bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sharing Good Technical Practice throughout the Response Community
Authors: Nicoll Andrew , Chopra Arti
Published: August 2014

The IOSC and other triennial-series conferences are great opportunities to share knowledge and learn of new developments from our peers in the response community. But with such high societal expectations in the post-Macondo world it is now incumbent upon all stakeholders to use every available platform to ensure we are all working on the same page. The wide range of measures and actions demanded by industry work groups such as the API and the OGP/IPIECA Joint Industry Projects on Oil Spill Response needs to be shared effectively with a broad church of organisations which may have direct responsibilities arising from these programmes. Other organisations such as governmental bodies, academia, the oil industry, and OSROs may need to be consulted or simply informed of technical enhancements in the oil spill world. With this in mind Oil Spill Response Ltd. (OSRL) re-launched the Industry Technical Advisory Committee (ITAC) in 2012 with the aim of providing the platform to bring together a broad group of invited stakeholders to share knowledge and good practice in the (non-commercial) spirit of enhancing response. ITAC now convenes a face-to-face meeting every year at different regional locations which reflect its global membership. All participation is self-funded and the hosting and the minor administration costs are borne by OSRL. The agenda is typically shaped by the members and will include a round-up of the many of the industry-funded R&D projects being undertaken by research institutions and relevant universities. The two-day meeting will typically include a social event, recognising that some of the most effective networking occurs informally in the margins of the formal programme. For OSRL there is an added benefit from facilitating and hosting these meetings through integrating many of its own “grass-roots” operational responders into the very heart of the technical debate which shapes the response community. This interface not only helps the individual responders develop their own network of contacts of technical expertise but more generally can influence the strategic technical direction of the company as a whole. This poster illustrates the stakeholder mapping supporting the current model under which ITAC operates, graphically depicting the different relationships between the constituent parts of the response community from the perspective of OSRL. It shows the various linkages and flow of information to and from the various parties as the impacts of the post-Macondo technical revolution are communicated and disseminated to the wider response community.
In-Situ Burn Guidance for Safety Officers and Industrial Hygienists
Authors: Weems Laura Hartline , Peavler Pat
Published: August 2014

In-situ burning (ISB) of spilled petroleum has been conducted since the late 1950s. Most burns were performed from ground level on upland areas, inland waters, or test basins and the frequency of use has been relatively low. Response to the Deepwater Horizon incident reminded the spill response community of this strategy by illustrating the utility of ISB for spills offshore. Over 400 individual burns were conducted during the summer of 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. The Deepwater Horizon response resulted in an unprecedented and extensive use of offshore ISB, and media coverage repeatedly demonstrated successful ISB operations. Ensuring responder and community safety and health is a critical aspect for conducting controlled burns of petroleum during an oil spill response. ISB presents unique issues associated with conducting controlled burns whether on land, near shore or offshore requiring relevant guidance for Safety Officers and industrial hygienists (IH). Response personnel conducting ISB must be trained specifically for burn operations. Health concerns related to conducting and monitoring the burns must be evaluated. With the large number of controlled burns conducted in the Gulf of Mexico throughout the Deepwater Horizon response, extensive experience has been obtained which can be used to update guidance and standards documents for conducting safe burn operations.

This poster, targeted for the global response community, regulators and industry, covers the health and safety concerns that need to be addressed before, during and after ISB operations by Safety Officers and industrial hygienists. Specifically, the poster will be in two parts, highlighting the research to date. Part one will be a summary of the literature research and an evaluation of safety baseline information for ISB. The second part will demonstrate how to use the information from the first part and develop an ISB site safety plan by conducting a job hazard analysis and risk assessment. The end result will be a better understanding of potential ISB hazards, their associated risks, and the range of control methods available to the response community to mitigate those risks. The goal is ultimately to develop for Safety Officers and industrial hygienists a comprehensive consensus guidance document that aids in their ability to make sound risk based decisions during an emergency.
CFD MODELING OF PNEUMATIC OIL BARRIER
Authors: Pan Qing Qing , Johansen Stein Tore , Reed Mark , Satran Lars Roar
Published: August 2014

Pneumatic oil barriers (so called “bubble oil boom (BOB)”) are based on the rise of air bubbles which are injected from the submerged parallel line spargers (McClimans et al., 2012). Local outward flows are formed when the bubbles and entrained water reach the sea surface, and thereby could counterbalance the opposing sea current to retain the spilled oil. It could function alone or work together with a traditional oil boom to improve the recovery effectiveness. A multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamic model, which couples volume of fluid (VOF) and discrete phase model (DPM) approach together with an enhanced k-epsilon model, is developed. Trajectories of bubbles are computed in the Lagrangian frame of reference, exchanging momentum and turbulent energy with water and oil slick, represented in the Eulerian frame of reference. The interface between atmosphere, water and oil slick is captured by the VOF model. The model is applied to meso-scale experiments in McClimans et al. (2012) for validation. The validated numerical model can provide improved basis for the further design of BOB system.
Flattening the major oil spill response resources deployment: A case study of China
Authors: Yao Jiang , Wei Cao , Yaobing Wang
Published: August 2014

The major marine oil spill accidents are frequently occurred in recent years. The major marine oil spill emergency should command by the national level department. Because of the command of the accident involves many departments, and the accident situation is complex, to command the accident have many difficulties and problems. And the deployment of emergency resources is a vital part of the emergency command. The spill response resources have different categories, which belong to different industries, different departments of government at all levels, therefore, to achieve effective deployment of large-scale resources in a short time have much higher difficulty. Thus, this poster used flat management theory to solve the problem of emergency resources deployment in China. To optimized the major oil spill emergency command system, and base on this, gave the suggestions of the resources deploy mode. In this way, the deployment of resources procedures could be simplified, to achieve rapid deployment of resources.
NEARSHORE OPERATIONS RESPONSE STRATEGY: Overcoming Spill Response Challenges in Remote Areas
Authors: Popovich Mike , Robertson Tim L. , Folley Gary
Published: August 2014

Conducting oil spill recovery operations in remote regions/environments is a daunting challenge. Increased shipping and oil exploration in the Arctic drives the need for developing innovative ways to mitigate oil spills in remote regions. This includes bolstering near-shore spill response to protect coastal resources. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, in conjunction with the United States Coast Guard, and Alaska oil spill response organizations, has developed a Nearshore Operations Response Strategy (NORS) that provides planners and responders with a framework to plan for and carry out long-term oil removal and shoreline protection strategies in the Alaskan near-shore environment. NORS addresses the logistical challenges that exist when considering sustained operations in remote areas without shore-based support facilities. This strategy begins with tactics developed using best available technology to recover oil and protect resources in the near-shore environment. The components of a Nearshore Response Group designed to implement these tactics over a ten mile radius are described. Finally, the elements of a marine logistical base to support the Group for up to 21 days in remote regions are developed.
Regional Planning for Shoreline Cold Weather Oil Spill Response in Finland
Authors: Halonen J.
Published: August 2014

Finland's northern location presents operational and logistical challenges to effective oil spill response operation in the wintertime as the northern parts of the Baltic Sea are covered by ice almost every winter. In Finland the Regional Rescue Services (RRS) are responsible for near shore spill response and shoreline cleanup operations. To improve their cold weather response capability four coastal RRS initiated a joint project to develop a shoreline cold weather response plan. This project called WinterSOKO (A32372) focuses on the response options applicable in cold conditions and the spill response logistics on snow- and ice-covered shorelines and near shore waters. This paper presents the logistical approach used in the project. Optimal combination of marine and land based logistical support is a key success factor as the cold weather response requires a holistic management of multiple response strategies with variable conditions in the spill site.
European Commitment to the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Shipwrecks
Authors: Southworth Justina , Leather Stuart , Jones Dafydd Lloyd , Gribble John , Bray Simon
Published: August 2014

This poster sets out a proposal for the management of shipwrecks with the potential to cause oil pollution incidents. The poster will outline the legal framework of key European nation states and will look at international agreements relating to potentially polluting shipwrecks. It will propose a management plan that can be adopted by European countries in the form of either international agreements or through the European Union, which will include guidelines that should be adopted for the management of individual wreck sites. The classification of shipwrecks with the potential to release oil has been well documented through a number of papers, including the most recent study by NOAA in 2013. To supplement this process, subsurface oil spill modelling can be used to demonstrate the potential spatial footprint of the oil and indicate transboundary boundary maritime effects. These effects are a primary factor in the successful management of wrecks at risk in the European context. Building on the current European and International legislation, a suggested platform for proactive management will be proposed. The value of having a European body will enable a focused approach to deal with complex International and National relationships. In addition to a standard risk assessment for each wreck, its sovereignty, the territorial waters it is located in, and the territorial waters and coastline that may be effected in the event of a pollution incident, need to be considered, and included within the management plan. This gives rise to network of stakeholders whose inclusion into the process is imperative for successful outcomes. A European body responsible for the management of potentially polluting wrecks allows the issue to be removed from individual national interests. A dedicated pan-European body can focus on the wider issue of potential transboundary oil pollution and coordinate multiple resources to effectively address the issue.
SUBMERSIBLE OPTICAL SENSORS EXPOSED TO CHEMICALLY-DISPERSED CRUDE OIL: WAVE TANK SIMULATIONS FOR IMPROVED OIL SPILL MONITORING
Authors: Conmy R.N. , Coble P.G. , Farr J. , Wood A.M. , Parsons R. , Lee K. , Pegau S. , Walsh I. , Koch C. , Abercrombie M. I. , Miles M.S. , Lewis M.R. , Ryan S. , Robinson B. , King T. , Lacoste J.
Published: August 2014

In situ fluorometers were deployed during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Gulf of Mexico oil spill to provide critical measurements for tracking the subsea oil plume. In the wake of the spill, uncertainties regarding instrument specifications, capabilities and reliability necessitated performance testing of sensors (commonly used during spill response) exposed to simulated, dispersed oil plumes. Moreover, concerns on the applicability of laboratory calibrations (at high concentrations and insufficient mixing energies) to field conditions and on sensor reliability to detect dispersed oil persist. To address these uncertainties the performance of select commercially-available sensors (from Chelsea Technologies Group, Satlantic, Turner Designs, WetLabs Inc) was evaluated using a wave tank facility at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Breaking waves were generated within the tank to simulate mixing energies and achieve dispersant effectiveness observed in the field. Presented here are the results of the sensors exposed to chemically-dispersed MC252 crude oil using Corexit 9500, DOR=1:20. Stepwise additions of dispersed oil (0.3 – 12 ppm) to the tank were used to establish linearity. Model 1 linear least squares regressions were calculated and applied to sensor data during validation experiments to simulate dilution of an oil plume. Dynamic ranges of the sensors, exposed to fresh and artificially weathered crude oil, were determined. Sensors were standardized against known oil volumes and measured Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and Benzene-Toluene-Ethylbenzene-Xylene (BTEX) values – both collected during spills, providing oil estimates during dilution experiments. Results were validated against particle size data (Sequoia LISST). All sensors estimated oil concentrations down to 300 ppb oil, refuting previous reports. Low percent differences and absolute errors between chemistry and sensor results were metrics to evaluate performance. Discussed will be the application of this vicarious calibration approach as a means to calibrate the DWH fine-scale fluorescence data into oil concentrations. This allows for filling in coarse-scale field chemistry data, improved assessment of DWH spill measurements mined from the NOAA NODC, and understanding the fate and transport of the DWH oil plume.
TEXAS AUTOMATED BUOY SYSTEM PROVIDES SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF WINDS AND CURRENTS ON THE COAST OF TEXAS
Authors: Guinasso Norman L. , Walpert John N. , Lee Linwood L. , DiMarco Steven F. , Buschang Steven
Published: August 2014

Texas has established an operational system that provides observations of wind and currents to the State On-Scene Coordinator. The Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS) began in 1994 with five current meter buoys. Buoys measure current velocity 2m below the surface and transmit data on a regular schedule via satellite communications. Most buoys measure winds using acoustic wind sensors and some buoys are configured with profiling current meters. Larger buoys use solid-state accelerometers to measure waves. Buoys use solar panels to charge lead-acid batteries and can operate unattended for periods up to a year with the limitation being summertime biological fouling. TABS makes use of six different types of buoys with each filling its own particular niche to support trajectory modeling. These include TABS I, II, 2.25m and 3m buoys. A new coastal monitoring buoy (CMB) is a 1.4m solar charged buoy designed for extended operation in shallow water to measure current profiles, waves and MET data. The TABS Responder is a small, lightweight, rechargeable buoy designed for short deployments from any vessel of opportunity at the site of an oil spill. Designed for shallow water (<40m), the buoy measures waves, current profiles and meteorological data. GERG has a fleet of four Responder buoys that will be capable of deployment with short notice in the event of an emergency. Data from the buoys are transmitted to computers at College station TX where they undergo automated quality control before posting on a dedicated web page. Data are disseminated via the internet to the state and federal governments. Public presentation of the data takes place in three different time frames. Data are available in near real time on a web page that displays data for the past four days. A Real Time Analysis program process the data every 24 hours and presents a series of data products including stick plots, current and wind roses, and distribution tables. A monthly Hindcast Analysis looks at the previous month's data, performs additional quality control, and prepares final plots. Finally a monthly Climatology program produces climatological summaries of the all data by month and year.
Characterization of Highly Oxygenated and Environmentally Weathered Crude Oils by Liquid Chromatography Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR MS)
Authors: Rowland Steven M. , Robbins Winston K. , Marshall Alan G. , Rodgers Ryan P.
Published: August 2014

Heavy and biodegraded oils exhibit an ever increasing oxygen complexity. Electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled to FT-ICR MS highlights the most acidic and basic oxygen species; however, quantitative and qualitative information about less polar oxygenated compounds is essential to understand both the source and, potentially, the modification pathways for oxygenated crude oils. Liquid chromatography (LC) is complementary to FT-ICR MS to deconvolve crude oils according to oxygen functionality, thereby enriching oxygen species that are not easily ionized or are present in low abundance. Ketones and carboxylic acids dominate most environmentally modified crude oils; however, phenols and polyphenols are also important intermediates in both biotic and abiotic modifications. Moreover, due to the nature of the refinement process, oxygen-containing species and their intermediates can serve as chemical tracers in produced water streams and areas of rapid thermal changes that lead to gum or deposit formation. Here, we describe an analytical separation scheme for an environmentally weathered (highly oxygenated) crude oil designed to highlight carboxylic acid isolation and ketone enrichment, as well as the separation of other oxygen compounds by polarity. Experimental A weathered beach extract collected from the coast of Florida was fractionated by LC and analyzed by FT-ICR MS. LC techniques are designed to target specific oxygen functionalities (e.g., ketones, alcohols, phenols, and carboxylic acids). The mass spectra of the LC fractions were acquired with a custom-built 9.4 T FT-ICR Instrument. Positive and negative electrospray ionization serve to highlight basic and acidic oxygen species. Preliminary DataLC fractionation was performed with a silicic acid stationary phase. Four fractions correspond to aromatics, neutral nitrogen, basic nitrogen, and polar compounds. Positive ESI FT-ICR MS indicated a relative abundance for the O1 heteroatom class ranging from 2% in the whole beach extract to 12 % in the neutral nitrogen fraction. The increased relative abundance of O1 compounds suggests the enrichment of ketones from the original sample. Carboxylic acids are isolated by retention on an amine stationary phase and subsequent elution with a mixture of dichloromethane, methanol, and formic acid. Oxygen species will be further probed with new separation schemes to focus on analysis of phenols.
GPS Data Collection - Lessons Learned from the BP MC2452 Response
Authors: Anderson Douglas
Published: August 2014

Background: The MC252 oil spill posed a multitude of challenges. There were many areas where data collection was not only needed but a necessity of the operations, situation and planning units. In an effort to fill this need, the leadership of BP purchased a software and hardware solution. This combination of software and hardware did provide a viable solution, but was perhaps not the perfect combination. Lacking proper mobile support for management, support, training and development support, the program stumbled. Results: The Mobile program suffered greatly until Trimble, the manufacturer of the devices, learned of the issues. They then pushed for a management team for the program. The management team underwent many iterations of solution implementation before a solid program of project development, testing, deployment and training was refined. This included coverage of a project development plan, project management, training plan, device inventory management, and remote device management software solution. Conclusions: A model for program implementation and management should be applied to future disasters including a software/hardware purchase matrix, an organization chart inclusion for a mobile administrator/team, standardized data models for projects, project management, change management and training team.
Guidelines for Locating Pipeline, Railway and Highway Oil Spill Containment Sites
Authors: Gundlach Erich R. , Mattos Beatriz
Published: August 2014

The potential for major spills from pipeline and rail transport, as well as along oil-transit highway routes, has highlighted the need for establishing land-based sites to contain and control spilled oil. However, the guidelines for designating containment (C-) sites has to date been unclear. From work in several countries, the following rules are suggested: (1) every location along the pipeline/railway/highway route should have a designated C-site. (2) Locations where water courses could be reached by spilled oil should be prioritized for C-site location. (3) C-sites in flat areas with no spill movement expected can use a ‘typical’ location within that area. (4) The spacing along the route to evaluate potential spill flow should be 50 m (150 ft) or preferably less. (5) C-sites must be placed in locations which enable sufficient time for response equipment to reach it before the oil does; topography and stream flow must be considered realistically. (6) At least two C-sites must be placed on all water courses (creeks/streams/rivers) that can be affected; the second site being necessary if the first fails or is insufficient. (7) Maps (e.g. topographic or GoogleEarth) should indicate a realistic flow pattern from the route by which oil can reach the related C-site. (8) For water courses, C-sites should be selected for accessibility to both banks, ability to safely deploy and retrieve equipment, sufficient space for equipment laydown and oil storage, and ability to capture oil (low flow velocities and stream width).

While there are many formats for displaying C-sites, combining route sensitivity maps containing the physical, biological, and socio-economic characteristics of the area with the C-sites, provides a comprehensive single-map format for displaying C-site location, road access to the C-site, and emphasizes the importance of why oil should be contained at that location. In cases where a long cultural history is present in the area, the combination map also provides warnings regarding archaeological and cultural heritage sites that may be affected by cleanup operations along the route or near a containment site.
IMPACTS OF WASHOVER EVENTS ON FATE AND DISTRIBUTION OF MC252 OIL IN A COASTAL SYSTEM
Authors: Curtis David , Elango Vijai , Pardue John H.
Published: August 2014

Washover events on coastal headland beaches occur when storm surge from cold fronts, high tides, tropical storms, and hurricanes move across the beach, reworking and depositing sand in the back marshes and shallow mudflat areas. On Fourchon Beach, Louisiana, a 9-mile coastal headland beach impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, these washover events have intermittently moved oil from the subtidal and intertidal portion of the beach to the supratidal mudflats and marsh areas. In order to determine the impacts of washover events on oil fate, 4 complementary studies are being undertaken. First, washover areas (N=56) have been mapped and sampled for PAHs and n-alkanes in the most heavily impacted area eastern end of Fourchon Beach. Samples indicate the most heavily impacted segments were in areas where a physical breach of the beach developed. Second, characteristics of specific washover events and locations are being studied to establish typical categories of events (i.e., breaches, remobilization of oil on the beach and mobilization of subtidal oil mats) as well as the characteristics of oil mobilized by each category. As an example, presence of MC252 oil was mapped using soil cores in a washover mudflat behind a breach, which developed during TS Isaac in 2011. MC252 oil was present at an average of 6 – 12 cm below the surface. Concentrations of PAHs in this layer ranged from 1.2 to 16 mg/kg consisting primarily of C1-C4 phenanthrenes, C2 and C3 dibenzothiophenes and C1-C2 chrysenes. Third, the chemical signature of crude oil including a range of petrogenic PAHs and n-alkanes relative to poorly biodegradable C30-hopane is being used at these locations to assess the relative weathering of oil at various stages in the washover process. Finally, a laboratory microcosm study is being conducted to understand the biogeochemical controls on oil biodegradation in the new environment (washover mudflat) and how these controls impact its ability to degrade naturally. Anaerobic treatments consistent with the flooded mudflat areas are amended with N and sulfate in various combinations to determine if nutrients or electron acceptors are limiting in the washover environment. Results to date indicate that most PAHs are stable under the flooded conditions with the exception of C1-phenanthrenes. These studies will be discussed in the context of remedial measures during the emergency response phase used on Fourchon Beach to prevent washover impacts.
Antarctic Wildlife and Oil - Are We Ready?
Authors: Ruoppolo Valeria , Woehler Eric , Morgan Kerri , Clumpner Curt
Published: August 2014

The increasing rate of vessel incidents in the Southern Ocean (including an ever-increasing number of vessels sinking) has highlighted the potential for substantial fuel spills into the Antarctic environment. The increasing number of tourist and fishing vessels, often without ice strengthened hulls, are penetrating farther into, and staying longer in, Antarctic waters, with a focus for destinations of substantial wildlife concentrations. Based on a questionnaire comprising six questions submitted to 33 national operators in the Antarctic, there is currently little preparation for an oil spill event involving wildlife. This is a recipe for a catastrophic spill event, with the potential for high numbers of oiled wildlife in a remote part of the world where there are major logistical constraints on the provision of equipment and skilled response personnel. We chronicle shipping incidents that have led to oil spills in the Southern Ocean, the existing legislation and contingency plans currently in place by national Antarctic operators, and examine their preparedness and expertise for an oiled wildlife response. It is very clear that national, fishing and tourism operators are manifestly unprepared for an oiled wildlife event in the Southern Ocean. We identify five critical constraints to any response and provide recommendations that address these constraints.
High Resolution Forensic Analysis Of Surface Sheens Helps Pinpoint Source Of Oil Leakage From The Deepwater Horizon
Authors: Nelson Robert K. , Aeppli Christoph , Carmichael Catherine A. , Reddy Christopher M.
Published: August 2014

Alkenes commonly found in synthetic drilling-fluids were used to identify sources of oil sheens that were first observed in September 2012 close to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster site more than two years after the Macondo MC-252 well was sealed. Exploration of the sea floor by BP confirmed that the well was capped and sound. BP scientists and engineers identified the likely source as leakage from an 80-ton cofferdam abandoned during a failed attempt to control the Macondo well in May 2010. We acquired and analyzed sheen samples at the sea-surface above the Deepwater Horizon wreckage as well as oil collected directly from the cofferdam using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC). This allowed the identification of drilling-fluid C16- to C18-alkenes in sheen samples that were absent in cofferdam oil. Furthermore, the spatial pattern of evaporative losses of sheen oil alkanes indicated that oil surfaced closer to the Deepwater Horizon wreckage than the abandoned cofferdam site. Lastly, ratios of alkenes and petroleum hydrocarbons pointed to a common source of oil found in both sheen samples and recovered from oil-coated Deepwater Horizon riser pipe buoyancy compensator module debris collected shortly after the explosion. These lines of evidence suggest that the observed sheens do not originate from the Macondo well, cofferdam, or from natural seeps. Rather, the likely source is oil trapped in tanks and pits on the Deepwater Horizon wreckage, representing a finite oil leakage volume.
Modeling the effects of evaporation and dissolution for a heavy fuel oil: the M/V Cosco Busan spill
Authors: Lemkau Karin L. , Arey J. Samuel , Nelson Robert K. , Reddy Christopher M.
Published: August 2014

Characterizing and distinguishing losses of hydrocarbons from evaporation and dissolution are necessary for calculating mass balances, assessing exposures, and estimating damages following a spill. We investigated these processes following the 2007 M/V Cosco Busan heavy fuel oil spill (San Francisco Bay, CA). We examined oil-covered rocks from the coastline of San Francisco Bay by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCXGC). GCXGC retention times were used to estimate compound vapor pressures and solubilities. Data within the chromatograms are presented as mass loss tables (MLTs), which allow for visualization of weathering trends as a function of vapor pressure and aqueous solubility. To gain a more quantitative understanding, a physiochemical model was developed to describe evaporation and dissolution. This model is distinct from previous efforts because it allows composition of the oil film to vary with depth as diffusion out of the oil occurs. The trends from the model results are consistent with evaporation and dissolution trends observed in the MLTs. The model enables quantitative estimation of evaporation and dissolution for petroleum hydrocarbon compounds following a spill. The model underestimates observed losses for compounds with vapor pressures <~10-3 Pa. Model sensitivity to input parameters and uncertainty were also examined.
Web Based Oil Spill Response System
Authors: Howlett Eoin , Mulanaphy Nicole , Menton Andrew , Sontag Stephen
Published: August 2014

When oil is spilled in a marine environment the impact can be catastrophic to a sensitive region damaging natural resources. It is important to respond quickly and efficiently to maximize the response effort and minimize the impact. In order to plan and train for incidents within the Shannon Estuary in Ireland, The Shannon Estuary Anti-Pollution Team (SEAPT) required a centralized system for its members to allow for remote collaboration and effective response. SEAPT required the ability to seamlessly run and share oil spill models in conjunction with their response planning assets and sensitivity and vulnerability information. RPS ASA leveraged OilmapWeb, a web based oil spill modeling system, as a platform to build a custom oil spill modeling and response system. This customized system allows remote users to run and retrieve oil spill models and relate the output to GIS and multimedia response information. This decision tool is designed to produce fast and accurate results to improve response times and deploy the most effective response plans. The system provides a common operational picture for this region allowing for greater response collaboration and increased preparedness. This helps SEAPT to improve their response planning and facilities the sharing of information remotely in the case of an incident.
Responding to Oil Spills Under Ice: Alaska Clean Seas' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Training Course
Authors: Hall Christopher J. , Zabilansky Leonard
Published: August 2014

The Alaska North Slope region is a demanding operating environment for oil exploration, production and transportation operations. The Arctic Ocean remains frozen for an average of nine months of the year, with only a limited open-water season in the summer. There are long periods of darkness, extremely harsh weather conditions, remote installations and limited infrastructure. As Arctic oil exploration, production and transportation activities expand, there is growing concern about the ability of public and private sector response organizations to effectively clean up oil spills under ice.

Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) is the Alaska North Slope oil spill response cooperative based in Prudhoe Bay, AK. ACS oversees the training and coordination of the North Slope Spill Response Team (NSSRT), a volunteer-based organization consisting of personnel from the workforce of ACS' Member Companies and their support contractors. Beginning in January 2012, ACS partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, NH, to develop an Advanced Oil Spill Response in Ice Course. Now in its third year, this partnership has combined the unique facilities, capabilities and ice research history of CRREL with the Arctic response expertise and experience of Alaska Clean Seas to deliver realistic, one-of-a-kind training for recovering oil spilled under ice. Participants have included members of the NSSRT, several federal regulatory agencies and representatives from the Global Response Network. ACS provides response equipment from the North Slope and several vendors have demonstrated additional skimming and pumping systems specifically designed for recovery in ice.

Central to the course is CRREL's outdoor saline test basin, a 60′ × 25′ × 7′ refrigerated in-ground tank equipped to grow and maintain a two-foot cover of sea ice. Approximately 600 gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil are injected under the ice to provide a realistic field scenario to practice response tactics. These tactics include assessment and profiling techniques for safely working on the ice; employing underwater lights and ground penetrating radar for detection of oil under ice; use of augers and chainsaw sleds to cut holes and slots in the ice; deployment of recovery and storage systems to remove oil from an ice environment; and in-situ burning operations in slush and broken ice.

This poster highlights the development of the CRREL Training Course and provides guidelines for course content, length, and special considerations for similar advanced field training courses.
Subsea Source Control Planning Solutions to Prepare Operators for Worse Case Discharge Well Events
Authors: Drieu Michael , Wendell Jameson R.
Published: August 2014

The development of a Source Control Emergency Response Plan is one of the best ways in which an operator can ensure that the goals of their regional or project-specific Source Control emergency preparedness efforts will be met, if needed.

Procedures for handling emergencies are absolutely essential to ensure the protection of life, property, and the environment.

This Source Control Emergency Response Plan (SCERP) is based on decades of conventional and subsea well control experience to ensure that the planning efforts and to develop Source Control Emergency Response Planning (SCERP) through field deployment of the system in order to cap a subsea well. The aforementioned experience covers many years of source control, well control and intervention operations in conceivable operational settings and in a variety of geographic locations.

The equipment and procedures specified in this SCERP address a “worst case” scenario involving a loss of well control, necessitating the immediate mobilization of intervention equipment and personnel.

The primary objective of the SCERP is to establish a process for responding to and safely managing source-control emergencies using a standard, uniform approach. This process includes the following information:emergency contact information and resourcesresponse managementsource-control operational overview with strategic methodologiesorganizational staffing recommendationscheck list to guide groups and unit leaders andkey resource identification

The SCERP is not intended to replace sound judgment. Modification of the mobilization plan and intervention strategy may be necessary, depending on circumstances.

Subsea source-control events require common sense and professional judgment on the part of the person(s) in charge of operations, and no operation should be undertaken if it involves unreasonable risk to personnel.

Additional, a Logistics Plan must be developed to support operations by identifying mobilization guidelines from the stored location for the capping stack and other support equipment necessary to secure the well. Disembarkation of the equipment clearly offering various options with estimated timelines for transporting the equipment by air, ground and sea should also be outlined to ensure equipment arrives timely and safely. Locating vessels and rigs meeting operational requirements will help ensure well incidents are managed and executed within incident-command and other expectations.
DETECTION AND MAPPING OF FLOATING OIL EMULSIONS WITH SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR (SAR) IMAGERY
Authors: Garcia-Pineda Oscar , MacDonald Ian , Hu Chuanmin , Svejkovsky Jan , Hess Mark , Dukhovskoy Dmitry , Moorey Steve
Published: August 2014

Detection of floating oil on the ocean surface, and particularly thick layers, is crucial for emergency response to accidental oil discharges. While detection of oil presence on the ocean surface is relatively easy under most conditions with a variety of remote sensing techniques, estimation of the thickness of oil layers is technically challenging. In this paper we use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery collected during the DeepWater Horizon (DWH) oil spill and the Texture Classifier Neural Network Algorithm (TCNNA) to identify SAR image signatures that may correspond to regions of very thick emulsified oil. These locations were generally consistent with sea level observations and optical and thermal remote sensing instruments. Oil emulsions form after crude oil is discharged in the ocean and is subjected to weathering and coagulation processes that increase thicknesses of floating oil layers. The method of detection identifies regions of increased radar backscattering within larger regions of oil-covered water. Detection is dependent on SAR incident angles and the type of SAR beam mode configuration. L-band SAR was found to have the largest window of incidence angles (16 – 38o off-nadir) that could be used to detect oil emulsions. C-band SAR showed a narrower window (18 – 32o off-nadir) than L-band, while X-band SAR had the narrowest window (20 – 31o off-nadir). The results suggest that in case of future spills in the ocean, SAR data may be used to find locations of thick oil to help make management decisions.
Lessons Learned Developing the Universal Best Management Practices Index for the Deepwater Horizon Endangered Species Act Biological Assessment
Authors: Odell Jessica , Coley Travis
Published: August 2014

In an oil spill emergency situation, how do you simultaneously protect listed species, track important events, and plan for a post-emergency Endangered Species Act Biological Assessment? This was the daunting question faced by hundreds of environmental regulators, field biologists, and technology developers during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Incident Response. With the help of mobile technology, legacy expertise, and a dedicated field presence, they answered with a system of Best Management Practices (BMPs). During the response, factors such as urgency, expansive geography, response duration, and technical experience disparity threatened to compromise the integrity of the BMP datasets. Because of these factors, over one hundred separate BMP lists were issued, and highly accurate field data collection was often sacrificed for after-hours web entry or paper records. For the purposes of the Endangered Species Act Biological Assessment, the Universal BMP (UBMP) Index was created to retroactively track the implementation of these various lists and properly credit responders with conservation efforts. The development of this index yielded lessons from practical BMP implementation and documentation in a response environment to constructing sophisticated database architecture needed for consumption. Here we present the evolution of UBMPs, their role in the Effects Analysis of the Deepwater Horizon Biological Assessment, and a plan for a better way.
CHALLENGES OF AN NCP RESPONSE TO THE TSUNAMI OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IN 2011
Authors: McKinnon Renee V. , Bannan Agustus J.
Published: August 2014

On March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by a powerful earthquake that resulted in tsunami damage. In addition to the destruction within Japan, several ports in northern California were also affected. Two harbors in California suffered major vessel and infrastructure casualties which resulted in large amounts of oil and hazardous substances in the water from various sources. The agencies responding to these harbors found themselves with several challenges: (1) assessing and responding to a rare and enormous event that had the potential to effect the entire west coast; (2) organizing the tactical operations and logistical support for the two most effected locations which were 430-miles apart; and (3) assessing and mitigating unknown safety hazards in the water and then determining an appropriate funding source.

Damage reports from various cities, including Richmond, Fort Bragg and Crescent City, followed over the next few hours. Response teams deployed to mitigate the greatest threats, though some of threats weren't immediately obvious. The response became a two-branch operation, focused on Santa Cruz and Crescent City, each with distinctive problems and separated by a difficult distance, with a central Incident Command Post (ICP) directing the response. The pollution potential and economic significance was far greater in the northern city, leading the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) to create an Area Command. This eventually evolved into a single remote ICP.

While only considered a type-3 event, Federal On-Scene Coordinator Representatives (FOSCRs) were strained to their limits on Advanced ICS knowledge, financial management, and interagency salvage. In this event, the Coast Guard struggled with, but succeeded in dealing with, a catastrophe that no one on the West Coast had dealt with in almost 50 years.
HURRICANE ISAAC DATA MANAGEMENT LESSONS LEARNED AND SUBSEQUENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Jellison LT Kyle , Hannah LCDR Lushan , Huyett JB
Published: August 2014

The 2012 Hurricane Isaac pollution response necessitated identifying, tracking, mitigating, and removing over a thousand potential oil and hazmat containers that were a threat to the public and the environment. A variety of data management challenges arose during the response. Some were related to the difficulties of managing such large volumes of data, and some related to changes in funding to support operations during the course of the response. The Natural Disaster Subcommittee of the New Orleans and Morgan City Area Committees, drawing from data management lessons learned during the Isaac response, drafted a Natural Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) that incorporates a unified strategy for collecting, managing, and disseminating field data during natural disaster responses. The NDRP introduces unique structures to pollution response and is built on a comprehensive and coordinated data management strategy.
Distribution and Biodegradation Potential of Buried Oil on a Coastal Headland Beach
Authors: Pardue John H. , Lemelle Kendall R. , Urbano Marilany , Elango Vijaikrishnah
Published: August 2014

Buried and surface MC252 oil from the intertidal on a coastal headland beach was sampled using a randomized block methodology. Weathering indices contrasting alkylated 3- (phenanthrenes) and 4-ring (chrysene) PAH concentrations were computed based on analyses of these samples. Buried oil was detected at a frequency of 18% and, of those samples, 29% had indices indistinguishable from oil sampled near the wellhead indicating that PAH weathering was not occurring. These samples with persistent PAHs were associated with one or more conditions in the beach profile: located at or near the depth of the water table, nearest to the shoreline, or within a thicker oil mat deposit. Surface oil samples, consisting of oil:sand aggregates recently washed in by the surf, had a higher percentage (81%) of oil with weathering indices indicating persistence. These observations, coupled with measurements of biogeochemical analyses on the beach from other studies, suggest that insufficient oxygen in the nearshore environment of these coastal headlands creates conditions for PAH persistence over time frames of years to decades.
Biodegradation of Dispersed Endicott Oil in Controlled Experiments
Authors: Personna Yves Robert , Boufadel Michel C. , Zhang Shuangyi
Published: August 2014

We investigate aerobic biodegradation of dispersed Endicott oil in seawater at 15±0.5 °C in laboratory flasks. The objectives of the experiments were to (1) compare the biodegradability of chemically dispersed oil by Corexit 9500 with physically dispersed oil, and (2) determine whether the addition of nutrient affects the biodegradation rates of dispersed oil. The seawater samples (~ 6.5 g/L i.e. brackish water) were collected from Prince William Sound, Alaska. The biodegradation of Endicott oil was investigated for a period of 42 days under high nutrient (HN) (addition of 100 mg NO3-N/L and 10 mg PO4-P/L to background brackish water) and low nutrient (LN) (background brackish water) treatments. In the physically dispersed microcosms, oil biodegradation remained negligible for both HN and LN treatments. However, in the chemically dispersed oil microcosms, 24% and 14% of the total oil biodegraded in the HN (initial concentration= 0.304±0.095 g/L) and LN (initial concentration= 0.298±0.041 g/L) treatments within two weeks, respectively. These results demonstrated that the use of chemical dispersants coupled with nutrient addition can accelerate oil biodegradation. These findings can help develop better bioremediation strategies for addressing oil spills in the sea by focusing on simultaneous operations for rapid oil dispersion and stimulation of microbial growth through the availability of nutrients.