International Cooperation in Oil Spill Response

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Nichols ◽  
T. H. Moller
Keyword(s):  
International Cooperation ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Federal Republic Of Germany ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Specialized Equipment ◽  
Favorable Weather

ABSTRACT Effective response to a major marine oil spill occasionally calls for specialized equipment, personnel, and expertise that is beyond the capability of the country or company concerned. In recognition of this fact, a new International Convention on International Cooperation in Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response has been developed under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization. There is already considerable potential for international cooperation through existing regional conventions and agreements, and other less formal arrangements. This cooperation involves governmental agencies, the oil and shipping industries, commercial companies, insurers, intergovernmental organizations, and international industry organizations. This will be illustrated by reference to two recent major oil spills in Europe where this international cooperation proved very successful. The first involved the cleanup of some 15,000 metric tons of heavy crude oil that impacted the holiday island of Porto Santo in the Madeiran archipelago. Cooperation among the Portuguese government, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, the tanker's oil pollution insurer, the Commission of the European Communities, and the governments of France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom resulted in the rapid provision of specialized equipment and associated personnel to deal with the major shoreline contamination. The second incident, involving a spill of waste oil from a tanker in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden, resulted in the rapid mobilization of cleanup resources from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the U.S.S.R. under the terms of the Helsinki Convention. During favorable weather conditions, the combined forces of the five countries were successful in recovering a high percentage of the oil at sea, with the result that the contamination of shorelines was minimal.

OIL SPILL STRATEGY IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY: NEW TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MECHANICAL SPILL RESPONSE

1989 ◽  
Vol 1989 (1) ◽  
pp. 265-271
Author(s):  
Klaus Schroh
Keyword(s):  
Federal Republic ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Wadden Sea ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Federal Republic Of Germany ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
Wave Heights ◽  
And Control

ABSTRACT Prevention and control of oil spills in the Federal Republic of Germany are based on an agreement between the federal government and the four coastal states. Comprehensive procurement and reconstruction programs for oil pollution personnel and equipment are realized and finalized within two years. The Federal Minister for Research and Technology contributed substantially toward using advanced oil spill response techniques at sea and for shoreline cleanup. Since the particular ecological conditions of the Wadden Sea on the German coastline greatly limit dispersant application, main emphasis was given to developing recovery systems meeting the following requirements:An extended scope of mechanical application at sea, for wave heights exceeding 1.2 m (4 feet)New types of recovery vessels with multiple functions, like bunkering services and floating reception facilitiesOil recovery with self-driven vessels for shallow waters close to the coastline and embankmentsDesign of an amphibious chain-driven vehicle for oil recovery in Wadden Sea areas. With the integration of these new types of oil recovery vessels or systems the German recovery fleet now consists of 6 high-sea-going vessels and 14 recovery vessel devices for shoreline cleanup.

scholarly journals OIL SPILLS AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES1

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (2) ◽  
pp. 1337-1340
Author(s):  
Chao Wu ◽  
Nigel Carden
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Civil Liability ◽  
International Convention ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Financial Liability

ABSTRACT Under the international convention system for oil spill liability and compensation, shipowners and oil cargo owners are sharing the costs of oil pollution (cleanup and damages). While the industries find the burden of financial liability too heavy, the compensation provided through the Conventions (Civil Liability Conventions and Fund Conventions [CLCs/FCs]) has become increasingly insufficient to satisfy the total admissible claims. What has to be done? Increase the financial liability of the responsible parties? Let the victims of pollution shoulder part of their uncompensated claims alone? Neither can be fairly accepted. This paper will discuss a solution based on the theory of risk-profit, upon which the current Conventions (CLCs/FCs) are founded. In this regard, the paper also will compare the Conventions with a domestic regime—the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

scholarly journals Oil Pollution in the Southeastern Baltic Sea by Satellite Remote Sensing Data in 2004-2015

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena V. Bulycheva ◽  
Aleksander V. Krek ◽  
Andrey G. Kostianoy ◽  
Aleksander V. Semenov ◽  
Aleksandar Joksimovich
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Satellite Monitoring ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Radar Images ◽  
Pi Index ◽  
Favorable Weather

Abstract The results of satellite monitoring of oil pollution in the Southeastern Baltic Sea in 2004-2015 are discussed in the paper. Interannual and seasonal variability of oil pollution is investigated. A steady decrease in total oil pollution was observed from 2004 to 2011. After a sharp increase of oil pollution in 2012, oil pollution level has established at 0.39 PI Index. Maximum of oil spills is observed in the spring and summer, which is probably due to favorable weather conditions for the detection of oil spills on radar images. According to the analysis of the shapes of the detected oil spills, it was concluded that the main polluters of the sea surface are vessels. No oil spills originated from the oil platform D-6 was detected in 2004-2015. Results of numerical experiments with the Seatrack Web oil spill model show that in the case of potential discharge of oil from the D-6 platform, oil will not reach the Curonian Spit beaches during 48 h after an accident.

Oil Spill Risks and the State of Preparedness in the Regional Seas

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (1) ◽  
pp. 919-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.H. Moller ◽  
F.C. Molloy ◽  
H.M. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
United Nations Environment Programme ◽  
Current Status ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Response Measures ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Exercise Programmes

ABSTRACT The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC Convention) defines the basic elements for co-operation between government and industry in marine pollution response. Emphasis is given in the Convention to developing contingency plans, equipment stocks, research and development initiatives, training and exercise programmes, and appropriate spill notification procedures for shipping. This paper reviews the current status of the partnership between government and industry for dealing with spills arising from the transportation of oil by sea. Three areas are explored: the risk of spills, environmental sensitivity issues, and the capabilities for dealing with oil spills in different regions of the world The format for the study is based on the Regional Seas and Partner Seas Programme initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and supported by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). For each region, the main factors contributing to the risk of oil spills are identified, analysed and discussed in relation to the current pattern of oil transportation by sea. Comparisons are made with data on major oil pollution incidents drawn from ITOPF's oil spill database. Priorities and activities in the different regions are considered and the implications for oil spill response are discussed. Finally, the commitment and capabilities for mounting effective spill response measures in the different regions are gauged, with particular reference to the tenets of the OPRC Convention.

scholarly journals Measuring Progress in Oil Spill Preparedness

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie Canova ◽  
Julien Favier ◽  
Nai Ming Lee ◽  
Peter Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Global Risk ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Implementation Processes ◽  
Joint Activities ◽  
Global Initiative

Abstract Governments and industry have been cooperating in the development of oil spill preparedness for more than 30 years. This has included support to the ratification and implementation of instruments such as the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC 90), which provides the basis for collaborative efforts between governments and industry to prepare for and respond to marine oil pollutions. Joint activities implemented in this framework represent a major investment and it is important to measure and track the extent to which they have led to sustained improvements. This paper examines the challenges of measuring progress in oil spill preparedness that have emerged over time, leading to the development of different tools and systems to monitor long-term developments. It will first review the metrics and tools used to assess the key elements of preparedness, focused on regions where the International Maritime Organization (IMO) - industry Global Initiative has been active since 1996. The challenges of ascribing and assessing the indicators will be highlighted. Whilst a quantitative method, such as the IPIECA Global Risk Analysis, is useful regarding technical aspects and to compare progress in time and between different regions, it does have a number of caveats, including the verification of data and the need to ensure that preparedness frameworks described in national strategy are translated into credible response capability. There is thus a need for more refined metrics and a complementary qualitative approach. Moreover, the difficulty to catalyse lasting change without sustained efforts was recognized. This paper will discuss why the measures should apply both for evaluation and decision-making and explain why it is key to build more comprehensive (from legal basis to implementation processes and equipment) and sustainable national preparedness systems. The indicators cover a range of aspects of oil spill readiness and should enable a picture of both national and regional preparedness to be constructed, which inform decisions on future actions and activities. The benefits of a step based approach and the potential for tools such as the Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOSTM) to underpin broader evaluations will be highlighted. The need for an enhanced methodology to measure progress in preparedness and its consistency with the risk exposure is finally discussed.

scholarly journals Characterization of microbial response to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in a lacustrine ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilio D’Ugo ◽  
Milena Bruno ◽  
Arghya Mukherjee ◽  
Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay ◽  
Roberto Giuseppetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Hydrocarbon Contamination ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contamination ◽  
Microbial Response ◽  
Pollution Event ◽  
Hydrocarbonoclastic Potential

AbstractMicrobiomes of freshwater basins intended for human use remain poorly studied, with very little known about the microbial response to in situ oil spills. Lake Pertusillo is an artificial freshwater reservoir in Basilicata, Italy, and serves as the primary source of drinking water for more than one and a half million people in the region. Notably, it is located in close proximity to one of the largest oil extraction plants in Europe. The lake suffered a major oil spill in 2017, where approximately 400 tons of crude oil spilled into the lake; importantly, the pollution event provided a rare opportunity to study how the lacustrine microbiome responds to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. Water samples were collected from Lake Pertusillo 10 months prior to and 3 months after the accident. The presence of hydrocarbons was verified and the taxonomic and functional aspects of the lake microbiome were assessed. The analysis revealed specialized successional patterns of lake microbial communities that were potentially capable of degrading complex, recalcitrant hydrocarbons, including aromatic, chloroaromatic, nitroaromatic, and sulfur containing aromatic hydrocarbons. Our findings indicated that changes in the freshwater microbial community were associated with the oil pollution event, where microbial patterns identified in the lacustrine microbiome 3 months after the oil spill were representative of its hydrocarbonoclastic potential and may serve as effective proxies for lacustrine oil pollution.

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

1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 510-520 ◽  
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

OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS: THE OIL INDUSTRY AND THE NATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 830
Author(s):  
D.J. Blackmore
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
State Governments ◽  
National Plan ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Current State ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Definition Of

It is vital that there is a credible and well organised arrangement to deal with oil spills in Australia.The National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil, the umbrella oil spill response plan for Australia, is a combined effort by the Commonwealth and State Governments, the oil industry and the shipping industry.The Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre (AMOSC), formed in 1991, is an industry centre set up for rapid response with equipment and resources, together with a training and industry coordination role.A review of the National Plan in 1992, identified, amongst a number of issues, that the National Plan needed to be re-focussed, to ensure full integration of all government and industry activities for the first time. This has led to greatly improved understanding between government and industry and significant improvements to Australia's oil spill response preparedness. The National Plan review has also resulted in a clearer definition of the responsibilities for operational control, together with the organisational structure to deliver a successful response.The current state of Australia's National Plan is such that it does provide confidence that there is the capacity to deliver an effective response to oil spills in the marine environment. Nevertheless, there is more to be done, particularly in the areas of planning and exercises.

scholarly journals Oil spill remote monitoring by using remotely piloted aircraft

2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-653
Author(s):  
Aleksandrs Urbahs ◽  
Vladislavs Zavtkevics
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Multispectral Imaging ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Thickness Measurement ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the application of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) for remote oil spill sensing. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an analysis of RPA strong points. Findings To increase the accuracy and eliminate potentially false contamination detection, which can be caused by external factors, an oil thickness measurement algorithm is used with the help of the multispectral imaging that provides high accuracy and is versatile for any areas of water and various meteorological and atmospheric conditions. Research limitations/implications SWOT analysis of implementation of RPA for remote sensing of oil spills. Practical implications The use of RPA will improve the remote sensing of oil spills. Social implications The concept of oil spills monitoring needs to be developed for quality data collection, oil pollution control and emergency response. Originality/value The research covers the development of a method and design of a device intended for taking samples and determining the presence of oil contamination in an aquatorium area; the procedure includes taking a sample from the water surface, preparing it for transportation and delivering the sample to a designated location by using the RPA. The objective is to carry out the analysis of remote oil spill sensing using RPA. The RPA provides a reliable sensing of oil pollution with significant advantages over other existing methods. The objective is to analyze the use of RPA employing all of their strong points. In this paper, technical aspects of sensors are analyzed, as well as their advantages and limitations.

Development of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 (1) ◽  
pp. 353-355
Author(s):  
Cadets John P. Nolan ◽  
Susan J. Blood
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Pollution Prevention ◽  
Development Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Pollution Damage ◽  
Information Center

ABSTRACT The International Oil Pollution Prevention and Response (OPPR) Convention represents current international efforts to improve capabilities to prepare for and respond to catastrophic oil spills. Initiated by the United States, it is being negotiated by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Major components of the proposal include the establishment of an International Marine Pollution Information Center located at IMO headquarters, National Response Centers in each coastal state, and oil spill response contingency plans for ships. Other proposed articles include prepositioning of oil response equipment in high-risk areas, a research and development program for response techniques, and international cooperation during responses to catastrophic oil spills. Several problems have complicated negotiations of the OPPR Convention. First, severe time constraints have been placed on the negotiators, with the final conference1 to consider the OPPR scheduled for November 1990. Second, the United States suffers from a lack of credibility in the IMO, since the Senate has not yet ratified previous initiatives, the 1984 protocols to the 1969 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, and the 1971 Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage. Finally, the IMO's financial troubles have placed the concept of the International Information Center in jeopardy. In spite of these obstacles, a clear majority of countries are willing to support the document, realizing that it fills a gap in marine oil pollution prevention and response. The OPPR Convention will likely be carried through to adoption by the November conference. This paper traces the development of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Response and Prevention. It summarizes the background and initial proposals of the Convention, and then discusses the problems that arose during negotiations. Finally, it describes the present status of the Convention and offers a projection of its future direction.

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