ABSTRACT
An experimental oil spill in Svalbard, Norway, quantified the effectiveness of selected in situ shoreline treatment options to accelerate natural oil removal processes on mixed-sediment shorelines. A total of 5500 L of IF-30 oil was applied on the upper beach at three experimental sites. Treatment and control plots were established within the continuous stretch of each oiled shoreline. Two of the experimental sites were used to assess the treatment technique of sediment relocation. Monitoring was conducted over a 60-day period to quantify oil removal and to document changes in beach physical character, oil penetration, movement of oil to the subtidal environment, toxicity and oil biodegradation.
Findings demonstrate and quantify that mechanical relocation of oiled sediments significantly accelerated the rate of oil removal. Oil released by sediment relocation treatments did not elevate toxicity in the nearshore environment to unacceptable levels, nor did it result in consequential along shore or nearshore sediment oiling. Microscopic observations and image analyses confirmed that the Oil-Fine Interactions (OFI) process was active and was increased by sediment relocation.
