Oil Spill Dispersant Effectiveness Protocol.  I: Impact of Operational Variables

AbstractThe increasing oil demand and busy waterways highlight the importance of oil spill preparedness and responses. Dispersants attract attention as an effective response tool to manage the impacts of major spill incidents. Despite in-depth laboratory evaluations on the effectiveness of chemical dispersants and their impacts on the transportation and fate of spilled oils, how dispersant works at sea remains a question and calls for the tests with greater realism to validate laboratory results, bring in energy impacts, and evaluate dispersant application equipment. Mesoscale studies and field trials have thus been widely conducted to assist better spill response operations. Such research attempts, however, lack a systematic summary. This study tried to fill the knowledge gaps by introducing the mesoscale facilities developed to advance the understanding of dispersant effectiveness on various sea conditions. An up-to-date overview of mesoscale studies and field trial assessments of dispersant effectiveness has also been conducted. We ended this review by highlighting the importance of public perception and future research needs to promote the approval and application of dispersants in spill incidents.

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Test Method for Laboratory Oil Spill Dispersant Effectiveness Using the Swirling Flask

10.1520/f2059-00 ◽

2000 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Test Method ◽

Dispersant Effectiveness

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AN EVALUATION OF OIL SPILL DISPERSANT TESTING REQUIREMENTS

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1981-1-5 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 1981 (1) ◽

pp. 5-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

R. T. Rewick ◽

K. A. Sabo ◽

J. Gates ◽

J. H. Smith ◽

L. T. McCarthy

Keyword(s):

Interfacial Tension ◽

Oil Spill ◽

Relative Effectiveness ◽

Product Evaluation ◽

Mixing Energy ◽

Fuel Oils ◽

Testing Data ◽

Ranking Order ◽

Dispersant Effectiveness ◽

Time Required

ABSTRACT We have evaluated a number of laboratory tests of dispersant effectiveness using commercial oil spill products and No. 2 and No. 6 fuel oils. The tests-the EPA, Mackay/Steelman, Russian, French, Warren Spring, and an interfacial tension method developed at SRI-are reviewed in terms of type, scale, method of applying mixing energy, and the time required to conduct a product evaluation. The experimental results, compared in terms of the precision of the test data and the effectiveness ranking order of the six nonionic dispersants, demonstrate that the relative effectiveness found for the dispersants varies appreciably as a function of the testing method. Reasons for the variations are discussed and recommendations are presented on how to achieve dispersant testing data that are more representative of real-world conditions. Of the six testing methods evaluated, the EPA, Mackay/Steelman, and the interfacial tension methods are the most amenable to improvement.

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Studies in support of the regulation of dispersant use in the Kazakhstan Sector of the Caspian Sea (KSCS)

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2014.1.463 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (1) ◽

pp. 463-475 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zh. A. Kulekeyev ◽

G.Kh. Nurtayeva ◽

E.S. Mustafin ◽

A. M. Pudov ◽

Gani Zharikessov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Caspian Sea ◽

Test Methods ◽

Test Method ◽

State University ◽

The Caspian Sea ◽

The World ◽

Oil Spill Dispersants ◽

Dispersant Effectiveness ◽

The Uk

ABSTRACT The use of oil spill dispersants is often regulated by national authorities to ensure that products approved for use as dispersants on spilled oil in national waters are of reasonable effectiveness and of low inherent toxicity. KING (Kazakh Institute of Oil & Gas) undertook a study to assess the use of oil spill dispersants on spilled oils in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea (KSCS) to support decision-making for such regulations in the RoK (Republic of Kazakhstan). The KSCS has some characteristics that are unlike open ocean conditions in other parts of the world; the salinity is much lower than in the open sea. The shallow waters of the northern Caspian Sea have very low salinity (9 psu (practical salinity units) or less) due to the inflow of freshwater from the River Volga, and are frozen in winter. The deeper water in the southern part of the KSCS has a salinity of up to 14 psu. The effectiveness of oil spill dispersants is known to be affected by water salinity. Different countries around the world have developed different test methods to assess dispersant effectiveness. The project examined the options and decided to modify the WSL (Warren Spring Laboratory) LR 448 dispersant effectiveness test method, as used in the UK. The method was adapted by KING and testing was conducted by Karaganda State University (KSU) to test a variety of dispersants under Caspian Sea conditions. Dispersant effectiveness testing should be conducted with a test oil that is representative of oils that might be spilled in the area being considered. Kashagan crude oil was distilled to 200°C to simulate the evaporative loss that would occur shortly after the oil was spilled at sea and the residue used as the test oil in the dispersant effectiveness testing. Several commercially-available dispersants were tested using the modified LR 448 method with the 200°C+ Kashagan test oil under a variety of conditions with salinities ranging from 0 psu to 35 psu and at temperatures of 5°C and 25°C. The results indicate that some internationally recognized dispersants could be suitable for use in the KSCS.

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