIB DBL-152. A summary is provided of the current state of practice for the following response methods: detection of oil suspended in the water column (stationary sorbent systems, trawled detection systems, and field fluorometry); detection of oil on the bottom (visual surveys, diver observations/video, remotely operated videocamera, sorbent drops, sediment cores, bottom trawl nets, chain drags/v-sors, and acoustic systems); containment of suspended oil/protection of water intakes, containment of submerged oil on the bottom; and recovery of submerged oil on the bottom (diver-directed pumping, remotely operated vehicle pumping systems, dredges, and decanting systems). Tables are provided as summaries of advantages and disadvantages of the response technologies used at the two case study oil spills.
PROTOCOL FOR ASSESSING THE EXTENT OF CRUDE OIL SPILLED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA FOLLOWING HURRICANE KATRINA, ST. BERNARD PARISH, LOUISIANA
Authors: Stout Scott A. , Millner Glenn C.
Published: January 2013

Floodwater associated with the Hurricane Katrina'S storm surge (August 29, 2005) displaced and damaged a 250,000 barrel above ground storage tank at Murphy Oil Corporation'S Meraux Refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana. Crude oil was released and was dispersed into the nearby and evacuated residential and commercial area by the retreating floodwaters. The assessment, which began September 18, involved biased sampling and “chemical fingerprinting” of interior and exterior wipe samples (from the visually-evident “bathtub rings” on structures) and interior and exterior sediments from over 6000 homes, businesses, churches, and schools. Crude oil from the failed tank was thoroughly characterized using chemical fingerprinting. Over 14,000 Tier 1 (GC/FID) chromatographic (EPA Method 8015B) analyses were conducted as a means of mapping the overall lateral extent, concentration, and continuity of the crude oil impact. These Tier 1 GC/FID analyses revealed the extent of crude oil contamination in the area, as well as the widespread occurrence of (1) non-crude oil, petroleum-derived contamination (e.g., engine lube oils, hydraulic oils, diesel fuel, household lubricants) and (2) allochthonous natural organic matter (e.g., peat and plant materials) from surrounding marshes that was carried and dispersed by the floodwater. Tier 2 fingerprinting involving quantitative petroleum biomarker data generated using GC/MS-SIM (modified EPA Method 8270) was conducted on a selected subset of samples. When the biomarker-based diagnostic ratios were evaluated statistically, the presence/absence of the crude oil, even at concentrations below residential standards, was established. This information was used to develop and govern a settlement and remedial program with the affected property owners, and to defend against claims brought by unaffected parties.
APPLICATION OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS IN THE SELECTION OF DIAGNOSTIC RATIOS FOR FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION OF AN OIL SPILL SOURCE
Authors: Yang Chun , Wang Zhendi , Hollebone Bruce , Brown Carl E. , Landriault Mike
Published: January 2013

In this work, 14 fresh crude oils of different types and origins were analyzed by gas chromatography with mass-selective detection, and over 80 potentially diagnostic ratios were calculated based on the quantitation of isoprenoids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), biomarkers, diamondoids, bicyclic sesquiterpanes and aromatic steranes, etc. Diagnostic power (DP) was calculated for the selection of the candidate source-sensitive diagnostic ratios and used to determine which ratios were most diagnostic among the crude oils studied. In order to investigate the effect of evaporative and biodegradative weathering on diagnostic ratios and thereby to differentiate weathering-resistant ratios from weathering-sensitive ratios, triplicate analyses were performed for two suites of reference oils, laboratory-evaporated Prudhoe Bay crude oils and laboratory-biodegraded Alberta Sweet Mixed Blend (ASMB) crude oils, respectively. Student'S t-test was used to statistically evaluate whether diagnostic ratios were significantly affected by weathering and to ensure that the observed change is not due to analytical variance. It was found that, diagnostic ratios generally remained consistent for oils with slight to medium evaporative weathering, only the ratios of those compounds with lower boiling points such as adamantanes changed greatly. For biodegraded oils, most of diagnostic ratios remained constant for lightly to moderately biodegraded oils; while most of diagnostic ratios with exception of certain triaromatic steranes and high-molecular-weight terpane and sterane biomarkers demonstrated significant changes for heavily biodegraded oils.
A CASE STUDY: DISTINGUISHING PYROGENIC HYDROCARBONS FROM PETROGENIC HYDROCARBONS
Authors: Wang* Zhendi , Yang C. , Brown C. , Hollebone B. , Landriault M.
Published: January 2013

A new diagnostic parameter of “Pyrogenic Index (PI),” defined as(other 3–6 ring EPA priority PAHs)/N(5 alkylated PAHs), has been proposed as a quantitative indicator for identification of pyrogenic PAHs and for differentiating pyrogenic from petrogenic PAHs. It has been well understood that petrogenic and pyrogenic PAHs are characterized by dominance of five alkylated PAH homologues and by dominance of unsubstituted high molecular weight PAHs, respectively. In comparison with traditional diagnostic ratios such as phenanthrene/anthracene (Ph/An), benz[a]anthracene/chrysene (BaA/Ch), and fluoranthene/pyrene (Fl/Py), the PI Index more truly reflects the difference in the PAH distribution between these two sets of PAHs. The PI Index has been successfully used as an effective criterion to unambiguously differentiate pyrogenic and petrogenic PAHs. In this paper a case study is presented to illustrate the utility of the PI index to distinguish the pyrogenic PAHs generated by burning from the petrogenic PAHs. On October of 2004, a fire accident happened in the HMCE Chicoutimi submarine at sea off the west coast of Ireland as the submarine was making its way to Halifax, Canada. In order to determine effects of the fire accident on the health of crew members, a number of fire samples were collected and sent to the ESTD for characterization. Sample characterization results clearly revealed that the distribution profiles of PAHs in the samples are combined signatures from both pyrogenic and petrogenic PAHs. The pyrogenic PAHs were generated from the fire accident, while the petrogenic PAHs came from contamination of petroleum products used by the submarine. The presence of petroleum hydrocarbons is further confirmed by the discovery of oil-characteristic n-alkanes and biomarker compounds in the fire samples.