Electromagnetic imaging of a fuel oil spill at Sandia/CA

ABSTRACT A fundamental problem exists with waste disposal in marine-based oil spill clean up, as up to ten times more waste can be generated than the actual oil spilled. Lessons learnt are rarely recognised until the clean up operation has finished and oiled waste has accumulated. In 1999 the oil tanker Erika broke in two and sank off the coast of Brittany, France. Spilling 20,000 tonnes of Heavy Fuel Oil but creating 250,000 tonnes of oiled waste. The Author, during the Prestige spill has observed first hand how the handling and disposal of oily waste can have major implications for oil clean up operations. It can hinder the entire operation by causing bottlenecks and delays in further recovery of oil, unless suitable arrangements can be made. The promotion of a holistic approach to waste management is fundamental to effective oil recovery operations and should be incorporated into oil spill contingency plans. The paper will highlight the importance of developing a proactive waste management strategy, emphasising good practice and the key issues involved. The paper is supported by existing reports, the author's practical experience and a published document, co-authored, on current waste disposal options for IPIECA's technical document series.

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Response to the Esso Bernicia oil spill

Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Section B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0269727000006035 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 233-245

Author(s):

Peter Foxton ◽

Martin Heubeck

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Environmental Effects ◽

Oil Pollution ◽

Subsequent Development ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Contingency Planning ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil

SynopsisA brief description is given of the accident to the tanker Esso Bernicia that resulted in the release of 1174 tonnes of heavy fuel oil into the harbour at Sullom Voe. The measures taken to deal with the spill and the resulting oil pollution are described and their effectiveness assessed. Aspects of the environmental effects are considered with particular reference to birds, otters and sheep. Wide-ranging inquiries were made into the cause of the incident, the adequacy of the response, and the effects of the pollution. The actions that resulted are described. Finally the significance of the event is considered in relation to the subsequent development of oil spill contingency planning at Sullom Voe, and in the wider context of Shetland.

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GuLF DREAM: A Model to Estimate Dermal Exposure Among Oil Spill Response and Clean-up Workers

Annals of Work Exposures and Health ◽

10.1093/annweh/wxz037 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Melanie Gorman Ng ◽

John W Cherrie ◽

Anne Sleeuwenhoek ◽

Mark Stenzel ◽

Richard K Kwok ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

External Validation ◽

Inhalation Exposure ◽

Dermal Exposure ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Breathing Zone ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Drilling Rig ◽

Oil Spill Response

Abstract Tens of thousands of individuals performed oil spill response and clean-up (OSRC) activities following the ‘Deepwater Horizon’ oil drilling rig explosion in 2010. Many were exposed to oil residues and dispersants. The US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences assembled a cohort of nearly 33 000 workers to investigate potential adverse health effects of oil spill exposures. Estimates of dermal and inhalation exposure are required for those individuals. Ambient breathing-zone measurements taken at the time of the spill were used to estimate inhalation exposures for participants in the GuLF STUDY (Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study), but no dermal measurements were collected. Consequently, a modelling approach was used to estimate dermal exposures. We sought to modify DREAM (DeRmal Exposure Assessment Method) to optimize the model for assessing exposure to various oil spill-related substances and to incorporate advances in dermal exposure research. Each DREAM parameter was reviewed in the context of literature published since 2000 and modified where appropriate. To reflect the environment in which the OSRC work took place, the model treatment of evaporation was expanded to include vapour pressure and wind speed, and the effect of seawater on exposure was added. The modified model is called GuLF DREAM and exposure is estimated in GuLF DREAM units (GDU). An external validation to assess the performance of the model for oils, tars, and fuels was conducted using available published dermal wipe measurements of heavy fuel oil (HFO) and dermal hand wash measurements of asphalt. Overall, measured exposures had moderate correlations with GDU estimates (r = 0.59) with specific correlations of −0.48 for HFO and 0.68 for asphalt. The GuLF DREAM model described in this article has been used to generate dermal exposure estimates for the GuLF STUDY. Many of the updates made were generic, so the updated model may be useful for other dermal exposure scenarios.

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Analyses of Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Intertidal Sediments Resulting from Two Spills of No. 2 Fuel Oil in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada ◽

10.1139/f78-095 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 35 (5) ◽

pp. 510-520 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

John M. Teal ◽

Kathryn Burns ◽

John Farrington

Keyword(s):

Gas Chromatography ◽

Oil Spill ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Oil Pollution ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Glass Capillary ◽

Marsh Sediments ◽

Insight Into

We have analyzed the two- and three-ring aromatic hydrocarbons from the Wild Harbor oil spill in September 1969 and the Winsor Cove oil spill in October 1974, in intertidal marsh sediments, using glass capillary gas-chromatographic and mass-fragmentographic analyses. Naphthalenes with 0–3 alkyl substitutions and phenanthrenes with 0–2 substitutions decreased in concentration with time in surface sediments. The more substituted aromatics decreased relatively less and in some cases actually increased in absolute concentration. The changes in composition of the aromatic fraction have potential consequences for the ecosystem and provide insight into geochemical processes of oil weathering. Key words: oil pollution, aromatic hydrocarbons; gas chromatography; gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; geochemistry; marsh; sediments; oil spills

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OPERATIONAL USE OF A MOBILE SAND-WASHING PLANT FOR CLEANING PEBBLES: THE AMAZZONE OIL SPILL

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1989-1-149 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 1989 (1) ◽

pp. 149-153

Author(s):

Jean-Yves Huet ◽

Yannick Naour ◽

Jean-Pierre Belluteau ◽

Christian Bocard ◽

Christian Such ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ambient Temperature ◽

Oil Spill ◽

High Throughput ◽

Pour Point ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Oil Emulsion ◽

Mobile Plant ◽

Petroleum Solvent ◽

Rough Sea

ABSTRACT On January 31, 1988, the Amazzone spilled about 1,500 tons of a highly paraffinic medium fuel oil (having a pour point of 36°C) along a distance of 300 km off the coast of Brittany. Due to very rough sea conditions, no offshore recovery operation could be carried out. Most of the pollution was beached as scattered patches on numerous sites, including pebble beaches in south Finistère, which had been especially difficult to clean during previous spills. In this area, the pebble banks that protect the dunes are relatively exposed to erosion. It was therefore decided to try cleaning these pebbles on site using the mobile plant that was designed for washing polluted sands and tested in 1985. The plant prototype was put in working order and conveyed to the site on the Baie d'Audierne. The equipment was very easily adapted to washing the pebbles polluted by a mixture of sand and fuel oil emulsion. A total of 1,400 m3 was cleaned during 10 days at the end of March. The plant worked smoothly with a load of 20 to 25 m3 of pebbles per hour and using a petroleum solvent as a washing agent. Because the ambient temperature was rather low (around 5°C), cleaning was performed with warmed water. Compared to other techniques that could be used to clean polluted pebble beaches, the washing plant proved very effective (providing good cleaning and high throughput) and competitive (costing less than quicklime treatment, for instance). Another advantage of this technique is that cleaned pebbles are returned to the beach, helping the pebble bank to keep its anti-erosion function.

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CLEANUP EFFICIENCY OF A FUEL OIL SPILL IN COLD WEATHER

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1979-1-419 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 1979 (1) ◽

pp. 419-427 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eric Schrier ◽

Carl Eidam

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Previous Experience ◽

Cold Weather ◽

Cold Climates ◽

Significant Progress ◽

Cleanup Efficiency ◽

Snow Conditions

ABSTRACT When the difficulties imposed by the ice and snow conditions and the lack of previous experience with spills in ice-infested waters are considered, the cleanup effort at Buzzards Bay was commendable; roughly 89,000 liters (28 percent) of oil were recovered. Of the cleanup techniques used, shore-based vacuum skimming was most successful. Contaminated ice removal was least successful. Burning of oil pools was not used extensively but showed some promise. Modifications of the vacuum skimming technique to prevent the vacuum lines from freezing are recommended. In addition, expanded use of burning and the endless rope skimming techniques are recommended for future spills in similar environmental conditions. Only pooled oil should be collected; oil incorporated in ice should be allowed to go to sea. Removal of shorefast ice is not recommended. The Marco and the Lockheed skimmers were not effective at Buzzards Bay, but may be applicable under similar circumstances if modified or used in a stationary position. Adopting the above recommendations could improve cleanup efficiency at future spills; however, further research in modifying existing equipment and development of new equipment for all types of cold climates will be necessary if significant progress is to be made.

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Response To Bunker Fuel Oil: The Options

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2001-1-597 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 2001 (1) ◽

pp. 597-603 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tim Lunel ◽

Louise Davies

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Field Trial ◽

General Rule ◽

Field Trials ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Sea Temperature ◽

Rule Of Thumb ◽

Fuel Oils ◽

Favorable Conditions ◽

Bunker Fuel

ABSTRACT As a general “rule of thumb,” a dispersant response is not the most appropriate response to a spill of Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO)-380 bunker fuel oil However, as with all rules of thumb, there are some exceptions. There has been increasing evidence that a limited number of oil spill dispersants can be used on certain types of oil spill where previously dispersants would not have been considered. A new dispersant tested in field trials carried out by AEA Technology in 1997 (Lunel and Lewis, 1999), indicated that there might be an opportunity to treat viscous emulsions and bunker fuel oils by dispersant spraying. Following these field trials, AEA Technology undertook a number of laboratory-based studies, including tests in France during the first week of the Erika spill, which indicate that IFO-180 and IFO-380 bunker fuel oils may be dispersible under favorable conditions when fresh and when lightly emulsified. At present, the authors conclude that the rule of thumb—a dispersant response is not likely to be the most appropriate response to most spills of IFO-380—holds. However, the authors believe that there may be some conditions when a dispersant response can be considered as part of a response to a spill of IFO-380 to reduce the volume of oil beaching. It has been recognized by most experts dealing with this issue that a field trial is needed to establish the validity of this assertion. In the absence of a field trial, the authors believe that a dispersant response to IFO-380 can be considered providing that:The reduction of volume beaching will result in a significant net environmental or economic benefit.The sea temperature is 10°–15°C or greater.The dispersant to be used is COREXIT®9500, Dasic Slickgone LTSW, Inipol 90, or Superdispersant 25.The characteristics of the IFO-380 are known and have been assessed by an oil spill expert at the time of the spill.In situ monitoring is in place to assess whether the response is effective.

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M/V Kimton: A Case Study of The U. S. Coast Guard's Abandoned Vessel Program

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2003-1-571 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 2003 (1) ◽

pp. 571-753

Author(s):

Meridena Kauffman ◽

David Mosley

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Coast Guard ◽

Public Access ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Oil Removal ◽

Trust Fund ◽

Waste Oil ◽

Total Cost ◽

Marine Safety

ABSTRACT In June of 2000, U. S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) San Juan conducted the Annual Abandoned Vessel Inventory and noticed an abandoned vessel grounded on a beach in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Personal investigation revealed that the vessel held approximately 5,000 gallons of waste oil in the engine room, posing a pollution threat to the local public. In a thorough attempt to identify the owner, the MSO used the knowledge of local fishermen, the marine police and Department of Natural Resource. When the owner could not be identified, the Captain of the Port decided to use the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to remove the threat of an oil discharge. Upon discovering that five marine batteries and filters had been hidden on board the vessel, it was determined that it was likely being used as a waste dumpsite. If it was indeed a dumpsite, the Coast Guard would then take control of the vessel, initiate salvage operations, and remove it from its location. Local contractors were hired in the first successful oil removal attempt, lasting two days. In April of 2001, the re-assessment was conducted and an additional 5,000 gallons of waste oil was again discovered on the vessel, confirming the belief that it was a dumpsite. A more in depth assessment was conducted, and another 10,000 gallons of fuel oil was discovered in the wing tanks. The second project commenced with a local environmental contractor hired to remove the 15,000 gallons of oil. Then a salvage contractor was hired to mechanically cut the vessel into scrap for disposal. During this time over 300 lbs. of commercial grade C-4 explosives and detonation cord were discovered in a hidden compartment in the aft end of the vessel. The total cost to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was approximately $700,000.00 and over 2,000 man-hours were spent to complete the project. This three month long abandoned vessel removal is considered an important success for several reasons. Not only did the Coast Guard remove a major pollution threat from the environment, but the municipality has also renovated the beachfront area and installed a boardwalk for public access.

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HOW A LOCAL NGO SUCCEEDED IN CLEANING UP THE LEBANON OIL SPILL, 2006

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2008-1-327 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 2008 (1) ◽

pp. 327-330 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohamed Elsarji

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Fuel Oil ◽

Local People ◽

Storage Tanks ◽

Heavy Fuel Oil ◽

Sea Floor ◽

Protective Gear ◽

Local Ngo ◽

The Cost ◽

Sunken Oil

ABSTRACT The oil spill in Lebanon in August 2006 resulted in 15000 tons of heavy fuel oil covering more than 160 kilometers of beaches and sea floor of Lebanon. Bahr Loubnan is a Lebanese NGO who volunteered to undertake the clean-up work as a gift to the Lebanese people. Bahr Loubnan experts made a full assessment of the situation; divers explored the sea floor and located all patches of fuel that sank, as another team toured and assessed every affected beach. As a result, a detailed plan was prepared and submitted to the Lebanese government who gave its approval on Sept. 7th 2006. The clean-up crew cleaned any sunken oil found on the bottom of the sea and on two thirds of the affected beaches. The cost of the whole operation, including the cost of all needed equipment, protective gear, storage tanks, transportation and food, was less than half a million dollars. Local people who were hired to work in the clean-up operations were treated as partners in the project and not as “Laborers”. Fifty professional divers were assigned the job of cleaning the oil found on the sea floor. Sandy and pebbles beaches were cleaned by surf washing, which proved very successful. Powerful “Cachiers” pumping water at a pressure of 1450 bars were used to clean the oil off rocky beaches. The operation was a success. It would be impossible for anyone to distinguish between beaches that were polluted and those who were not.

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