bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antipol 97-Totem 97: A Large-Scale Exercise in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Calonne Eric , Rousseau Christophe
Published: January 2013

To implement the national POLMAR Plan, the French maritime and terrestrial authorities organise yearly large oil spill exercises called “Antipol.” Antipol 97 was of a greater scale than any other operation conducted in the past 10 years in the Mediterranean sea.

During the 2 days of the exercise, major spill response capabilities were deployed on the sea with ten ships, including French Navy ships, together with the 280,000-tons tanker Iseult, owned by TOTAL. In the air, were five planes, including one of OSRL's C 130s flown in from Southampton and an Italian reconnaissance plane, as well as five helicopters.

Various response actions were conducted at sea and on the shoreline: evacuation of injured crew from the tanker, tanker towing, lightering operation, deployment of boom and recovery equipment, shoreline cleanup using FOST co-operative resources and strike team.

In parallel a large crisis management exercise called “Totem 97,” supported by TOTAL and prepared and conducted by CEDRE (Centre for Documentation, Research, and Experimentation in the Field of Accidental Water Pollution), mobilised crisis management teams in Toulon, Paris, Marseilles, Nantes, and Brest.

This major operation had a triple objective:To test the efficiency of the new POLMAR Plan, the TOTAL Group, and France Shipmanagement emergency plansTo update and improve the procedures laid down in those plansTo demonstrate the collective crisis management performance of the three key players: the public authorities, the ship operator and the oil company

For added realism Totem 97 included a unit run by CEDRE, that simulated reactions from the media, lobby groups, and the general public.
Nutrient Transport in Beaches Subjected to Freshwater Input and Tides
Authors: Boufadel Michel C. , Suidan Makram T. , Rauch Christian H. , Ahn Chang-Hoon , Venosa Albert D.
Published: January 2013

Bioremediation of oil spills on beaches commonly involves the addition of nutrients to stimulate the growth of indigenous oil-degrading bacteria. The selection of the best application strategy of nutrients requires an understanding of the physical factors affecting beach hydraulics and hydrodynamics. The authors investigated these factors here using a laboratory beach and a numerical model that is able to simulate density-dependent flows in two-dimensional variably-saturated media. The authors found that beach geometry plays a major role in beach hydraulics and hydrodynamics because the flow lines are perpendicular to the beach surface. Under tidal action, the authors found that seawater enters the beach from the top and causes the entrapment of less saline water in the beach. Guidelines for the selection of the best application strategy of nutrients are provided.
Spill of National Significance Exercise 1997: Testing a New Organizational Concept1
Authors: O'Malley Mark
Published: January 2013

Following the Exxon Valdez spill, the need for an effective organization to manage a spill of such magnitude was readily apparent. The publication of a revised NC? reflected this need by defining a Spill of National Significance (SONS) as a spill that, because of its severity, size, location, or actual or potential impact on the public health and welfare or the environment, the necessary response effort is so complex that it requires extraordinary coordination of federal, state, local, and responsible party (RP) resources to contain and clean up the discharge.

The U.S. Coast Guard adopted the Incident Command System (ICS) as the response management organization for oil and hazardous substance incidents in 1996. An integral part of ICS is the Area Command concept, which provides a level of strategic management and support for the existing Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) response organization. This concept was evaluated for its suitability at a SONS exercise held on 16–18 September 1997 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. The exercise was also designed to assess interagency policy and cooperation with regard to emergency response by having the participants deliberate on critical issues in a collegial setting, as opposed to a stress-elevating, oil spill equipment deployment and command center organization drill. This paper examines the makeup of the unique design of the exercise and discusses several issues that arose during the exercise.
Why Spill Response Software Should Emulate a Fire Extinguisher
Authors: Evans Mary , Lehr Bill , Wesley David , Simecek-Beatty Debra
Published: January 2013

A software development team in the Hazardous Materials Response and Assessment Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA/HAZMAT) implemented software usability engineering techniques to design a new version of NOAA's oil weathering and spill management program, ADIOS II™. Their purpose was to ensure that both novices and experts can easily use the program for their own work. To achieve this end, team members used design features intended to help novices, without impeding experts. These features included progressive disclosure, incorporation of documentation into the program interface, and error-checking safeguards. The team empirically checked the effectiveness of their design in a series of usability tests, in which they observed spill responders and planners using a prototype to complete realistic tasks. Team members recorded problems encountered by test participants, as well as participants' suggestions and comments. The team then used these findings to improve the ADIOS II interface. The NOAA team believes that usability engineering has proved to be an effective tool for ADIOS II design.
Transportation of Fuels By Pipelines—A Successful Experience
Authors: Rodrigues Torres Carlos Alberto , Constantino Alves Aníbal José , de Seta Filho Jayme , de Lira Filho Lourival Pereira
Published: January 2013

This paper presents the Oil Spill Prevention and Control Program, developed by DTCS (Dutos e Terminais do Centro-Oeste e São Paulo), a subdivision of the Transportation Department of Petrobras, which is fundamentally based on the following approaches: maintain the integrity of the system, operate safely and with respect for the environment, and prepare for emergency control. As a result of these actions, we have obtained a constant decrease in occurrences of oil leaks in pipelines, reaching the zero mark in 1997.
Maximizing The Resource Tracking Effort
Authors: Hielscher Al , McCreery Scott
Published: January 2013

Tracking resources in emergency response situations can be a time consuming and laborious undertaking. Many times the Resource Unit within the Incident Command System (ICS) is in the unenviable position of playing “catch-up” with what is occurring in the field. Implementation of National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS) ICS tracking methods help to streamline this complex task. Participation in numerous oil spill drills and actual spill incidents has helped Environmental Compliance Options (ECO) and Genwest Systems, Inc. personnel observe, develop, and adopt methods and tools to make response resource tracking more accurate and efficient.
Oil Spill Management—The Brazoria County, Texas Approach
Authors: Salinas Jimmy A.
Published: January 2013

Brazoria County, Texas has established a partnership of government, industry, and the public to ensure that management of spills in this county considers the local expertise, resources, and concerns when developing protection strategies and implementing spill response plans. In 1990 the Mega Borg oil spill, which occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, was initially projected to impact Brazoria County beaches and wetlands. In response to this threat the Brazoria County Judge, who is the Local On-Scene Coordinator (LOSC) for the county during emergencies, convened a meeting of the local emergency planning committee (LEPC) and the county's emergency management office. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the spill threat and determine what action, if any, could be taken. The Judge also called on various county officials, industry specialists, local federal trustees, and local environmentalists to participate. The meeting resulted in the establishment of an Oil Spill Subcommittee (OSS) to the LEPC. This subcommittee worked quickly to develop a protection plan should the oil spill threat become a reality. Specific protection priorities for the county's coastal areas was developed and included a contingency of county and industry responders who were prepared to initiate protective measures if required. The County Judge delivered the county's plan, concerns, and support to the Unified Incident Command (UIC) in Galveston, Texas.

Since its inception the OSS has been active responding to spill threats, and participating in area wide National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Exercises in the county. The uniqueness of the OSS is that it draws expertise from different stake holders in the county and melds a local partnership that brings a vast amount of knowledge, experience, and resources in a unified effort. The Brazoria County OSS continues to improve its organization and stands ready to assist spill management when an incident threatens Brazoria County.
Oil Spill Monitoring By Satellite: The Ways Towards Making a Reality Out of a Dream
Authors: Girin Michel , Calabresi Gianna , Lichtenegger Juerg , Petrocchi Andrea , Febvre Alain , Lecat Camille
Published: January 2013

Despite the good results obtained in a series of experiments performed jointly by satellite image providers and pollution response authorities in Northern Europe, the reluctance to acknowledge the spaceborne data contribution to oil spill surveillance is still considerable. The authors, in part counter pollution professionals, in part experts in satellite imagery interpretation, started to collaborate with background ranging from strong doubts on the suitability of satellite imagery to support pollution control activities, to substantial experience in using radar satellites such as ERS for ocean features detection. Building on their different languages, priorities, and views, they compared satellite imagery with airborne collected information and identified areas where today, unavoidably, using satellite imagery would be disappointing (such as emergency monitoring of major pollution events), areas where satellite imagery can offer a service not satisfied through airplane surveillance (such as wide, synoptic area surveillance together with complementary control of anchorage areas and collection of statistical information on major deballasting routes), areas of potential synergy between satellite and airplane imagery (such as the
The Sea Empress Oil Spill: Environmental Impact and Recovery
Authors: Edwards Ron , White Ian
Published: January 2013

72,000 tonnes of light crude oil were released from the Sea Empress at the entrance to Milford Haven, South Wales over a 7-day period in February 1996, in an area of exceptional environmental value for wildlife, tourism and natural beauty. Natural factors (time of year, wind direction) coupled with effective cleanup at sea (through chemical dispersion) and on shore, minimised environmental impact. Nevertheless, there were adverse effects on fisheries, wildlife—particularly overwintering birds, tourism and amenity. (Human health studies have not been completed.) Recovery, although not complete, has been encouraging although some wildlife populations remain depleted and further monitoring is needed, including offish stocks.

The U.K. Government has responded to recommendations by the Sea Empress Environmental Evaluation Committee (SEEEC), agreeing to continued monitoring and research, as well as reviews of aspects of operational response and cleanup and to the need for national and local contingency plans for impact assessment.
Achieving an Industry Standard in the Assessment of Environmental Risk: Oil Spill Risk Management and the Mira Method
Authors: Jødestøl Kjell Andreas , Fredheim Bjørge , Hoell Espen Edward , Wakili Sami , Vinnem Jan Erik , Myhrvold Arne Uno , Hasle Jon Rytter , Ytterborg Gina
Published: January 2013

A quantitative approach to assess environmental risks from offshore petroleum activities is developed in this paper. Taking into account both reservoir- and project-specific data, different kinds of oil spill scenarios are analyzed. Oil characteristics and weathering properties are incorporated in a standardized geographical information system (GIS)-based oil spill modeling system, simulating oil trajectories based on wind and current data.

Mapping of environmental resources is combined with a sensitivity evaluation and protection value classification. Nationally accepted criteria in Norway for identification of valued ecosystem components (VECs) are adopted to select a limited number of high priority risk indicators. Oil spill statistics are combined with occurrences of VEC resources on a seasonal basis. Oil pollution effect and damage keys have been established based on past oil spill incidents and scientific documentation.

Impact assessments are based on available specific resource data and provide results related to the recovery potential of each resource component included. The recovery time is adopted as a general stand-alone parameter that allows classification of severity and ecological significance of acute oil pollution incidents.

Quantitative risk results are used to describe and rank environmental risks issued from different sources and scenarios, covering different seasons and activity plans. The ranking also is used to identify high priority resources and geographic areas for contingency actions. The variability in presence and vulnerability of natural resources gives the operator the possibility of adjusting activity plans according to the time-window providing the lowest environmental risk. Contingency plans can be designed for and focused on periods or geographic areas with increased risk. The results are further used in combination with oil spill statistics to determine specific requirements for oil spill contingency systems. Requirements for key factors—such as response time, equipment, functional capability, and efficiency with respect to weather, oil type, and oil quantity—also are established. The overall efficiency of contingency systems is assessed and the risk reanalyzed to identify the potential for risk reduction.

Further developments are proposed advising that risk reduction should be considered in combination with costs involved in investments, maintenance and exercises, as well as real combat action costs and compensation costs. Cost-benefit could then be assessed for different contingency arrangements, providing a basis for selection of optimal solutions for contingency systems according to the ALARP principle—“as low as reasonably practicable”—where costs of countermeasures are weighted against potential risk reduction.
Planning for Chemical Spills
Authors: Lunel Tim , Corps Jenny
Published: January 2013

During a spill and at the contingency planning phase, there are three main stages to consider in dealing with a chemical incident at sea: risk identification, risk assessment, and emergency response. The incident of the multitank Ascania is used in the paper to illustrate how this decision process works in a real spill using 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, 366-days-a-year response services. The role of software tools for providing rapid, reliable, and relevant information is discussed within the context of these tools being used by trained emergency responders. The paper then illustrates how scenario analysis and running marine chemical spill exercises can be used to plan for a response to chemical spills.
Response Operations to the Union Faith Release
Authors: Long Michael C.
Published: January 2013

On August 4, 1999, U.S. Coast Guard Manne Safety Office (MSO) New Orleans pollution investigators responded to a chronic sheen appearing adjacent to the Riverwalk, New Orleans' popular riverfront shopping and tourist destination. The oil eventually was identified surfacing near the middle of the Mississippi River. A bottom survey conducted by the MSO and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) utilizing side-scanning sonar, magnetometers, and fathometers identified a large anomaly that was later determined to be the Taiwanese-flagged freighter Union Faith,. On April 6, 1969, this vessel had been involved in a tragic collision and subsequently sank with an estimated 6,000 barrels of bunker fuel onboard.

Removing heavy oil from a badly deteriorated wreck with zero visibility and dangerous currents proved an enormous challenge. Repeated attempts to locate the source of oil within the ship's maze of holds were unsuccessful and internal recovery efforts proved extremely problematic. External hull operations were determined to be the most effective way to remove the oil. This strategy entailed charting the boundaries of the trapped oil and then cold tapping through the hull at strategic locations. A specially designed drilling and pumping apparatus was then subsequently placed at these cold tapped areas. Also, three internal tanks were accessed externally and emptied of their contents.

Other obstacles to overcome were staging a diving support platform in the middle of a congested waterway serving one of the busiest ports in the world, sensitivity to a ship designated as a “watery grave” for 26 deceased mariners, and managing a high level of publicity/scrutiny surrounding an effort of this scale underway directly in front of a major tourist attraction, cruise ship moorings, ferryboat landings, and a local TV station's corporate office.
Developing a National Oil Spill Response System in the Caspian Region: Turkmenistan Case Study1
Authors: Taylor Peter Mark , Thornborough James Anthony , Nazari Mehrdad
Published: January 2013

The collapse of the former Soviet Union a decade ago has led to increasing interest in the Caspian region as a source of crude oil and gas for global markets. This paper explains the project scope and the framework under which a sustainable national oil spill response system is being developed in Turkmenistan, a former Soviet Republic and one of the Caspian's littoral states.

The key success factors of the oil spill contingency planning project in Turkmenistan, which are believed to be relevant for similar activities under development in other parts of the Caspian region, include the support of high-level government representation; a participatory and cross-sectoral approach; adopting a standardized process based on international guidance and Conventions; alliance of local and international experts to provide input and support the progress of the project; and accumulation of knowledge and its dissemination using digital media.
U.S. NEED FOR AN INTEGRATED INTERNATIONAL OIL SPILL RESPONSE POLICY1
Authors: Adams Michael
Published: January 2013

The United States has several international oil pollution response agreements for which the U.S. Coast Guard serves as lead agency for implementation. However, the United States does not have an integrated plan for implementing these agreements, the criteria to use in determining what level of cooperation is needed, or a strategy for prioritizing which countries with which to engage to forge new agreements.

This paper outlines a strategy for international engagement that allows the United States to participate in response-related expertise exchange to ensure appropriate capabilities are available for spills that threaten U.S. interests. Obstacles to developing and implementing the strategy and ways to overcome them also are identified.
MANAGING RISKS DURING RESPONSE USING THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM TO MANAGE RISK AND IMPROVE SAFETY
Authors: de Bettencourt Michael
Published: January 2013

Safety is often viewed as a separate and distinct aspect of incident response that is not directly tied to the development of strategies and tactics. Safety often becomes a function more oriented towards regulatory compliance than with the actual safety of the response workers. The Safety Officer ends up performing audits of field activities and conducting safety briefings without input to the decision making process. A Safety Officer functioning in this myopic way may satisfy the requirements of the safety laws and regulations, but may not contribute in a positive way to the reduction of risk to the responders.

By function, the Safety Officer is the risk manager for the response organization. The Safety Officer does not simply assure that the requisite safety briefings are carried out and evaluate safe practices in the field during operations, but also must help the spill management team weigh the advantages and disadvantages of various strategies and tactics before they are put into the Incident Action Plan. As the risk manager for the response, the Safety Officer must be intimately involved in the development of the strategies and tactics that ultimately become written assignments in the Incident Action Plan. While this may seem straight forward, the practical considerations of integrating risk management into the complexities of an accelerating planning process while working with the high energy personalities of a spill management team can make this task daunting.

This paper examines the role of the Safety Officer, emergency response risk management, and identifies methods to better integrate safety considerations into the planning process.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM STANDARDS FOR U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S OIL SPILL PROGRAM
Authors: Worley Ray , Keller Mark
Published: January 2013

The Oil Program Center at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters is developing geographic information system (GIS) standards to aid EPA's 10 regions in developing and implementing GIS. GIS can support spill response, contingency planning, risk analysis, training and exercises, inspections and enforcement actions, reporting, incident analysis, cost recovery, and outreach. By developing and promoting standards, the Oil Program Center hopes to ensure that GIS development is targeted at the broadest practical user base and considers all aspects of EPA's oil program. In addition, GIS standards will promote consistency between EPA regions, promote data sharing, reduce duplication of effort, and focus attention on using GIS as an analytical tool rather than just as a mapping tool. The standards also may promote greater consistency between the Oil Program Center and other offices within EPA; for example, standards promote watershed-based analysis, which is consistent with other offices' use of watersheds as units of analysis. The standards address the following issues: Minimum essential data elements Data verification and accuracy standards Standard symbols and icons System design and data structure

Because the specific needs of regions differ, the GIS tools that they develop will reflect these differences. GIS data standards, however, will promote compatibility across the regions to facilitate collaboration and expand prevention, preparedness, response, and outreach capabilities.
PORT PARTNERSHIPS IN TAMPA BAY1
Authors: Buysse Beverly A.
Published: January 2013

In August 1993, Tampa Bay, Florida was the scene of a devastating collision between a freighter and two barges. All three vessels came together in a moment of panic that left Tampa Bay looking like a war zone of burning and sinking wrecks. Parts of Tampa Bay were strewn with heavy fuel oil after the August 10 accident between the 345-foot Philippine-flagged freighter Balsa 37, which had been headed out of Tampa Bay, and two tug/barge units, Seafarer/Ocean 255 and Fred Bouchard B. No 155. This collision resulted in an explosion that burned out of control until the Tampa Fire Department extinguished it later that evening. Since the time of this collision, there have been major improvements made in firefighting response capabilities in the Tampa Bay area. The multi-level response community has been exercised extensively, including an exercise involving the evacuation of a cruise ship. Another exercise noted improvements to the response resources and capabilities in a field training exercise where the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) Tampa, Tampa Fire Department, Tampa Port Authority, and Hvide Marine Towing deployed equipment to the scene of a simulated shipboard fire. The Tampa Port Authority supplied a 210-foot roll on-roll off (ro-ro) barge with a 78-foot beam capable of loading 73,230 pounds (32.1 long tons). The barge provided easy mobilization for the Tampa Fire Department to load four engine companies, a foam trailer, one Emergency Medical Service (EMS) vehicle, and all had sufficient room to work. Hvide Marine Towing provided a tug to deploy the ro-ro barge in a stern tow. This exercise demonstrated the joint cooperation and partnership between federal, state, city, and private industry to work together and improve the marine firefighting response posture in Tampa Bay.

With every level of government under budget constraints, it is important to look for multi-purpose equipment and resources that will get the job done. Tampa Port Authority's ro-ro barge has presented itself as a unique firefighting resource that can be used as a platform to carry the fire engines from the city or county. The barge can reach any part of the port quickly and can handle a vessel or waterfront situation, thus improving the marine firefighting response posture in the port.
VESSEL-BASED DISPERSANT APPLICATION: NEW APPROACHES, EQUIPMENT, AND LOGISTICS
Authors: Ross Sy , Belore Randy , Trudel Ken
Published: January 2013

The paper consolidates the findings of a number of projects recently completed at S.L. Ross Environmental Research Ltd. that provide new information on dispersant use, particularly in the area of vessel-based application systems. Included are discussions of: (1) various advantages that vessel-based systems have over aircraft-based systems in certain spill situations; (2) comparison of application platforms over a range of spill scenarios; (3) recent research on single-nozzle dispersant application systems for use on vessels; and (4) a recent study showing the potential inefficiencies associated with the application of popular modern dispersants in diluted form.
APPLICATION OF DISPERSANTS TO MITIGATE OIL SPILLS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO: THE POSEIDON PIPELINE SPILL CASE STUDY
Authors: Stoermer Scott , Butler George , Henry Charlie
Published: January 2013

The Poseidon Pipeline spill case study provides an excellent example of coordination within the Unified Command during response to an offshore oil spill where dispersants were used as the primary mitigation tool. Dispersants are an effective tool to mitigate oil spills if certain specific criteria are met, including an acceptable oil type, the application of dispersants is a preferred environmental trade-off to potential shoreline impacts, rapid approval is possible, and a dispersant delivery system is available. In the Gulf of Mexico, offshore pre-approval has been given to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) by the Regional Response Team (RRT). If the FOSC determines that the oil threatens sensitive coastal areas, he can grant approval quickly. As demonstrated in the Poseidon Pipeline spill case study, good field intelligence; accurate aerial observation information; close coordination between the responsible party (RP), state, FOSC, and their spill management teams; readily available dispersant application resources; and trained observers and monitoring teams are key elements to effective and environmentally beneficial dispersant applications.
SPILLS OF NONFLOATING OILS: FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE1
Authors: Michel Jacqueline , Spaulding Malcolm L. , Michel Keith , MacKinnon Malcolm , O'Brien James , Palmer Stephen
Published: January 2013

The Committee on Marine Transportation of Heavy Oils was formed by the National Research Council's Marine Board, in response to a congressional mandate that requested the U.S. Coast Guard to assess the risk of spills of oil, which may sink or be negatively buoyant, and the ability to clean them up. The study was also to assess clean-up technologies and identify and appraise technological and financial barriers that may prevent the prompt response to such discharges. The specific objectives of the study were to: (1) assess the threats posed by the marine transportation of group V oils by characterizing the trade in such oils and, in general terms, the resources at risk; (2) assess the adequacy of cleanup technologies for spills of group V oils and recommend research needs to develop new technology, as appropriate; and (3) identify barriers to effective response and recommend technological, financial, or management measures that would prompt effective response to spills of group V oils. This paper presents an assessment of the principal barriers to the effective response to spills of nonfloating oils, and the committee's key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
IMPROVING THE SHORELINE ASSESSMENT PROCESS WITH NEW SCAT FORMS
Authors: Michel Jacqueline , Yender Ruth , Owens Edward H. , Sergy Gary , Martin R. D. , Tarpley John A.
Published: January 2013

The shoreline assessment process is an integral component of oil spill response, providing assistance in decision-making and documentation for shoreline cleanup. The process consists of developing cleanup recommendations and target cleanup endpoints, providing standard methods for conducting field surveys and collecting data, designing reporting activities, and setting procedures for shoreline inspection and post-treatment sign-off. Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Environment Canada have recently revised their guidance manuals and forms, making them more effective and consistent. New, third-generation, forms have been generated, including: (1) a standard shoreline assessment form, (2) a “short” form, (3) a tarball form, (4) a wetlands form, and (5) a revised sketch map base. Environment Canada has also generated a tidal flat form and variations of the basic forms for lakes, rivers, streams, arctic coasts, snow and ice, coral reefs, and mangroves. The changes have been made to remedy problems encountered with previous forms, particularly frequent failures by teams to properly record all of the required information; perceptions that the forms were too complex; the need for a good “short” form that meets immediate, operational demands in the face of extremely short time frames; and use of different forms by different groups.
The NRDA Process can be Timely and Productive for All
Authors: Latham Michael , Hoffman F. David , Martin Curtis
Published: January 2013

On August 24, 1998, there was an accidental hose failure at Tesoro Hawaii Corporation's (“Tesoro Hawaii” or “Tesoro”) single-point mooring (SPM) about a half mile off Barbers Point, near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. The incident released approximately 117 barrels of bunker fuel. Immediate containment and clean up efforts were commenced, but on September 5, 1998, tarballs began to come ashore on Kauai. Shoreline impacts were observed between Kilauea Point to Makahuena Point on the eastern shore and between Makaha Point and Mana Point on the western shore of Kauai. To avoid the costs and delays associated with litigating resource damages that may have resulted from the release and any associated civil penalties, the Trustees and Tesoro Hawaii entered into a cooperative Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) protocol. The Trustees and Tesoro Hawaii conducted a phased approach focusing on injury determination and quantification using technical working groups (TWGs) composed of Trustee and Tesoro Hawaii representatives. Resource injuries considered were for seabirds, marine environment (opihi), marine mammals (Hawaiian monk seal), and human use. To expedite the process, it was agreed that time and money would best be spent identifying and scaling restoration projects. Coordination of effort was key to cost-effectiveness of the assessment and avoiding duplication of studies. The Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment were accomplished within two years, including public participation. Restoration actions were undertaken promptly following execution of the Consent Decree. One of the initiatives developed by this collaborative effort was a derelict net removal project (the “Project”). The Project met the goals of the Trustees by compensating for interim losses to shoreline, intertidal and subtidal habitats and the biota in those habitats and by addressing potential injury to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
Learnings from the Texas Nearshore Dispersant Demonstration Project
Authors: Aurand Don , Clark James , Jamail Robin
Published: January 2013

This project defines circumstances where a dispersant demonstration might be considered for an estuarine oil spill in Texas. In seeking approval for a spill of opportunity demonstration project, we developed criteria defining a viable dispersant response for consideration by the Region VI Regional Response Team. This paper presents the criteria and their rationale developed for Galveston Bay and Corpus Christi Bay, along with the results of recent training exercises. The criteria define the size and general location of an oil spill that might be considered appropriate for a trial dispersant application, and implementation of response and monitoring within a 2-hour window from notification. They are based on descriptions and characterizations of the habitats and species at risk in coastal areas, concentration and duration of dispersed oil plumes that might be generated in a response, potential impacts of these exposures, and the environmental trade-off between implementing mechanical response and a dispersant response. Because the dilution potential is constrained in shallow water environments, spill size has significant impact on the magnitude and duration of potential exposure regimes for water column organisms. Spills of 250 bbls or less pose minimal concern for water column communities with potential net benefit to other coastal resources. The trade-offs were not so obvious for larger spills. The exposure regimes and potential impacts for water-column organisms that would be maximally exposed during a dispersant operation were compared to the exposures and potential impacts for organisms and habitats exposed to floating oil and oil stranded on shorelines, at levels that could result during a mechanical recovery operation. These potential impacts are compared on a spatial and temporal basis, and with consideration for potential rates of recovery.
Selecting Spill Response Options for Exploration Operations in Developing Regions
Authors: Russell Marcus
Published: January 2013

The oil industry is continually seeking to identify new areas for exploration to increase its reserves. The major international oil companies are investing millions of dollars in ever more technologically advanced drilling programmes which will ensure future levels of production. In doing so the industry is increasingly moving into frontier regions to explore new development areas. The governments in these areas require the industry to plan and prepare for potential oil spill incidents. Issues for industry to consider include what level of response should be available to support exploration activities and what options are available to deliver this response. The aim of this paper is to review the potential risks associated with drilling operations during the exploration phase, set against a backdrop of legislation requirements and increasing environmental awareness. The paper will investigate the options for spill response during exploration operations and their respective benefits and limitations. The paper will also discuss the drivers in the decision making process for selecting which strategy is the most appropriate for each potential scenario
The Area Remediation Assessment Team Approach to Integrated Land Oil Spill Restoration
Authors: Castle Robert W. , Malamma Kevin D. , Ammann Michael J.
Published: January 2013

Land oil spills can expose wide areas of land to contamination, particularly if they occur during periods of high floods. These open, rural areas are often used as agricultural or range land and can present difficult access issues. In terms of the overall response effort this can mean that assessment and remediation can be be difficult and costly. This presentation describes a procedure for a one step assessment, cleanup and restoration decision-making process that was developed in response to the 1995 Arroyo Pasajero pipeline oil spill in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Named the Area Remediation Assessment Team (ARAT) approach, it is similar to the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team (SCAT) concept, which was developed during the Exxon Valdez incident. Like SCAT, ARAT uses a standardized nomenclature and evaluation procedures that are implemented by stakeholder assessment teams. These teams and procedures are used to evaluate the nature and extent of contamination and identify appropriate response actions. ARAT, however, combines cleanup and restoration decision making into a single process.
Implementing a Geographic Information System as a Geographic Response Plan and Beyond…
Authors: Cooper Robert
Published: January 2013

In a continuous effort to improve oil spill management, the Ninth Coast Guard District is utilizing a Geographic Information System (GIS) to integrate data, coordinate information, and implement actions with incident planning and response. During an incident, initial team goals are to minimize response times in order to more effectively bring resources to bear thus creating a more effective outcome, which reduce impacts and overall costs. The Ninth Coast Guard District's GIS system enables the user to make informed, quick decisions during an incident by diminishing the guesswork of the response action process. During the planning phase, and for specific areas, several objectives can be completed prior to the actual incident in order to assist in decision-making when an incident occurs. Some of these objectives include 1.) The integration of the Incident Command System,2.) Development of an Incident Action Plan, 3.) Pre-approved on-water and shoreline removal strategies, 4.) The use of Shoreline Pre-Impact Assessment Team (SPIAT) information. Finally, the GIS allows effective assimilation of field data and information as it becomes available thus providing the response team efforts with an accurate and up-to-the-minute picture of actual conditions. The Ninth Coast Guard District is continually conforming to and taking advantage of the latest technology offered. Our goal is to meet the ever-changing response methodologies and enhance the multifaceted resources available to the responder. Involvement from all stakeholders including federal, state, tribal, local and from the private sector undoubtedly helps drive a very effective environmental and economical response.
Decanting Tests at Ohmsett with and Without Emulsion Breakers1
Authors: Buist Ian , Potter Steve , Lewis Alun , Guarino Alan , Devitis Dave
Published: January 2013

This paper summarizes a multi-year research program to address the decanting of water from oil spill fluids recovered by skimmers. The first series of tests, with two weir-type skimmers at Ohmsett, was conducted to study the rate and amount of free water separation that can be expected in temporary storage containers. The goal of this study was to predict the best time to decant water back into the boomed area and optimize the available onsite storage space. The results indicated that “primary break” (the initial separation of the recovered liquids) occurred within a few minutes to one hour, depending on the physical characteristics of the oil. Rapidly decanting this free water layer may offer immediate increases of 200 to 300% in available temporary storage volume. Initial oil concentrations in the decanted water also depended on the physical properties of the oil; they ranged from 100 to 3000 mg/L These declined by a factor of approximately 3 after one hour of settling, and by a factor of approximately 5 after one day. The second series of tests was undertaken to develop a more complete understanding of the use of emulsion breakers injected into an oil spill recovery system at both lab-scale (at SL Ross) and mid-scale (at Ohmsett). The experiments were designed to assess the injection/mixing/settling regimes required for optimum water-removal from a meso-stable water-in-oil emulsion with an oil spill demulsifier. The use of a demulsifier injected into a recovery system, combined with decanting, did substantially reduce the volume of water in temporary storage tanks and the water content of emulsions for disposal/recycling.
Oil Spills and Safety – Community Outreach and Education in Oil Spill Response
Authors: McCreery Scott , Myers Michael , White Anita
Published: January 2013

In the summer of 2001, an oil spill into the Strait of Georgia occurred from a tank vessel docked at the BP Cherry Point Refinery. The resultant sheen impacted approximately three miles of pristine beach. While the spill volume was relatively small, odors from the spill of mixed slop materials were strong enough to prompt several residents to evacuate their homes. In response to this experience, the BP Cherry Point Refinery developed a community outreach program focused on educating local residents about the nature of oil spills, including oil spill response and issues of public health and safety. Rooted in both research and past experience with risk communication, this approach provides a model for engaging local communities in educational efforts to ensure public health and safety in the event of a spill, and for addressing public perceptions regarding response effectiveness.
Integrated Spill Modeling for Impact Analysis
Authors: Bennett James F. , Johnson Walter R. , Marshall Charles F.
Published: January 2013

This paper examines the potential use of computer models to estimate environmental impacts from oil spills. Computer simulation models for oil spills have long been used for risk analysis and have continually improved over the past few decades. Beyond risk analysis, however, these modeling tools could contribute to the estimation of the environmental impacts such as species mortality and shoreline contact. Proposed activities such as offshore oil and gas exploration and development can be analyzed using models that integrate spill-simulation capability with environmental resource and toxicological data.

To estimate the potential use and reasonableness of such models for oil-spill impact analysis, the authors have applied a commercially available state-of-the-art spill model using previously unavailable historical winds and currents data and spill events extracted from the oil-spill record for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). This is one of the first efforts to bring together such complete data sets for modeling effects on so broad a geographic and temporal scale. Such information is valuable in determining the reasonableness and appropriateness of model use for impact analysis of future exploration, development, and production activities.
Development of Oil Spill Scenarios for Contingency Planning Along the Brazilian Coast
Authors: Lima José Antonio , Sartori Angelo , Yassuda Eduardo , Pereira José Edson , Anderson Eric , Campos Edmo
Published: January 2013

After an oil spill in Guanabara Bay due to the collapse of a marine fuel pipeline in January 2000, PETROBRAS (a Brazilian company among the 15 largest oil companies in the world) is facing important challenges regarding its environmental commitment to Brazilian society. To face these new challenges, PETROBRAS launched a program for excellence in environmental, health and safety management that includes the development of oil spill contingency plans for its facilities. The present paper describes an oil spill modeling project for 25 facilities along the Brazilian coast. The implementation of the project involved a detailed meteorological and oceanographic characterization of each study area with a review of existing data, data collection, and hydrodynamic modeling covering more than 9,000 km of coastline. Based on the requirement of scenarios for both typical and critical conditions, the oil fates and trajectory modeling system OILMAP was applied to simulate oil spill incidents in all 25 sites, most of them oil terminals from TRANSPETRO, a PETROBRAS subsidiary. Due to Brazil's continental dimensions, the environmental conditions simulated ranged from the subtropical Patos Lagoon in the southernmost part of the country to the equatorial Solimoes River, including estuaries, coastal zones, and offshore sites. The developed modeling system allows oil spill contingency specialists to develop response plans for typical spills in the selected locations. By performing reverse trajectory calculations from sensitive sites such as water intakes or fragile wetlands, it is also be possible to identify probable release locations of spills and principal avenues of vulnerability for these important resources. This paper presents a description of the implementation of the system and the results of this modeling approach for a typical oil terminal located in the city of Vitoria, eastern Brazilian coast.
Characteristics of Oil Droplets Stabilized by Mineral Particles: The Effect of Salinity
Authors: Khelifa Ali , Stoffyn-Egli Patricia , Hill Paul S. , Lee Kenneth
Published: January 2013

The influence of salinity on the characteristics of oil droplets stabilized by mineral particles (oil-mineral aggregates – OMA) was studied in the laboratory using three different oils and a natural sediment. Size and concentration of oil droplets associated with negatively and positively buoyant OMA were measured by image analysis using epi-fluorescence microscopy. Results showed that the median droplet size increases rapidly from about 5 μm at zero salinity to double at salinity close to 1.2 ppt; decreases dramatically to about 5 μm at salinity 3.5 ppt and then increases slightly to 6 μm at the seawater salinity. The concentration of oil droplets also increases sharply when the salinity increases from zero to a critical aggregation salinity Scas, after which it stabilizes at its maximum value. The concentration of mineral-stabilized droplets is strongly affected by oil type at any salinity. When normalized to its maximum value, the concentration of droplets correlates well with normalized salinity S/Scas. A relationship is derived to predict the effect of salinity on the concentration of mineral-stabilized droplets. Size distributions of oil droplets follow similar trends, but their magnitudes depend on salinity and oil type. Self-similarity in droplet size distributions was shown when the data were plotted using normalized variables N/Nt and D/D50, where N is the number of droplets of diameter D, Nt is the total number of droplets and D50 the median size of the droplets. With these normalized variables, oil droplet size distributions measured in this study and those measured in field and laboratory under various conditions by different investigators fit the same curve regardless of the formation conditions of the droplets. A function is derived to calculate normalized cumulative size distributions of oil droplets.