bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION OF A HEAVY OIL SPILL INTO GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS
Authors: Kennedy Alan , Sikstrom Calvin 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The Cold Lake Production Project is located in northern Alberta, Canada. The project currently produces approximately 15,000 cubic meters of heavy oil per day. Production involves the injection of steam at very high pressure and temperature into the reservoir to reduce the viscosity of the heavy oil (the steam phase). The oil is then pumped to the surface through the same well bore in which the steam is delivered (the production phase). The process is termed “cyclic steam stimulation.”
During the winter of 1995 a series of six well casings under steam failed and released approximately 55,000 cubic meters of material to the environment. The material was a mixture of oil, saline produced water, and solids, including shale, glacial till, sand, and clay. The failures occurred at various depths from 95 to 250 meters below ground and traveled upward to the surface. The spill affected two local groundwater aquifers.
This paper describes the Cold Lake heavy oil production process, and then the chronology of events that resulted in the T-pad casing failure incident. Impact assessment methods, including surface geophysics, piezometer well installation, groundwater quality data collection, and contaminant fate and effects modeling, are presented, as well as remediation techniques. Much was learned from the T-pad incident regarding oil contamination within the groundwater aquifer systems.
LEAK DETECTION AND LEAK LOCATION IN UNDERGROUND PIPELINES1
Authors: Tafuri Anthony N. , Yezzi James J. , Watts Daniel J. , Carlyle John M. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The use of passive acoustic techniques to detect and locate leaks in underground pipelines that carry pressurized liquids is being investigated in a joint research program between the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Acoustic techniques permit more cost-effective, timely, and accurate leak detection and location than currently established techniques, such as methodologies based on volumetric changes and others based on pressure loss. An experimental facility for determining the capabilities and limitations of improved leak detection and leak location methods based on advanced acoustic principles is being developed at the EPA's research facility in Edison, New Jersey. Four representative pipeline systems will be installed and evaluated: one typical of the petrochemical industry, one typical of a navy/air force hydrant refueling system, one typical of an army central heating system, and a fourth typical of pipelines associated with low-level liquid wastes at DOE facilities. Results of acoustic experiments on an existing 2-inch-diameter test line have indicated that the fundamental theory behind passive acoustic leak detection and location is solid. Several different acoustic leak detection and location methods have been explored to date; data have been produced by all of the techniques, proving their usefulness.
NORTHERN SAUDI COASTAL RECOVERY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE GULF OIL SPILL
Authors: Allen Kent W. , Williams Ronald O. , Kattan Yasser M. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The authors carried out a series of four beach surveys during a 3-year, 8-month period along 200 kilometers of coastline on the western Arabian to monitor effects of the Gulf War oil spill. The surveys were basically qualitative, but semiquantitative information was collected at 44 sites during the last three surveys. Assessments were based on a scheme that classified the impact level at the 44 sites into four hierarchical categories. The last three surveys were compared to demonstrate any improvement between surveys as well as to document the general prevailing conditions regarding bio- or mechanical degradation, persistence, and mobilization of the oil. The source of the oil was verified through laboratory analysis. The oil apparently became highly mobile during the hot summer months 15 months after the spill, and the levels of contamination were redistributed at the 44 selected sites. The trend during the overall study was toward improving conditions. The areas most impacted remain the low-energy back bays and the low-relief salt marsh habitats. The team members concluded that allowing natural degradation was effective in this remote coastal area. A pilot study is under way to determine the effectiveness of controlled breakup of the hard oil crusts that persist at some back bay locations.
OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY AND RESPONSE (OSCAR) MODEL SYSTEM: SENSITIVITY STUDIES
Authors: Aamo Ole Morten , Reed Mark , Downing Keith 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
OSCAR, an integrated system of models and databases, has undergone a sensitivity analysis as part of a calibration and testing program. A total of 48 simulations was performed in this sensitivity study, which focused on selected parameters that may directly or indirectly influence environmental evaluations: spreading, response actions, and threshold concentration for biological effects. The main conclusions from the study are as follows:The spreading coefficient, K, is a key parameter in calculating areal coverage and mass balance.The number of particles used to represent an oil slick has a minor influence on the mass balance, to the extent that it has an influence on the simulation of response actions.In calm weather, the effectiveness of mechanical cleanup only slightly affects the total amount of oil collected, but is decisive for the rate at which oil is collected. At higher wind speeds, the total amount of oil collected becomes a strong function of effectiveness.The amount of oil that is chemically dispersed by helicopter is more dependent on the delay due to trips for refueling and refilling than on the effectiveness of the dispersant.Oil spill response actions from boats may be sensitive to the number of particles used to represent the surface slick, depending on the search strategy specified. Response from aircraft is not sensitive to particle number.In the simulations performed here, the threshold concentration for biological effects only influences the fraction offish eggs and larvae in the interval 0 to 40 ppb-hours.
The sensitivity study has shown the model to be numerically robust. The importance of specifying realistic search strategies for response vessels has also been made clear.
EMERGING LATIN AMERICAN OIL SPILL REGULATION
Authors: Hosmer Alicia Watts , Ijjasz Ede J. , Fairweather Gwen 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Environmental regulation in Latin America is currently undergoing radical change. In response to an increase in environmental awareness, internal pressures (including privatization of state-owned monopolies), and external standards (such as those of the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA] Environmental Side Agreement and ISO 14000), a large number of Latin American countries have passed or will soon pass new environmental legislation. Although much of this legislation aims to develop or strengthen the general environmental frameworks of these countries, there are many emerging Latin American regulations and initiatives that deal specifically with oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response.
As a first step toward understanding the impacts that these oil spill regulations and initiatives will have for individual Latin American countries and the region, this paper seeks to identify and explore the current forces driving the increase in oil spill regulation in Latin America; examine some new oil spill regulatory initiatives taking place in individual countries, including Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia; review relevant international treaties and regional initiatives; and discuss anticipated future trends for the region as a whole.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR OF ORIMULSION® SPILLED ON WATER1
Authors: Ostazeski Stanley A. , Macomber Scott C. , Roberts Lyle G. , Uhler Allen D. , Bitting Kenneth R. , Hiltabrand Robert 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Orimulsion is a slurry of 70% bitumen emulsified and stabilized in water. For some electric utility companies Orimulsion has been successfully marketed as a cost-effective alternative to traditional heavy fuels used as feedstock for the generation of electric power. Battelle Ocean Sciences has investigated the fate and behavior of Orimulsion spilled in water using a tiered approach that has included laboratory physical and chemical characterization studies as well as meso-scale (flume) studies conducted with both fresh water and seawater. The chemical analysis of the bitumen obtained from fresh Orimulsion indicates that the bitumen is a highly weathered product. The chromatographic results obtained from the bitumen are characterized by an absence of alkanes and a weathered distribution of the petrogenic aromatic hydrocarbons. Flume studies conducted in seawater demonstrate that after an Orimulsion release the coalescence of the bitumen occurs rapidly. In seawater the bitumen droplets were observed to increase in size from a mean droplet size of approximately 12 pm in diameter to approximately 140 pm in diameter following 8 hours of exposure. Coincident with the bitumen coalescence, bitumen is removed from the water column through the formation of a surface slick. In flume studies conducted with fresh water the bitumen dispersed and the mean particle size remained approximately 12 μm.
ARE AUTOMATED SPILL RESPONSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS OVERKILL?
Authors: McCreery Scott L. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Automated spill response management systems (ASRMSs) represent a significant step forward in oil spill response management. They combine a group of computer software tools that allow members of the spill management team to gather and share data and assimilate information more efficiently and effectively, automating information management within the framework of the response organizational structure. They also allow a broad range of electronic information to be depicted graphically in a geo-referenced mapping system so as to display a clear picture of the incident situation to the unified commanders and the public. However, efforts by the software development industry to introduce ASRMSs to the spill response community have been marked by defeat. The author, who has been involved in the development of several ASRMSs, sees this as a function of reluctance on the part of the oil industry and the oil spill response industry to accept new ways of managing a spill response. The author also views these failures as resulting from the temptation of software developers to build big, expensive ASRMSs that attempt to be all things to all people.
KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY—OR CAN WE?
Authors: Stankovich Gary J. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Is technology developing faster than it can be effectively used and managed in oil spill planning and response? Satellite communications, global positioning systems (GPS), geographical information systems (GIS), and advanced spill management computer software, to name a few technologies, are currently available to the response community—and more is on the way. This paper will discuss some successes and pitfalls of new technology implementation in emergency management teams. Questions regarding how technology is selected, tested, and implemented will be raised from the perspective of a purchaser or implementer rather than that of a technology developer or provider. Discussion will also include the practical experiences of a spill management team in its attempts to use some of the latest technologies. Finally, suggestions that may lead to more practical and effective selection and use of new technologies are presented.
DEVELOPING A GLOBAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BEING PREPARED TO RESPOND TO MARINE POLLUTION SPILLS1
Authors: Slater Joseph Edward , Murray Patrick J. , Troy Steven A. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
On May 13, 1995, the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, 1990 (OPRC) of the International Maritime Organization (1MO) came into force. The main objectives of the OPRC are to facilitate international cooperation and mutual assistance in preparing for and responding to major oil pollution incidents and to encourage states to develop and maintain the capability to deal with oil pollution emergencies. The functions assigned to the Oil Pollution Coordination Center located in IMO's Marine Environment Division include providing information services, education and training, technical services, and technical assistance to states. The OPRC convention obliges governments to establish a program of exercises for oil pollution response organizations and training of relevant personnel. It also called on IMO to develop a comprehensive training program in cooperation with interested governments and industry.
This paper discusses the progress achieved in the development of the training program, which consists of the IMO model courses on marine pollution preparedness and response, and gives an overview of its implementation strategy.
THE USE OF EVENT TREES IN OIL SPILL PREVENTION APPLICATIONS1
Authors: Novack Steven D. , Siu Nathan O. , Hill Susan G. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
This paper investigates the applicability of event tree analysis, a method for identifying and analyzing potential accident scenarios, to the problem of oil spill prevention. It is shown that when a generic set of safety functions (identified from an analysis of 10 oil spill case studies) is used, event trees do provide an accurate and useful representation of the sequences of events leading up to and following an oil spill. Possible insights resulting from an event tree analysis and particular insights from the case studies are discussed.
EDIBLE OILS: ARE THEY REALLY THAT DIFFERENT?
Authors: Rigger Don 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Congress passed the Edible Oils Regulatory Reform Act (EORRA) requiring regulatory agencies to differentiate between edible oils and petroleum oils when developing regulations because of the perception that edible oils are less toxic and less persistent. Recent EPA responses to vegetable oil spills on inland waters have highlighted some similarities and distinctions between edible oil spills and the more common petroleum oil spills.
This paper looks at this issue broadly and focuses on the underlying premise of the EORRA that edible oils are less harmful and therefore should be regulated less rigorously than other classifications of oil. The paper discusses observations made during spill cleanup operations and examines the practical matter of cleaning up edible oil spills. The paper will also make recommendations for additional research that would benefit the response community.
THE EVOLUTION OF MARINE FIRE-FIGHTING CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND EXERCISING AT THE MARINE SAFETY OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY
Authors: Bateman V. Frank , Montoro Donald P. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Because no one entity has the resources to deal with a major vessel fire, contingency planning and exercising within the port community are critical. Achieving the highest level of response readiness is an evolutionary process made more difficult by today's fiscal constraints on both government and industry. This paper will discuss the steps taken over the last 15 years (workshops, table-top exercises, hands-on drills) to develop a comprehensive marine fire-fighting contingency plan that was tested during a recent area PREP exercise. The PREP drill scenario involved a collision between two vessels that resulted in a large spill and fire well away from shoreside access. Participants included over 200 personnel representing 50 federal, state, and local agencies.
Shipboard flammable liquid fires are never easy to extinguish; however, the degree of difficulty escalates exponentially when an event does not occur pierside with adequate access for local fire departments. Mutual aid agreements and state-of-the-art response strategies and equipment are essential to resolving this unique situation. Proper use of the incident command system helps ensure smooth, efficient waterside command and control of the fire attack assets. Special logistics systems and staging techniques need to be developed to bring adequate water and foam delivery (8000+ gpm) resources to bear on an away-from-shore incident. These requirements were shown to be well within the response capabilities of the San Francisco Bay fire-fighting community when dedicated fireboats and vessels-of-opportunity were converted to foam master stream delivery platforms.
DEVELOPMENT OF A DISPERSANT DOCTRINE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO
Authors: Calhoun CAPT James W. , Glenn CDR Stephan P. , Henderson LCDR Lynn M. , Duncan Welcome T. , Johnson Cheryl 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
To minimize the environmental damage caused by catastrophic oil spills, the response community must work together to keep spilled oil from impacting sensitive areas and natural resources. Since no response method is 100% effective, it is essential to consider the use of all available cleanup methods simultaneously. Preapproval for the use of dispersants by on-scene coordinators (OSCs) is necessary to maximize the benefits of dispersant application in a major coastal oil spill, and such preapproval is the responsibility of federal and state agencies.
Over the past several years, the petrochemical industry, the response community, and the Region VI Regional Response Team (RRT VI)1 have studied the efficacy of various cleanup technologies. On the basis of their findings, in January 1995 RRT VI gave OSCs authority to use dispersants off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana under specific conditions. This was a significant shift from past philosophies, under which OSCs relied almost exclusively on mechanical recovery methods. Concurrently, industry has developed reliable and dedicated resources for the aerial application of dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico and has strategically located stockpiles of dispersants throughout the Gulf region. Delivery aircraft and trained controllers have been retained by industry to maintain a readiness and response posture that will maximize the effectiveness of an aerial application.
INVESTIGATION OF THE NATURAL CLEANUP MECHANISM OF SPILLED OIL IN SEA
Authors: Yakabe Yoshikuni , Kusumoto Ken-ichi , Takeuchi Shin-ich , Hasegawa Etsuko 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
A field survey of the Wakaura Bay oil spill and a laboratory biodegradability test of weathered crude oil were carried out to understand the natural cleanup mechanism of oil spilled in the sea. The petroleum hydrocarbons were eliminated from the intertidal sediment to nearly the same level as the uncontaminated sediment within 1 year. The elimination rates of both n-alkanes and branched alkanes were faster than those of the aromatic compounds. More than 20 times higher concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons than those in the uncontaminated organism were observed in the bivalve Septifer virgatus at the spill sites after 1 month. These petroleum hydrocarbons were eliminated from the organisms to nearly the same level as those in uncontaminated organisms within 1 year. The elimination rates of n-alkanes and alkylated naphthalenes were faster than those of other compounds, and the rate of alkylated dibenzothiophenes was slower.
A laboratory biodegradability test was conducted by using seawater collected from the spill site to examine the importance of biodegradability in the natural cleanup of spilled oil. The overall ultimate biodegradability estimated from oxygen consumption was 58% in 56 days. The oil constituents, except for the high-molecular-weight aromatics, were completely biodegraded within 56 days. The biodegradation rate increased in the following order: n-alkanes, alkylated naphthalenes, alkylated benzothiophenes &gt; branched/cyclic alkanes &gt; alkylated phenanthrene/anthracene, alkylated dibenzothiophene &gt; high-molecular-weight aromatics.
It was concluded that Wakaura Bay was purified of the oil found in the sediment and benthic organisms within 1 year and that biodegradation played the most important role in the purification process.
SHARING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREVENTION AND RESPONSE WITH YOUR TRADING PARTNERS1
Authors: Sample Michael J. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 designates vessel and facility owners and operators as the “responsible parties” for cleaning up oil spills. This is true even if the spill was caused by someone else. OPA liability is “strict;” there is no need to show fault on the part of the “responsible party.”
Other parties, such as cargo owners, vessel charterers, and terminal operators, although not obligated to respond under OPA, may find themselves pressured to assist in a response out of fear of liability under state law or out of concern for protecting their “license to operate.” This potential exposure has provided an incentive for cargo owners to select safe operators to transport their cargoes, for terminal operators to screen the vessels calling at their facilities, and so on.
If an OPA responsible party is responding to a spill that it did not cause, or if a “nonresponsible party” joins the response effort, such a party should take steps to protect itself against the liabilities associated with spill response and to position itself to recover its response costs. This paper discusses those protective measures, as well as OPA's cost recovery provisions and the contractual rights of cost recovery that may exist in charter parties and other contracts between trading partners. Although the focus is on U.S. law, especially OPA, some of the situations discussed and the proposed protective measures may be applicable to those doing business elsewhere in the world.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: NEW STRATEGIES FOR COMPANIES OPERATING IN DEVELOPING NATIONS
Authors: Armstrong Louis J. , James Steven E. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
As oil exploration and development move into less developed countries, many companies are faced with the problem of environmental compliance. New countries, such as Azerbaijan, and rapidly developing countries, such as Indonesia, have the potential to change the structure of oil supply and demand in the future, but have not yet fully developed the environmental parameters that will govern oil and gas operations. Environmental managers of companies doing business or considering investing in these new markets now have new environmental issues to consider. The types of issues often encountered include the following:Should companies apply the same environmental standards and environmental management to their activities in less developed countries as they do in their own country?How do companies protect themselves from evolving and changing regulations in developing nations?What is the role of Western companies in transferring environmental technologies to developing nations?
To answer these questions, companies need to apply new techniques for understanding environmental regulations. They need to not only collect information on applicable environmental rules and regulations but also understand the history or background of the regulations; the external forces, both regional and international, driving the regulations; the institutional capabilities of the regulatory bodies; and the regulatory standards being applied by their peers.
Once the regulatory climate is understood, companies need to develop a strong environmental management strategy that should include, incorporate, or allow for the development of an environmental management system; the prioritization of short-term liabilities, such as oil spills or accidental releases; the development and application of appropriate standards when none exist; and the development and implementation of an institutional strengthening program.