The Technology Windows-of-Opportunity Oil Spill Response Strategy

2002 ◽  
pp. 289-324
Author(s):  
Barbara E. Ornitz ◽  
Michael A. Champ
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6585
Author(s):  
Mihhail Fetissov ◽  
Robert Aps ◽  
Floris Goerlandt ◽  
Holger Jänes ◽  
Jonne Kotta ◽  
...  

The Baltic Sea is a unique and sensitive brackish-water ecosystem vulnerable to damage from shipping activities. Despite high levels of maritime safety in the area, there is a continued risk of oil spills and associated harmful environmental impacts. Achieving common situational awareness between oil spill response decision makers and other actors, such as merchant vessel and Vessel Traffic Service center operators, is an important step to minimizing detrimental effects. This paper presents the Next-Generation Smart Response Web (NG-SRW), a web-based application to aid decision making concerning oil spill response. This tool aims to provide, dynamically and interactively, relevant information on oil spills. By integrating the analysis and visualization of dynamic spill features with the sensitivity of environmental elements and value of human uses, the benefits of potential response actions can be compared, helping to develop an appropriate response strategy. The oil spill process simulation enables the response authorities to judge better the complexity and dynamic behavior of the systems and processes behind the potential environmental impact assessment and thereby better control the oil combat action.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 (1) ◽  
pp. 767-773
Author(s):  
Hilary Hoagland-Grey ◽  
David Archer

ABSTRACT The opening of Eastern Europe to western companies has created a need for international cooperation between these companies and Eastern European governments. This new relationship presents a particular challenge for the oil industry as well as an opportunity for emerging governments to benefit from western companies’ experience. In 1993, Texaco Offshore Bulgaria submitted the first western oil spill response plan for the Bulgarian Black Sea. This paper presents a case study based on Dames & Moore's preparation of this plan. The plan was prepared in cooperation with the Bulgarian government, and included public discussions. It joined the country's existing response resources with Texaco's existing international response strategy. The result was a plan combining local knowledge and support and western capability and experience. This paper outlines the issues addressed in the plan. One critical point discussed below is that of protecting tourist beaches, which are an essential part of the Bulgarian economy. The paper concludes with a discussion of how cooperation between western industry and Eastern European government can result in successful oil spill response planning and help identify key factors for both attaining and maintaining preparedness in the face of the new challenges.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-328
Author(s):  
Julian Roberts ◽  
Alain Lamarche

ABSTRACT The Maritime Safety Authority of New Zealand (MSA) has a mandate to promote a safe and clean marine environment and to provide an effective marine pollution response capability. As part of its obligations, the MSA is responsible for the New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Response Strategy and the preparation of a National Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Tier 3 spill events (Maritime Transport Act 1994, S.283). The MSA is currently working on the design of an extensive coastal information database—including information such as marine and natural resource inventories and coastal human-built infrastructures—that can be mapped in a GIS system. A customised toolset is also being developed to streamline the management of the database. The benefits of GIS-based information management systems in oil spill response have been demonstrated by a number of overseas response agencies. However, many of these rely on discrete components or only fulfil specific individual requirements, such as the provision of coastal resource information. Having reviewed these approaches, New Zealand has embarked on the development of a more integrated and comprehensive oil spill information management system that will deliver a broad range of applications and serve to provide a framework for the seamless management and reporting of all the types of data that are generated throughout the life cycle of an oil spill response. The system combines GIS and database technology. It includes field survey management support, as well as automated treatment mechanisms to produce reports and maps to support planning and operations. The system also integrates a pre-spill shoreline segmentation database. The benefits of such a system will include the recording and presentation of all types of response data that is more responsive to the needs of operational decision makers; the ability to better track the progress of spill cleanup activities in both a temporal and spatial context; and the generation of customised reports to assist in cost recovery claims on termination of response activities.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 1099-1103
Author(s):  
Erich R. Gundlach ◽  
Murat Cekirge ◽  
Robert Castle ◽  
Hamish Reid ◽  
Paul Sutherland

ABSTRACT The BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan) Project includes a 42 in (107 cm) crude oil pipeline extending west from the Caspian Sea across Azerbaijan (433 km, 260 mi), through Georgia (250 km, 150 mi), and then southward through eastern Turkey (1076 km, 645 mi) to a new marine terminal at Ceyhan on the Mediterranean Sea. In Turkey, the pipeline crosses significant mountainous terrain (>2800 m, 8,500 ft), several major rivers as well as five fault zones. The marine terminal includes 7 storage tanks and a 2.7 km (1.6 mi) jetty able to handle two 300,000-dwt tankers simultaneously. The system is designed to transport 1 million barrels per day (∼145,000 t/day). The oil spill contingency plan is designed to protect sensitive areas, catchment basins, and to prevent the migration of spilled oil. Sensitive features were determined by pre-construction surveys and risk analyses, and updated by additional fieldwork focusing on the potential movement and impacts of spilled oil. Response guidelines based on risk and logistics determined the location of equipment depots and the level of equipment necessary to recover Tier 2 spill volumes. Pipeline equipment and depots are selected to rapidly recover spilled oil and to prevent its downslope and downstream movement. The marine response strategy focuses on protection of adjacent lagoons by on-water containment at the berthing area using an oil spill response vessel (OSRV), tugboats, and other workboats, and various lengths and types of booms, skimmers and storage capabilities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 2017282
Author(s):  
Aaron Montgomery ◽  
Dennis Peach

It is widely understood that oil spill training is a key facet to preparedness but does the current global training curriculum meet the needs of exploration and production? And how do we ensure any training meets a suitable basic standard. Many operators lean towards the IMO's suite of oil spill response focussed courses, however due to the need for any changes to be agreed by member states courses are slow to be updated. In addition to this the courses are heavily focused on shipping and furthermore the IMO are not an accrediting body. Some organisations do offer accreditation of these courses but they are accredited against a national equivalent standard, again focussing on shipping, not ideal for exploration and production operations outside the country of national equivalence. The largely shipping approach towards the existing globally focussed training curriculum also poses a challenge as source control of an incident alters from a defined amount and duration to an undetermined amount and duration as well as being outside. This then requires a different approach to managing response strategy and some of the applied techniques for response. Some regions offer specific exploration and production training structures such as The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) in the United Kingdom. Some offer generic training which meets the needs of both shipping, exploration and production and a wider audience such as HAZWOPER in the United States but again, both these examples are regional and do not conform to a harmonised global approach to oil spill response training for exploration and production. This abstract seeks to explore the existing training regimes, the areas that they cover and standards to which quality of training is measured against. It points towards a suggestion that industry is well set up for global training to shipping incidents but lacks a common approach and standards to which training for incidents involving exploration and production is delivered. Given the current and future level of exploration and production activity the question we need to ask is: “Shouldn't we have a dedicated harmonised global training curriculum to oil spill response training for global exploration and production activities?”


2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (1) ◽  
pp. 813-816
Author(s):  
Archie Smith ◽  
Lindsay Mead

ABSTRACT Over the years the oil industry has invested significantly in strategically placed oil spill response centres and continues to fund them. Oil spill response strategy has historically been based around the tiered response structure which favours these stockpiles. When first positioned, the major risks were in oil tanker traffic and the headline accidents, with major oil company names attached, warranted their future A number of the oil majors have since moved out of shipping and the services provided have changed from the simple “fire station” service to the delivery of a range of training, consultancy and other services. This increases awareness and helps mitigate the impact of spills, but also changes the nature and expectations of the centres. A similar change in the end user, with ever greater need to protect major exploration, production and development programmes inevitably shifts the requirement to a need for more substantive tier two facilities close to these locations. Does this shift in requirements necessitate a shift in the thinking regarding the international tier 3 centres, should they continue in their current format or is more change needed? This paper explores these issues and looks in detail at what changes could come about and how they could add value. The paper analyses the cost and value of current global populace of the centres and attempts to quantify the benefit of change to the industry.


1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 993-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Champ ◽  
Atle B. Nordvik ◽  
James L. Simmons

ABSTRACT This paper discusses a newly developed scientific and engineering planning and decision-making tool, the technology windows-of-opportunity concept, and how it can be used for marine oil spill contingency planning, response, education, and training on a global basis. The “windows-of-opportunity” approach provides a common foundation for the development of a rapid and cost-effective tool for oil spill contingency planning and spill response decision making. It is intended for use by state and federal agencies, response planners, cleanup organizations (responders), insurance companies, tanker owners, and transporters. The “windows” concept has the potential for significant environmental and cost benefits in spill response. It will provide policymakers and decision makers with a scientifically based and documented “tool” in oil spill response that has not been available before.


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