Use of, and limits to telecommunications supporting Spill Response in the Arctic

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 281407
Author(s):  
Jim White
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Satellite Communications ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
The North ◽  
Response Network ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska ◽  
Oil Spill Response

The ability to exchange critical information across a broad spectrum of users is the success of a response. Communicating on the North Slope of Alaska is a technical challenge. One of the most critical elements supporting any Contingency Response is telecommunications (telecom). Telecom, as an issue rears its head after almost every exercise or real world response situation. It never seems to matter what type of event the response is supporting, the location of the response or weather that is occurring. Telecom continues to come up as a 'lessons learned'. Recent technological advances (Last 15–20 Years) have resolved some older, yet lingering issues, (e.g. SATCOM, Fiber Optics, Digitization, and the Internet). That said, trying to communicate over an area covering tens-of-thousands of square miles in some of the harshest, most remote regions on the planet is at the very least - demanding. Technically, in many regions, telecom issues can be fairly easy to resolve. In the Arctic, several factors as well as weather play a major part in our ability to respond to an incident. Many areas are not accessible on a road system. Ice roads provide seasonal, temporary access. When ice roads are not available then various aircraft can be utilized. Some sites may only be accessible via specialized vehicles treading lightly on the tundra or that displace the tons of equipment over a broad area for frozen pond, lake and river crossings, minimizing environmental impact. To meet the challenge of Spill Response on the North Slope of Alaska, Alaska Clean Seas and its member companies have developed and employ a network of Very High Frequency (VHF), Ultra-High Frequency (UHF), Cellular, Microwave, and SATellite COMmunications (SATCOM) Systems. A recent Federal Communications Commission directive to reduce bandwidth usage forced the modernization of Alaska's Oil Spill Response Network. The nationwide requirement enables the same number of users to occupy half the frequency spectrum. Alaska is unique in that the entire State's Oil Spill Response Network shares the same frequencies and compatible equipment. This enables the cooperatives to seamlessly support each another. One of the obvious reasons that telecom becomes an issue is non-standardized exchange of ideas, recommendations, or commands. User unfamiliarity with telecom devices (radios, speaker microphones) also contributes to communication barriers. Use of jargon, ten codes and often cultural references can inhibit needed messages from being received as expected. This can easily be improved through Incident Command System training

Responding to Oil Spills Under Ice: Alaska Clean Seas' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Training Course

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 300320
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Hall ◽  
Leonard Zabilansky
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Oil Exploration ◽  
Cold Regions ◽  
Training Course ◽  
The North ◽  
Oil Spill Response

The Alaska North Slope region is a demanding operating environment for oil exploration, production and transportation operations. The Arctic Ocean remains frozen for an average of nine months of the year, with only a limited open-water season in the summer. There are long periods of darkness, extremely harsh weather conditions, remote installations and limited infrastructure. As Arctic oil exploration, production and transportation activities expand, there is growing concern about the ability of public and private sector response organizations to effectively clean up oil spills under ice. Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) is the Alaska North Slope oil spill response cooperative based in Prudhoe Bay, AK. ACS oversees the training and coordination of the North Slope Spill Response Team (NSSRT), a volunteer-based organization consisting of personnel from the workforce of ACS' Member Companies and their support contractors. Beginning in January 2012, ACS partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, NH, to develop an Advanced Oil Spill Response in Ice Course. Now in its third year, this partnership has combined the unique facilities, capabilities and ice research history of CRREL with the Arctic response expertise and experience of Alaska Clean Seas to deliver realistic, one-of-a-kind training for recovering oil spilled under ice. Participants have included members of the NSSRT, several federal regulatory agencies and representatives from the Global Response Network. ACS provides response equipment from the North Slope and several vendors have demonstrated additional skimming and pumping systems specifically designed for recovery in ice. Central to the course is CRREL's outdoor saline test basin, a 60′ × 25′ × 7′ refrigerated in-ground tank equipped to grow and maintain a two-foot cover of sea ice. Approximately 600 gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil are injected under the ice to provide a realistic field scenario to practice response tactics. These tactics include assessment and profiling techniques for safely working on the ice; employing underwater lights and ground penetrating radar for detection of oil under ice; use of augers and chainsaw sleds to cut holes and slots in the ice; deployment of recovery and storage systems to remove oil from an ice environment; and in-situ burning operations in slush and broken ice. This poster highlights the development of the CRREL Training Course and provides guidelines for course content, length, and special considerations for similar advanced field training courses.

Mobile Treatment and Rehabilitation Enclosure (MTRE) for small pinnipeds

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 300054
Author(s):  
Brett Long ◽  
Chip Arnold ◽  
Carrie Goertz ◽  
Lee Majors
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Life Support ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Mutual Aid ◽  
Term Care ◽  
The North ◽  
Care Groups ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska

The North Slope of Alaska is a demanding and harsh environment. Being prepared for an oil spill involving wildlife in this region requires training, innovation, and partnerships. For the past three years animal care groups, industry oil spill response organizations, and federal agencies have been collaborating to prepare for such an event. Protocol development is an essential and initial process to accomplish response goals. In 2011, protocols were developed for the care of oiled affected phocid seals in Alaska, focusing on the need for remote, deployable operations in the arctic. While developing these protocols, authors drew from their experiences caring for pinnipeds at their facility as well as from involvement in the statewide marine mammal stranding network. As the only institution authorized to rehabilitate stranded marine mammals in Alaska, we are uniquely positioned to assist in mitigating risks associated with possible oil exposure to these animals. Finding resources to treat oiled wildlife is a challenge on the North Slope, especially for medium to long term care. With that in mind, we designed and developed a Mobile Treatment and Rehabilitation Enclosure (MTRE). This deployable enclosure and pool with a life support system meets Animal Welfare Act holding specifications for small pinnipeds including harbor seals, spotted seals, ringed seals, and ribbon seals. The enclosure is designed to be assembled by 2 to 4 individuals and ready for use within 12 hours. While it is purpose built for small pinnipeds it would also be appropriate for short term, triage care of other marine mammals such as walrus calves, polar bear cubs, and sea otters. As a test of our oiled pinniped protocols and the MTRE this system was deployed during the mutual aid drill on the North Slope in August of 2013.

scholarly journals MUTUAL AID IN OIL SPILL RESPONSE: THE ALASKAN NORTH SLOPE MODEL

1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22
Author(s):  
Bruce McKenzie ◽  
Norman Ingram
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Oil Fields ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Mutual Aid ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
The North ◽  
Response Team ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Alaskan North Slope

ABSTRACT The Alaskan Arctic Region provides one of the world's most remote and challenging environments in which to mount an oil spill response. To facilitate the timeliness and appropriateness of the response, Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) and the operators of the North Slope oil fields have implemented a mutual aid concept for spill response. The concept is based upon each operator on the North Slope maintaining its own inventory of personnel [a spill response team (SRT)] and equipment that is available on short notice to respond to a spill. If the spill exceeds the responsible operator's resources, additional resources can be obtained from other operators and/or ACS through mutual aid. Individuals from diverse organizations are brought together in a mutual aid event. To allow different organizations to function effectively in a multi-organizational environment, a common management structure was required. The structure chosen for the North Slope was the incident command system (ICS). A key concern when discussing mutual aid is the provision of indemnification from liability for responders. For the North Slope, ACS and its member companies are indemnified when responding to a spill through provisions in the ACS charter and the ACS response action contract.

scholarly journals The influence of local oil exploration and regional wildfires on summer 2015 aerosol over the North Slope of Alaska

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessie M. Creamean ◽  
Maximilian Maahn ◽  
Gijs de Boer ◽  
Allison McComiskey ◽  
Arthur J. Sedlacek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
The North ◽  
The Us ◽  
Range Transport ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska ◽  
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement ◽  
Arctic Atmosphere

Abstract. The Arctic is warming at an alarming rate, yet the processes that contribute to the enhanced warming are not well understood. Arctic aerosols have been targeted in studies for decades due to their consequential impacts on the energy budget, both directly and indirectly through their ability to modulate cloud microphysics. Even with the breadth of knowledge afforded from these previous studies, aerosols and their effects remain poorly quantified, especially in the rapidly changing Arctic. Additionally, many previous studies involved use of ground-based measurements, and due to the frequent stratified nature of the Arctic atmosphere, brings into question the representativeness of these datasets aloft. Here, we report on airborne observations from the US Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program's Fifth Airborne Carbon Measurements (ACME-V) field campaign along the North Slope of Alaska during the summer of 2015. Contrary to previous evidence that the Alaskan Arctic summertime air is relatively pristine, we show how local oil extraction activities, 2015's central Alaskan wildfires, and, to a lesser extent, long-range transport introduce aerosols and trace gases higher in concentration than previously reported in Arctic haze measurements to the North Slope. Although these sources were either episodic or localized, they serve as abundant aerosol sources that have the potential to impact a larger spatial scale after emission.

ICS CONTRIBUTES TO THE NORTH CAPE OIL SPILL RESPONSE1

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 737-742
Author(s):  
LT Tina M. Burke ◽  
LT John P. Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Management System ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Incident Management ◽  
Incident Command System ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
The North ◽  
Oil Spill Response

ABSTRACT In recent years, the usefulness of the incident command system (ICS) has received much attention. Much of the oil industry and several government agencies involved in all types of emergency response have been using ICS for many years. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard formally adopted the national interagency incident management system (NIIMS) ICS as the response management system of choice in February of 1996. The response to the tank barge North Cape grounding was a complex multiagency effort that brought with it many of the issues and problems responders face when dealing with crisis situations. This paper describes the ICS-based organization that was established to respond to the major North Cape oil spill, analyzes the organization compared to standard ICS, and discusses how the ICS framework and principles contributed to the success of the response. It also explains how closer conformity to standard ICS could have remedied many of the issues that later surfaced as lessons learned, resulting in improved response efficiency. The North Cape response provides a vivid example of how ICS is a helpful management tool that, if rigorously learned and applied in a widespread fashion, can greatly enhance the nation's oil spill response posture.

Outreach and disseminations activities in North Slope of Alaska: how to build trust between local communities and arctic researchers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaare Sikuaq Erickson ◽  
Donatella Zona ◽  
Marco Montemayor ◽  
Walter Oechel ◽  
Terenzio Zenone
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Science Fair ◽  
Methane Cycle ◽  
The North ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska ◽  
The University

<p>The Alaskan Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC) is promoting and financilally supporting, with the contribution of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and local organizations, outreach and dissemination events, in the form of science fair for the local communities in North Slope of Alaska. The science fair is part of a larger effort by UIC Science to bring coordination and collaboration to science outreach and engagement efforts across Arctic Alaska. The purpose is to provide a positive space for Arctic researchers and Arctic residents to meet, eat with each other, spend time, and to inspire the youth of the Arctic by providing fun and educational activities that are based in science and traditional knowledge. The Science Fair 2019 hosted by the Barrow Arctic Research Center (BARC) included three days of youth and family-friendly activities related to “Inupiat Knowledge about Plants” led by the College Inupiat Studies Department, “Eco-chains Activity” hosted by the North Slope Borough Office of Emergency Management, “Big Little World: Bugs Plants, and Microscopes” hosted by the National Ecological Observatory Network, “Microplastics in the Arctic” hosted by the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, “BARC Scavenger Hunt” hosted by UIC Science, “Our Role in the Carbon and Methane Cycle” hosted by the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) and San Diego State University, and “How Permafrost Works” hosted by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute. Each day hundreds of students, from both the local community and the science community came together to take part in mutually beneficial engagement: students from Utqiaġvik were excited about science and now know of the realistic and fulfilling careers in research that takes place in their backyard. The Utqiaġvik community members and elders now have a better idea of the breadth of research that takes place in and near their home. The locals, especially the elders, are very concerned about the drastic changes in our environment: scientists share these concerns, and the discussions during the fair was a chance to recognize this common ground. Breaking the ice between Arctic researchers and residents can lead to endless opportunities for collaboration, sharing ideas, and even lifelong friendships.</p><p> </p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Planning Oil Spill Response Tactics for Offshore Production Islands

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 (1) ◽  
pp. 1163-1166
Author(s):  
Michael Bronson ◽  
Thomas Chappie ◽  
Larry Dietrick ◽  
Ronald Hocking ◽  
James McHale
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Regulatory Approval ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
The North ◽  
Offshore Production ◽  
Offshore Oil Production

ABSTRACT In anticipation of the Beaufort Sea's first two offshore production islands, Alaska's North Slope oil producers recently expanded their oil spill recovery tactical plans and equipment. To seek regulatory approval for offshore oil production, industry responders joined agency regulators and made plans to clean up as much as 225,000 barrels of oil from potential blowouts over 15 days. Response technicians are configuring new and existing skimmers, vessels, and barges on the North Slope to implement those planning standards. This paper outlines the oil spill tactical plans and equipment that Alaska's North Slope oil industry recently assembled in seeking regulatory approval for the first offshore production islands in the Arctic. The operators of North America's largest oil fields are beginning the first production from oil wells separated from roads and most spill response vessels. For example, the new Badami production pad lies on the Arctic coast more than 25 miles from the Prudhoe Bay facilities, across river courses and roadless tundra. Eight miles of ice-infested sea will separate the proposed Northstar and Liberty production islands from response vessel berths. The new fields regularly experience waves, cold, and ice invasions that constrain oil recovery efforts. Yet regulatory approval to begin oil production requires that the industry have plans and equipment to clean up all the oil that may enter open water, even from the largest spills, within 72 hours.

scholarly journals Policing the Arctic: The North Slope of Alaska

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-108
Author(s):  
Lawrence C. Trostle ◽  
John E. Angell
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
North Slope ◽  
The North ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska

RESPONDING TO SPILLS IN AN ARCTIC OIL FIELD – LESSONS LEARNED

2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (1) ◽  
pp. 689-693
Author(s):  
Lee Majors ◽  
Fred McAdams
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
North Slope ◽  
The North ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska ◽  
Freeze Protection ◽  
Field Production

ABSTRACT Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) is the Oil Spill Recovery Organization (OSRO) for the North Slope of Alaska. ACS responds to all spill events for member companies operating on the North Slope. In 2006 ACS responded to over 350 reportable spill events. These spills consist of materials utilized in oil field production activities and include crude oil, produced water, drag reducing agents, freeze protection material, and even sewage The spills occur on frozen tundra in and under snow and ice, and in summer conditions. This paper outlines some of the spills in past years, the conditions encountered, tactics utilized, and lessons learned.

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