Consensus Building in Oil Spill Response Planning Using a Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation

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.

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National Oil Spill Response Planning in the U.S.S.R.: Principal Conceptions and Objectives

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1991-1-3 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 1991 (1) ◽

pp. 3-5

Author(s):

O. Khalimonov ◽

S. Nunuparov

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Data Bank ◽

Effective Utilization ◽

Contingency Plan ◽

Response Planning ◽

Wide Range ◽

International Monitoring ◽

Oil Spill Response ◽

System Data

ABSTRACT International and domestic experience in the response to major oil spills at sea confirms the vital necessity of a national contingency plan to guarantee effective utilization of national resources and those of assisting countries and organizations. Experience in responding to recent major oil spills underlines deficiencies connected with the shortage of technical means and also with ineffective organization of the response and cooperation of all parties involved. This results in unjustifiable delays in decision making and, finally, in catastrophic damages to the environment. The main principles of the U.S.S.R. national oil spill response plan, currently under consideration for approval, are as follows:involvement of a wide range of national forces and forces of the neighboring countries under preliminary agreed-upon schemes;strengthening and development of appropriate legal instruments to stipulate obligations of the parties involved in pollution response operations;development of a mechanism to reduce impediments to financial, technical, and related agreements required prior to commencement of operations (sources of finances, preliminary approval of the response technology by competent authorities, facilitation of custom procedures);unification of the structure of the U.S.S.R national contingency plan with a view to making it compatible with corresponding plans of neighboring countries following the prototype developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO);cooperation in the establishment of the international monitoring system, data bank, and computerized exchange of information.

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Bering Straits Oil Spill Response Planning-Developing Geographic Response Strategies on Saint Lawrence Island Using Local and Indigenous Knowledge

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2014-1-300212.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (1) ◽

pp. 300212

Author(s):

Mark Janes ◽

Larry Iwamoto

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Oil Spill ◽

Response Strategies ◽

Response Planning ◽

Oil Spill Response

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An Application of Worst Case Scenario Concept in Oil Spill Response Planning for Offshore Drilling Operation in Brazil

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2003-1-371 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 2003 (1) ◽

pp. 371-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hélder O. Ferreira ◽

Alexandre Cabrai ◽

Álvaro Souza Junior

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Competent Authority ◽

Offshore Drilling ◽

Case Scenario ◽

Worst Case ◽

Response Planning ◽

Oil Spill Modeling ◽

Oil Spill Response ◽

Under Construction

ABSTRACT The Brazilian oil and gas E&P sector has been experiencing important changes since the end of the state monopoly in 1998. These changes include a new regulatory environment which is still under construction, in particular the requirements for environmental protection. In this context, Resolution 293 of Brazilian National Environmental Council (CONAMA) was enacted regulating Facility Response Plans for oil spill incidents. These plans, which should be approved by the competent authority, include a vulnerability analysis that should discuss the probability of oil reaching certain areas as well as the environmental sensitivity of these areas. Oil spill modeling is an important tool to estimating the areas likely to be affected by an oil spill. Although oil spill modeling is also part of the environmental studies required in the environmental permitting process for oil E&P activities, there are not well defined criteria to compose the oil spill scenarios to be modeled. In order to demonstrate the impacts of different approaches in the results of oil spill modeling, a case study is presented related to an offshore drilling activity.

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Addressing the Uncertainty and Requirements for Oil Spill Response Consultations

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2014.1.1881 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (1) ◽

pp. 1881-1898 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bradford Benggio ◽

Debra Scholz ◽

Dave Anderson ◽

Joseph Dillon ◽

Greg Masson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

Oil Spill ◽

The United States ◽

Federal Agencies ◽

Hazardous Substances ◽

Federal State ◽

Consultation Process ◽

Planning Stage ◽

Response Planning ◽

Oil Spill Response

ABSTRACT In the United States (U.S.), oil spill response planning, preparedness, and response requirements are dictated primarily by the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, a regulation that implements the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. At the planning stage, these regulations require the development of national, regional, and local response capabilities and promote overall coordination among responders. During a spill, these capabilities are utilized by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) to analyze whether response actions are likely to impact protected resources. The consultation process required under Federal statutes, charges the FOSC to consult with Federal, state, Tribal entities, and other Federal agencies to determine potential effects of response actions during an incident and to develop strategies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those effects (40 CFR § 300.135(j); § 300.305(e); and § 300.322(a), 1994). Consultations should continue until response operations are concluded and may continue after operations are complete. Four key regulatory mandates that require an FOSC to initiate consultation during a response include:Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended requires consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on federally listed species and designated critical habitats;Magnuson-Stevens Act requires consultation with NMFS on any action that may affect Essential Fish Habitats;National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended requires Federal agencies to consult with states, federally recognized tribes, and other stakeholders on potential impacts to historic and cultural resources; andTribal Consultations under Executive Order 13175 – Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments when federally recognized Indian Tribes and their interests are affected by a response. Consultation is also required under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act when Native American burial sites, human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or items of cultural patrimony are identified on Federal or Tribal lands during a response and no pre-consultation plan of action has been developed.1 Consultation requirements are not universally understood, leading to uncertainty and inconsistencies across the response community and Trustees regarding when to initiate and how to conduct the consultations. This paper discusses the Federal consultation requirements and identifies areas of possible uncertainties in the consultation process throughout the pre-spill planning, response, and post-response phases of an incident. This paper will suggest resolutions and recommendations to further enhance the consultation process by the Federal spill response decision-makers and planning bodies.

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OIL SPILL RESPONSE RESEARCH: A GOOD INVESTMENT?1

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1997-1-719 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 1997 (1) ◽

pp. 719-721 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elmer P. Danenberger

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Research Funding ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Total Response ◽

Careful Planning ◽

Response Planning ◽

Good Investment ◽

Research Expenditures ◽

Oil Spill Response ◽

Government Research

ABSTRACT The Nation's commitment to oil-spill response research can be measured by comparing research expenditures with response planning and oil spill costs. Total response planning and preparedness costs are estimated at $295 million to $440 million per year. Total costs for an oil spill can be as high as $570 per gallon, with spills such as the Valdez spill costing an estimated $6 billion. These costs vastly exceed the estimated 1996 industry and government research expenditures of $1 million and $5 million, respectively. Other significant national costs could possibly be reduced by improving spill response capabilities. Sustained research funding accompanied by careful planning and coordination could substantially reduce the national costs associated with oil spills and increase the benefits of response planning programs.

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