bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a Downstream Emergency Response Structure in Brazil
Authors: Chaves Claudia Aguas , Davidson David A.
Published: January 2013

Texaco Brazil S.A. (TBSA), a ChevronTexaco Company, is a far reaching operation consisting of ten company owned bulk plants and one joint venture/company operated bulk plant. Five of these bulk plants are located in the southern half of the Country and are not near any major bodies of water. The other six bulk plants, including the joint venture facility, are located in the northern half of the Country either within the Amazon Basin or on the Atlantic coast: All have waterfront transfer operations. (See Figures 1 and 2) In addition, TBSA transports product, including heavy fuel oil, upon the Amazon River system using third party bulk barges. This paper examines the systematic process being used by TBSA Health, Environment & Safety (HES) personnel to develop and implement an improved emergency response program. The paper concentrates on the six bulk plants with waterfront transfer operations; however the program covers all facilities.
Oil Spill in the Iguassu River – Araucaria, Parana, Brazil Cleaning and Restoration of Rivers and Inundation Areas
Authors: Falkiewicz Fernando Henrique
Published: January 2013

On July 16, 2000 a major oil spill occurred at the side of the Araucaria refinery of Petrobras. A total of 4,000 m3 of a light crude oil (41° API) ran down along a small two kilometers creek referred to as Arroio Saldanha, crossing and contaminating a series of four wetlands. The oil discharged into the Barigüi River, a tributary of the Iguassu River. It's estimated that twenty per cent of all the oil spilled volatilized. After running along the creek and its wetlands, the oil contaminated 6 kilometers of the Barigüi River and 60 kilometers of the Iguassu River. A comprehensive oil recovery emergency response operation was immediately engaged to clean the impacted area and the rivers. Some 3000 persons worked around the clock during the peak of the operations. Helicopters, trucks, oil recovering boats, light boats, mechanical excavators, dredgers and 3,200 meters of retention booms were used. Roads and accesses were reformed or built. The overall emergency response effort proved to be successful; in nine days, all of the free oil was removed from the rivers. The cleaning of the riverbanks and inundation areas was completed in three months. The Saldanha Creek and the four wetlands areas upgradient of the Barigüi River retained approximately 70 per cent of all of the oil spilled, all superficial oil was removed until it could not move superficially, the remaining oil impregnated in the upper soil profiles. Since then, various remediation techniques were implemented to remediate both, soil surface water and groundwater. The upper portion of the soil profile is remediated with bioremediation, using natural indigenous microorganism. This technique consists in cultivating the soil with mechanical agricultural equipment or manually where accessibility does not allow the use of mechanical equipment. Nutrients and other amendments can be added when required. In some cases soil are bioaugmented with microorganisms of the “landfarming” cells of the refinery. This technique is a variant of the landfarming technique that has been studied at the Repar (Refinaria Presidente Getúlio Vargas) refinery for more than ten years. Such technique has proven to be more efficient than traditional landfarming. The soil below 40 centimeters cannot be remediated with this technique. Soils at such depth are being recovered through a series of drainage and injection trenches. Water injected in the injection trench forces the free and trapped oil to move laterally to the recovery trenches. The largest contaminated swamp was transformed in a treatment wetland and its recovery is being monitored and adjusted to quicken the recovering, thus minimizing interference with the natural ecosystem.
The Tiered Response Philosophy - Will it Always Work?1
Authors: Miles Christopher
Published: January 2013

The industry philosophy regarding oil spills is to adopt the tiered approach, but will this always be possible? In this paper the author will be examining the required criteria, advantages and possible pitfalls of establishing a Regional Tier 2 response capability to improve the effectiveness of industry response to pollution incidents. In many regions of Oil Industry activity throughout the globe “Mutual Aid” agreements exist between operating companies. Can these not be seen as accomplishing the same thing? But how are the procedures for notification and mobilization established between the authorities, and who is responsible for training and maintenance? Will the response team be ad-hoc or dedicated, from the operating companies experienced at Tier 1 level or from Nationals? There may be legislation from the National Governments concerned with incidents in their national waters. This means the effectiveness of a tier 1 response must not be compromised by removing resources. Response strategies must be considered as neighbouring countries may have differing policies on matters such as dispersant usage. These differences may extend to political disputes and embargoes creating problems in logistics and response management. The range of activities undertaken by the member companies may extend from on-shore “upstream” refining and pipelines in environmentally sensitive areas, to offshore exploration in areas of poor access. Are the oil types similar, and will the risk of third party incidents be covered? There are numerous factors to be considered whilst establishing a cross border Tier 2 service. For those of us used to working in regions of established oil activity, the logistical and diplomatic hurdles can prove to be greater than the operational ones we are used to solving.
Morris J. Berman Oil Spill: Natural Resource Damages Settlement and Restoration Scale1
Authors: Penn Tony , Carlson Curtis , Whittington Tamara , Iliff John , Lilyestrom Craig , Peacock Bruce
Published: January 2013

A major part of the natural resource damages settlement received by the trustees for the Morris J. Berman oil spill incident was for the loss of public beach use and for diminished quality visits to the San Juan National Historic Site. This part of the settlement was based on the compensatory restoration needed to offset the lost uses. The trustees determined the restoration for the beach use and Historic Site use losses by estimating the dollar value of the lost services and then selecting the scale of restoration that has a cost equivalent to the lost value. The trustees assessed the value losses associated with the lost beach visits and the diminished value of visits to the Historic Site using a benefits transfer methodology. The trustees quantified the number of lost beach visits and the number of impacted Historic Site visits by using attendance information; they then quantified the value loss associated with each type of affected trip by applying a value per affected trip from an appropriate literature study. Value losses totaled $2.3 million and $1.5 million for the beach use and Historic Site use impacts, respectively. The funds obtained in the settlement for these losses will provide replacement resources and services to beach-goers and Historic Site visitors.
Challenges in Using Habitat Equivalency Analysis for Scaling Compensatory Restoration
Authors: Dunford Richard W. , Ung Poh Boon , Cook Jeremy A. , Mauseth Gary S.
Published: January 2013

Some oil spills cause losses of ecological services in coastal wetlands, other shoreline environments, intertidal ecosystems, and upland environments. In the United States, habitat equivalency analysis (HEA) is being used frequently in natural resource damage assessments for such oil spills to determine the scale of compensatory-restoration projects needed to offset the ecological service losses. The cost of the scaled compensatory-restoration project(s) that offset the ecological service losses is the measure of natural resource damages for the lost ecological services. Our paper describes the HEA process and provides an example of its application. Then we examine several challenges that arise in some HEA applications, including the role of leasing versus purchasing compensatory habitat, increasing values of compensatory habitat over time due to decreasing availability, accounting for service gains from compensatory habitat in the distant future when the present value of those services is essentially zero, and addressing uncertainties in estimating HEA inputs (such as the magnitude of annual service losses and gains). The final section of our paper provides our conclusions with respect to these challenges.
The OSRO Classification Program: Implementation of New Guidelines and its Impact on Industry Planholders and the US Coast Guard after September 11, 20011
Authors: Argudo Jorge , Stewart Annemarie
Published: January 2013

The Coast Guard's Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO) classification underwent a significant revision in April 2001 and its implementation demanded a genuine combined effort by all stakeholders after September 11, 2001. The 2001 revision eliminated the Average Most Probable Discharge (AMPD) classification from the National Strike Force Coordination Center (NSFCC) planning criteria and placed this responsibility on the plan holders and their OSROs. This revision also introduced the concept of Notification and Mobilization Times in an effort to align the new guidelines with the 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs) 154 and 155. These two factors, combined with a shift on mission priorities after the national incidents of September 11, created a major challenge in the OSRO guidelines implementation and training process. These new guidelines increased some of the minimum Boom, Effective Daily Recovery Capacities (EDRC) and Temporary Storage Capacity (TSC) requirements for two higher-level classifications Maximum Most Probable Discharge (MMPD) and Worst Case Discharge (WCD) at Tiers 1, 2, and 3. Consequently, the new guidelines had the potential to de-classify some existing OSROs and cause loss of classifications across operating areas: 41% for River/Canal, 38% for Inland, 60% for Great Lakes and 30% for Nearshore, Offshore and Open Ocean. The main cause for loss of classification was the regulatory mobilization time requirements for MMPD and WCD at Tier 1. This paper describes the process the NSFCC applied in order to accomplish the re-classification of 140 OSROs and the major issues that impacted all stakeholders: facility and vessel plan holders, Captains of the Ports (COTPs), OSROs and the NSFCC. Despite a twelve-month delay in the implementation timeline, the new guidelines were adjusted to reflect OSRO national response capability, allowing vessel and facility operators to fulfill the mandatory response planning criteria under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90).
The Australian Oil Spill Response Atlas Project
Authors: Gilbert Trevor , Baxter Tracey , Spence Alex
Published: January 2013

Australia is among the top five shipping nations of the world based upon cargo and kilometres travelled. Australia also has vast, remote and environmentally sensitive coastlines ranging from tropical to subantarctic. Unfortunately shipping accidents and illegal discharges of oil and chemical pollutants into our marine environment do occur. To support spill response management in Australia, over the past four years the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has coordinated the development of a uniform and integrated national Oil Spill Response Atlas (OSRA) based upon an ArcView® geographic information system (GIS). The main aims of the OSRA project were to:Develop a mutually agreed national GIS specification for the development of the digital atlas to assure consistency and compatibility Australia wide;Fast track the collation, capture and conversion of all relevant geographical and textual data into a standard digital GIS format for the majority of Australia's marine and coastal environments (particularly for highly sensitive environments such as, world heritage areas, and marine parks and reserves); andCreate a user-friendly series of GIS system tools specially designed for the particular needs of spill response managers, operational staff and environmental agencies.

This paper highlights some of the advantages of GIS based systems for spill response management, the OSRA system development and features, as well as the GIS automation tools that assist spill response managers and operational personnel.
Plan for Implementing Environmental Effects Monitoring During Production-Related Oil Spills in Eastern Canada
Authors: Trudel Ken
Published: January 2013

This paper describes a three-tiered system for implementing spill-related environmental effects monitoring (EEM), in which the level of monitoring is linked to the type and size of spill and the magnitude of environmental damage. It describes the system using monitoring of marine birds and commercial fishery species to illustrate the application. Monitoring activities are divided into three tiers, each successive tier gathering more data and better data than the one before. Rationales for the tiers, as well as the criteria for escalating from one monitoring tier to the next are discussed.
Fostering a Grassroots Approach to Oil Spill and Emergency Response Planning in the Yukon River Watershed's Native Villages
Authors: Robertson Tim L. , DeCola Elise G. , Alcantra Rosetta , Wassilie Carl
Published: January 2013

The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC), a non-profit native organization formed to protect and preserve the Yukon River Watershed, recently supported a project to develop Community Emergency Response Plans (CERP) for their partner villages using a ground-up, or grassroots, approach. The authors developed a model CERP for the Yukon River villages that would allow each community to direct their own response resources and organization in the event an oil spill or other disaster threatened their community. The YRITWC s goal was to provide watershed communities with a simple, user-friendly response manual that was still consistent with other regional, state, and national plans. Therefore, while the Yukon River CERPs were developed specifically to integrate with the Subarea Plan for oil and hazardous substance spills and with other existing regional, state, and national response networks, they are geared toward community responders. The YRITWC views community ownership of the CERP as critical to developing a level of trust and sustaining working relationships with the State and Federal agencies involved in oil spill and emergency response. This paper describes the process used to develop a model CERP that adequately addressed the need for technological and natural disaster response planning in Yukon River native villages and to promote a functional emergency response system in rural, isolated communities.
Practical Guidance for Developing Implementation Guidelines for Federal On-Scene Coordinators to Protect Historic Properties During Emergency Response
Authors: Bergmann Pamela , Bittner Judith , LaBelle James W.
Published: January 2013

In 1997, the national Programmatic Agreement on Protection of Historic Properties during Emergency Response under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (PA) was signed. The agreement, developed by the National Response Team (NRT), provides federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) with an effective approach for considering the protection of historic properties during emergency response. In January 2002, the nation's first regional implementation guidelines for the PA were completed and signed by federal, state, and tribal representatives in Alaska. This paper presents suggestions for successful implementation of the PA gained through the development of regional implementation guidelines and use of the PA. Awareness of these “tips for success” and the guidelines themselves may help other regions develop their own procedures to protect historic properties in a way that contributes to the overall success of emergency response. This paper provides practical guidance on: (1) how federal OSCs may obtain reliable and timely historic properties expertise; (2) how that expertise can be successfully integrated into an Incident Command System; and (3) how State Historic Preservation Officers, federal land-management agencies, tribal representatives, and responsible parties can provide historic properties protection support to federal OSCs during both pre-incident planning and emergency response.
Oil Spill Risks and the State of Preparedness in the Regional Seas
Authors: Moller T.H. , Molloy F.C. , Thomas H.M.
Published: January 2013

The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC Convention) defines the basic elements for co-operation between government and industry in marine pollution response. Emphasis is given in the Convention to developing contingency plans, equipment stocks, research and development initiatives, training and exercise programmes, and appropriate spill notification procedures for shipping. This paper reviews the current status of the partnership between government and industry for dealing with spills arising from the transportation of oil by sea. Three areas are explored: the risk of spills, environmental sensitivity issues, and the capabilities for dealing with oil spills in different regions of the world The format for the study is based on the Regional Seas and Partner Seas Programme initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and supported by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). For each region, the main factors contributing to the risk of oil spills are identified, analysed and discussed in relation to the current pattern of oil transportation by sea. Comparisons are made with data on major oil pollution incidents drawn from ITOPF's oil spill database. Priorities and activities in the different regions are considered and the implications for oil spill response are discussed. Finally, the commitment and capabilities for mounting effective spill response measures in the different regions are gauged, with particular reference to the tenets of the OPRC Convention.
Ecopetrol - Petroecuador Oil Spill Response Agreement – Practical Steps to Effective Regional Cooperation
Authors: Castellanos Luis Alberto Leal , Narvález Iván , Aldana César Julio , Velasco Franklin , Moyano Juan Miguel
Published: January 2013

In July 1998, there was an environmental emergency caused by an oil spill in an Ecuadorian pipeline operated by PETROECUADOR (Petróleos del Ecuador). One part of the spilled volume reached the Pacific Ocean and the marine currents caused the oil slick to approach the Colombian coast, creating an environmental hazard. ECOPETROL (Empresa Colombiana de Petróleos) activated its contingency plan in the Port of Tumaco to meet the emergency. As a result of the above experience both companies signed a Mutual Cooperation Agreement to Combat and Control Oil Spills Caused by Oil Tankers and Coastal and Marine Oil Facilities, in October 1999. The Agreement was established in order to allow for a quick and effective joint response in emergency situations of this nature. The bilateral agreement is activated when resources, staff and equipment of the affected party are insufficient. At present it is under implementation. In addition, ECOPETROL and PETROECUADOR, as part of the regional cooperation process on oil spill contingency planning led by ARPEL in Latin America and the Caribbean, involved the Agreement in the framework of the environmental cooperation program with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to optimize such agreement. This bilateral agreement represents the first real case in Latin America in terms of implementation of the Cooperation in the OPRC 90 Convention, through the joint work of government/industry, and serves as an example for the other countries in the Region.
ENDANGERED SPECIES AND SPILL RESPONSE: CONSULTATION CHALLENGES, SOLUTIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS RESULTING FROM THE BOUCHARD B. NO. 120 SPILL1
Authors: Lundgren Scott R. , Lehmann Stephen M. , Coley Travis C. , McCollough Mark A. , Oeningen Susanna L. von
Published: January 2013

In late April 2003, the Bouchard B. No. 120 spilled 98,000 gallons of No. 6 fuel oil into Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts just prior to the spring arrival to their breeding habitat of state and federally listed threatened piping plovers and endangered roseate terns. One of the most important roseate tern breeding islands in the North Atlantic was oiled, as well as the majority of piping plover beaches in the Bay. Extensive shoreline clean-up response efforts were undertaken, establishing a difficult dynamic of removing oil while protecting listed species. Efforts to implement the pre-spill planning components of the National Contingency Plan-Endangered Species Act Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) had commenced in the region, including specific consideration of the roseate tern islands in Buzzard's Bay. However this planning was not finalized when the spill occurred. While the MOA provided guidance for implementing an emergency consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the different terminologies and cultures of the organizations presented challenges in the formal consultation following the emergency. This spill response afforded a number of lessons that can be applied to pre-spill planning and future spill response, and this paper reviews these lessons and our recommendations.
THE GLOBAL RISK OF MARINE POLLUTION FROM WWII SHIPWRECKS: EXAMPLES FROM THE SEVEN SEAS
Authors: Monfils Rean
Published: January 2013

The world took notice and action when the oil tanker Prestige sank and leaked oil onto the coast of Spain and France. Significant resources and considerable money was allocated to locate the wreck, patch the leaks and eventually offload the remaining oil. What is not well known, is that there is a significantly larger global marine pollution threat from over 7800 sunken WWII vessels worldwide, including over 860 oil tankers, corroding for over 60 years at the bottom of the worlds oceans.

Over the past three years, in conjunction with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), a project has been completed by the author to compile data on WWII shipwrecks across the Asia/Pacific region. This regional risk assessment is probably the first and most complete of its type so far published.

The Geographic Information System (GIS) database created for the Asia Pacific waters details ship type, tonnage and location of over 3,800 vessels lost in WWII. This amounts to over 13 million tons of sunken vessels in the Pacific alone ranging from aircraft carriers to battleships, and including over 330 tankers and oilers.

The creation of the Asia Pacific database acted as a catalyst to the creation of the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean (AMI0) WWII shipwreck database. This new geographic database, although still in its initial development, highlights the significant number of WWII shipwrecks globally. The AMIO database details the location and ownership of over 3950 vessels, over 1000 tons, of which 529 are oil tankers.

This paper details the information contained within the AMIO WWII shipwreck database including the potential oil and non-oil sources of marine pollution from these vessels. WWII shipwrecks are unique from commercial and non-military shipwrecks due to sovereignty, jurisdictional and ownership issues and these differences will also be discussed. The paper concludes with a summary for future directions to address the many response and preparedness issues associated with WWII shipwrecks.
PROBE FOR OIL POLLUTION EVIDENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT (POPEIE)
Authors: Sanders Richard W.
Published: January 2013

The United States Coast Guard, 11th District Marine Safety Division, has completed initial testing of the Probe for Oil Pollution Evidence In the Environment (POPEIE). Utilizing a unique combination of new and existing technologies, POPEIE provides a tool to assist in the prosecution of illegal dumping of oil at sea by gathering an oil sample from the sea surface when deployed from aircraft performing pollution patrols.

The immediate field sample obtained by POPEIE is used as evidence to help identify and prosecute those who illegally discharge oil at sea. Suspect vessels known to have been in the vicinity, or observed near the slick, are boarded at the earliest opportunity to obtain samples for comparison purposes. Samples obtained by POPEIE and from suspect vessels are forwarded to the USCG Marine Safety Laboratory (MSL). The MSL matches characteristic “fingerprints” of these samples using spectral analysis and provides indisputable evidence for prosecution.

Initial testing of POPEIE was conducted at the Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environment Test Tank (OHMSETT). The 11th CG District Marine Safely Division conducted the tests to demonstrate the ability of the sampling mechanism to obtain a sample that would be sufficient for analysis by the MSL. Results showed a 100% success rate at collecting a sample and a 50% success rate at collecting an identifiable sample due to buoyancy problems. Phase 2 POPEIE has been constructed by InterOcean Systems, Inc. and builds on the success of the initial testing, with design modifications to improve reliability and to incorporate a standard electronics package that will make the device compatible with existing USCG systems. Phase 2 POPEIE successfully completed USCG Air Safety Certification and is ready for deployment.
40 YEARS AND 3-PLUS MILLION GALLONS LATER A CASE STUDY ON THE HARTFORD, ILLINOIS AREA GROUNDWATER PLUME SITE
Authors: Turner Kevin , Binz Thomas , Faryan Steve
Published: January 2013

An estimated 3.4 million gallons of leaded gasoline, diesel fuel and other refined and unrefined products from buried pipeline systems and several refineries have affected a residential area of 200 plus homes and businesses. U.S. EPA tasked a consortium of energy companies to develop a rapid response program to quickly eliminate intermittent vapor intrusion problems and to ultimately remove the petroleum products plume. The project involved coordinating efforts between several energy companies, the U.S. EPA, the Illinois EPA, the Illinois Department of Public Health and ATSDR. Some of the innovative technologies utilized include the laser fluorescence Rapid Optical Screening Tool (ROST™), soil vapor extraction (SVE), oil skimming and bio slurping. Managing data decision uncertainties, through the compilation of historical data into a site conceptual model was used to develop a dynamic site cleanup strategy and managing rapidly evolving field data by GIS digital mapping and data collection systems.
APPLICATION FOR EPA PERMITS TO DISCHARGE OIL FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES: REVISED INTERIM GUIDELINES1
Authors: Nichols William
Published: January 2013

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) has prepared revised guidelines on discharging oil into U.S. waters to assist research efforts on the prevention, preparedness and response to oil pollution that cannot be conducted in a laboratory, test tank, or other facility. The revised guidelines update the 1971 guidelines developed for the same purpose. Under these guidelines, the applicant for an oil discharge permit should; 1) provide data on the methods used to assess the environmental effects of the proposed test; 2) provide information and demonstrate (if possible) that the proposed test site has been selected to minimize adverse environmental impacts; 3) assess the potential impacts of the proposed test on the aesthetic, recreational, and economic uses of the proposed test site; 4) address potential impacts to public health; 5) describe how expected environmental effects will be controlled; 6) provide an opportunity for public participation in the permitting process; 7) provide a detailed description of the proposed test site; and 8) include a description of the geology, hydrology, water quality, ecology, climatic and any other environmental factors that could effect the petroleum discharge and the site.

EPA recognizes that bench- and meso-scale testing has prompted interest in field testing (using intentional discharges of oil) on a larger scale than was contemplated when the original guidelines were issued in 1971. The Agency has, therefore, removed the 1,000-gallon upper limit on the size of the permitted oil discharge in the original guidelines. The Agency is aware, however, that the discharge of greater volumes of oil will require correspondingly greater efforts to protect the public health and environment. EPA will therefore closely examine the justifications for large-volume discharge applications (greater than 1,000 gallons) to determine whether the proposed discharge size is justified.
INTEGRATING PRIMARY AND COMPENSATORY RESTORATION FOR AN OIL SPILL THROUGH USE OF HABITAT ENHANCEMENT
Authors: Pfeifer Christopher E. , Hess Cheryl A.
Published: January 2013

Natural resources along the shoreline of a tidal estuary were injured by oiling and physical disturbance following the accidental release of No. 6 fuel oil from a power plant in New Jersey, USA. Operation of heavy equipment on the shoreline during the emergency response entrained oil into sediments and physically damaged shoreline vegetation dominated by the low-value specie Phragmites australis.

In response to this incident, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the responsible party (RP) conducted a cooperative natural resource damage assessment (NRDA). During NRDA discussions, the NJDEP proposed that compensatory restoration for injured natural resources be provided at a ratio of 3:1 (restored-to-injured) based on the acreage of physically impacted vegetation. Since in-kind restoration of Phragmites was undesirable, native salt marsh vegetation was planted instead, resulting in enhancement of the injured habitat. Since the primary restoration actions yielded improvements beyond the baseline condition, the RP successfully negotiated a 1:1 replacement ratio for components involving habitat enhancement. By incorporating habitat enhancement into the design of primary restoration, the amount of the compensatory restoration was reduced. By expanding the primary restoration to include enhancement of adjoining degraded habitat that was not impacted by the incident, the RP was able to satisfy both primary and compensatory restoration obligations simultaneously by integrating these components into a single restoration project. The combined primary and compensatory restoration project was then implemented as emergency restoration 4–5 months after the incident.

This integrated restoration approach enabled the RP to: (1) decrease compensatory restoration requirements by incorporating habitat enhancement into primary restoration; (2) reduce restoration costs by avoiding separate primary and compensatory restoration projects; and (3) expedite restoration by performing actions under the scope of emergency restoration. This strategy benefited the trustees by simplifying the assessment and reducing oversight burdens. The public and the environment benefited by receiving restoration on an accelerated timeframe.
DETECTION OF HYDROCARBON DEGRADING THERMOPHILIC BACTERIA USING MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TECHNIQUES AND POSSIBLE USES IN ACCELERATED HYDROCARBON BIOREMEDIATION
Authors: Banat Ibrahim M. , Marchant Roger , Sharkey Freddie H. , Rahman Thahira J.
Published: January 2013

During the past two years we have established that thermophilic bacteria belonging to the genus Geobacillus exist in large numbers in otherwise cool soil environments. These thermophiles have a growth range of 40–80°C and can be found in soils in high numbers (104 colony forming units (CFU)/g). These thermophilic geobacilli have a rapid growth rate with doubling times between 20–30 minutes at 65–70°C on nutrient broth and most have a wide rang ability to degrade hydrocarbons including aromatic molecules. This suggested that they could play a role in the attenuation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. To assess their activity in situ, molecular biology techniques were employed firstly though designing a taxon specific forward PCR primer (THERM) to detect the geobacilli and secondly through targeting the alkane monooxygenase (alkB) gene expression. A reverse transcriptase PCR experiment established that the alkane monooxygenase activity in pure cultures of Geobacillus are only inducible when they are grown at temperatures >40°C in the presence of alkane. Similarly soil microcosms spiked with alkane only gave the alkB RT PCR product when incubated at temperatures above 40°C. Mixed sequences of the alkB gene fragment were detected in soil and appear to belong to numerous thermophilic rather than mesophilic bacteria. We believe these thermophilic geobacilli may have a significant role in hydrocarbon biodegradation at elevated temperatures and may be utilized for bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.
TAMING THE OIL SPILL PAPERWORK BEAST: THE ALASKA SPILL RESPONSE PERMITS PROJECT
Authors: DeCola Elise G. , Robertson Tim L. , Bryant Terry , Folley Gary
Published: January 2013

Spill responders, state and federal agencies, and responsible parties have all acknowledged the fact that the permits, forms, and applications required to mount an effective oil spill response can often slow down the response progress or lead to unnecessary confusion. In Alaska, there are forms in use that are copies of copies of forms that have not been updated in years. In other cases, standard agency forms that are available as Word documents have been slightly modified by various users over time. Some forms appear unnecessary in the response effort and may well be carryovers from other venues. This problem has been exacerbated as many Alaska state agencies have reorganized and in some cases, permitting authorities have been transferred.

The Spill Response Permits Project was initiated by the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC) in response to a common concern, voiced by response organizations, responsible parties, and state and federal agencies, that the paperwork burden associated with an Alaska oil spill response is excessive. CIRCAC provided initial funding to form a work group of industry, agency, and response organization representatives that would be charged with taking a fresh look at Alaska's spill permitting requirements. The work group, co-chaired by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the US Coast Guard, and the Tesoro Alaska Company, began by identifying all oil spill response activities that might generate the need to fill out a permit or authorization form. Next, they inventoried and collected the most up-to-date versions of all permits. Work group participants, including oil spill response cooperatives as well as state and federal agencies with permitting authority, then reviewed all forms and deleted outdated or duplicated requirements.

Once the list of permits had been updated, the work group then developed a computer-based organizational tool that could be used to sort, fill out, submit, and file applicable permit forms during an oil spill response or exercise. The computer interface allows the user to enter incident-specific information into a central data set, so that the data may then be exported to the required permit forms with a simple mouse click. The computer tool can be run on any computer platform, with files available for download from the Internet or stored on a CD-Rom. The tool uses the Adobe Acrobat® software application and fills out and stores permit forms in Adobe portable document format (PDF). Additional information about this ongoing project is available at http://www.akgrs.net/Circac/home.htm.
SOFT SKILLS IN A HARD WORLD1
Authors: James R A
Published: January 2013

The focus of oil spill response organisations (OSROs) in their development activities, and through forums such as IOSC, tends to be on new equipment, innovative tools and better techniques for spill response. In the excitement about ‘things the people who actually deliver the spill response are often forgotten.

Over the last decade oil companies have downsized and rightsized and are now hollowing out. As result, when an OSRO is called to support an oil company in a spill response there is a requirement for the OSRO to become more and more involved in the strategic management of the spill, with OSRO: client interfaces at a higher and higher level in the client organisation.

The need for OSRO personnel to be well trained not just in a range of spill response techniques but also in a wide variety of ‘soft skills’ such as presentation, negotiation and influencing has never been more compelling.

This paper reports developments at Oil Spill Response Ltd in the selection, training and development of spill responders to meet the increasing demands of our client companies. Core skills and different specialisms required of spill responders are defined and a modular, fast track, training programme is developed. The core skills and training programme are benchmarked across a range of major OSROs to set common, high, worldwide standards. The accreditation of this programme to offer a formal diploma qualification is further examined.

Continuing education is a key theme of the paper, with senior spill responders offered a development opportunity in the training of new recruits, whereby they can become accredited trainers; whilst spill managers can convert the diploma qualification into a degree-level award.
SPCC INSPECTION RESULTS IN IMPROVED CORROSION PROTECTION AT MAJOR REFINERY
Authors: Zickler Michael
Published: January 2013

EPA Region 3 conducted an SPCC/FRP inspection in late 1997 by at a major east coast refinery, situated along Curtis Bay in Baltimore MD. Curtis Bay drains into the Chesapeake Bay and a release from the site could severely impact a sensitive ecological area. During the inspection, the inspectors observed evidence of deterioration in the concrete foundations of several of the tanks. A Notice of Non-Compliance was sent to the company outlining deficiencies noted during the inspection and from the SPCC plan review. The company addressed the SPCC plan deficiencies but failed to address issues regarding the tank foundations, periodic integrity testing and protection of buried piping. An Administrative Complaint was issued under Section 311 of the CWA. The company denied the allegations and asked for an administrative hearing. An Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process was arranged. One result of the ADR was that the Facility agreed to further assess the cathodic protection system and soil corrosivity, and to evaluate the foundations of five of the ASTs. Simultaneously, EPA arranged for an expert to provide technical consulting support in the area of American Petroleum Institute (API) 653 inspections and compliance procedures. When the company submitted the results of their API inspection, they indicated that the ASTs were safe and calculated the remaining service life to exceed the 20 year inspection interval requirement. They proposed the next inspection interval to be the maximum of 20 years. EPA's consultant was able to demonstrate that the company had made incorrect assumptions about the as-built tank foundation design. This resulted in incorrect calculations regarding the degree of existing cathodic protection. As a result, EPA prevailed in recalculating a service life/internal inspection interval of 4.58 years and requiring some additional corrective measures to be taken at the facility. The result of EPA's action is that the ASTs located at the site will be operated with a higher degree of safety and environmental protection.
TANK VESSEL PETROLEUM TRANSPORTATION AS A PREDICTOR OF MARINE OIL SPILLS
Authors: Norton Daniel R.
Published: January 2013

The annual volume of oil spilled into the marine environment by tank vessels (tank barges and tanks hips) is analyzed against the total annual volume of oil transported by tank vessels in order to determine any correlational relationship. U.S. Coast Guard data was used to provide the volume of oil (petroleum) spilled into the marine environment each year by tank vessels. Data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Transportation's (US DOT) National Transportation Statistics (NTS) were used for the annual volume of oil transported via tank vessels in the United States. This data is provided in the form of tonnage and ton-miles, respectively. Each data set has inherent benefits and weaknesses. For the analysis the volume of oil transported was used as the explanatory variable (x) and the volume of oil spilled into the marine environment as the response variable (y). Both data sets were tested for correlation. A weak relationship, r = −0.38 was found using tonnage, and no further analysis was performed. A moderately strong relationship, r = 0.79, was found using ton-miles. Further analysis using regression analysis and a plot of residuals showed the data to be satisfactory with no sign of lurking variables, but with the year 1990 being a possible outlier.
MEASURING ENERGY DISSIPATION RATES IN A WAVE TANK
Authors: Venosa Albert D. , Kaku Vikram J. , Boufadel Michel C. , Lee Kenneth
Published: January 2013

The effectiveness of dispersants is typically evaluated at various scales ranging from the smallest (10 cm, typical of flask tests in the laboratory) to the largest (10's to 100's of meters, typical of field scale open water dispersion tests). This study aims at evaluating dispersant effectiveness at intermediate or pilot scale. The hypothesis is that the energy dissipation rate per unit mass, ɛ, plays a major role in the effectiveness of a dispersant. Therefore, it is stipulated that in fairly general conditions, conservation of ɛ between the wave tank scale and that of the field scale is sufficient to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of a dispersant to disperse oil droplets. A wave tank measuring 16 m long x 0.6 m wide x 2 m deep was constructed on the premises of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Waves were generated using a flap-type wave maker. Conditions of the breaking waves were created using a dispersive focusing technique in which the wave maker is started at high frequency and then the frequency decreased to create breaking waves. Experiments defining the velocity profile and energy dissipation rates in the wave tank were conducted at 2 different induced breaking-wave energies. Energy in the wave tank was measured with an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) coupled to a data acquisition system. Energy in the lab flasks was measured with a Hot Wire Anemometer.
PROTECTING PEOPLE, ASSETS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE GULF OF PARIA, VENEZUELA: SECURITY PLANNING FOR EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION IN A SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Rodriguez Fernando , Betancourt Julio , Perry William
Published: January 2013

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United States Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) have placed new security planning and preparedness requirements on oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) facilities. Qualifying E&P facilities within territorial waters of countries signatory to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), were to have completed Security Vulnerability Assessments (SVAs) as early as July 2004. In some countries, this deadline has been extended. There are currently no comprehensive SVA guidelines that companies can use to evaluate their onshore and/or offshore facilities. Furthermore, existing guidelines focus on security threats stemming from potential acts of terrorism and do not adequately address many equally important security concerns faced by E&P facilities worldwide.

ConocoPhillips Venezuela (COPVen) and its partners, Corporación Venezolana de Petróleo (CVP), Eni Venezuela B.V., OPIC Karimum Corporation, and Inelectra C.A., have significant hydrocarbon investments in Venezuela—and understand the importance of security planning during every phase of operations.

This paper describes how COPVen adapted existing methodology to complete an innovative SVA of current as well as planned facilities and activities in the Gulf of Paria, northeastern Venezuela. Consistent with the companies' sustainable development approach in the region, the SVA anticipates potential security threats, prioritizes issues, and proposes mitigation measures that enhance security. This paper also describes how COPVen incorporated social and environmental considerations and used an innovative methodology to complete the work. The process used by COPVen and its partners represents a basis to identify, plan, review and continuously improve system-wide and facility-specific security measures to protect people, assets and the environment in the Gulf of Paria.
USE OF NATURAL OIL SEEPS FOR EVALUATION OF DISPERSANT APPLICATION AND MONITORING TECHNIQUES
Authors: Payne James R. , Allen Alan A.
Published: January 2013

The natural oil seeps off Coal Oil Point (Santa Barbara), California, release an estimated 100–150 bbl of oil per day to the marine environment. This project proposed to conduct a series of dispersant trials using these seeps to intercalibrate NOAA's Scientific Monitoring of Advanced Response Technologies (SMART) UV/Fluorescence-based protocols with finite measurements of dissolved aromatics and dispersed oil droplets in the water column and to evaluate a unique oil-boomldispersant-application technology (NeatSweep).

Following an elaborate and lengthy permitting process including cooperation from multiple regulatory agencies and organizations, laboratory tests indicated that although fresh produced oil from nearby Platform Holly could be treated (>70% effectiveness), dispersing the weathered 11° API gravity seep oil was totally ineffective (0%). Limited field tests then verified the laboratory findings that the seep oil could not even be dispersed with Corexit 9500, a commonly used dispersant for heavily weathered and viscous oils. Lacking reasonable alternatives (including the use of intentional spills), the project was halted before full-scale field implementation.

This paper documents the development of the research plan, the steps required to obtain the necessary permits, and the results from the limited laboratory and field tests that were completed. The planning and permitting efforts for this project are provided so that others with similar needs or goals might benefit. A brief discussion is provided on the limitations of using natural seep oils for spill response research and on the difficulties with spill-of-opportunity research during actual spill events. The importance of controlled experimental discharges of oil is discussed along with the pros and cons of such deliberate spills.