A JOURNEY TO EFFECTIVE RESPONSE: EXPERIENCE FROM KAZAKHSTAN

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 863-878
Author(s):  
Dinara AMANZHOLOVA ◽  
Peter M. TAYLOR ◽  
Zhaxybek KULEKEYEV ◽  
Gulnara NURTAYEVA ◽  
Gulnara DOSPAYEVA
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Legislative Amendments ◽  
Specific Regulation ◽  
International Good

ABSTRACT The Republic of Kazakhstan has an oil production and transport industry of growing global importance; in 2015 crude oil production averaged 1.67 million bbl/day (74 million m3/year). The growth of the oil industry and a changing risk profile has led to an evolution of oil spill preparedness. The national framework has been amended several times due to legislative and administrative changes. The latest National Oil Spill Contingency Plan was approved in 2012, providing impetus for further development through its implementation. This Plan’s policy embraces risk-based preparedness utilizing the full response toolkit. In terms of realizing national policy, important amendments to the Environmental Code in 2016 addressed the following:– Exemption from emission control regulation; legitimate consequences of the response toolkit (such as adding dispersant and a smoke plume resulting from controlled burning) will not be considered as emissions.– Requirement for specific regulation of oil spill methods i.e. dispersant product approval and use authorization and in-situ burning procedures. Industry worked with the authorities to address and develop effective regulation based on international good practices as promoted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and international oil industry associations. The national association Kazenergy provided a vehicle for aligned support across the local industry. Kazakhstan is a member of the regional agreement to protect the Caspian marine environment. Cooperation in case of major oil pollution is being developed, through the implementation of the Aktau Protocol, which entered into force in July 2016. Kazakhstan is also in the process of ratifying the IMO Conventions relating to oil spill preparedness and response. This paper describes the challenging journey to develop an effective response framework, highlighting that the process:– requires champions within authorities to promote legislative amendments;– benefits from alignment of industry through associations as an efficient means to provide support;– is inevitably slowed by governmental re-organization and it is challenging to achieve consensus across different Ministries and departments;– is enhanced where targeted local oil spill research provides credibility and validation of international inputs. Significant commitment is needed to achieve legislative change but the prize it worth it. The result is a robust framework that mandates effective response using the best options to minimize environmental impacts and promote recovery in case of potential oil pollution.

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.

OIL POLLUTION CONTROL AND SPILL RESPONSE CAPABILITY IN THE ROPME SEA AREA

1987 ◽  
Vol 1987 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-13
Author(s):  
P. Bernard Ryan ◽  
Derek J. S.
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
National Level ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Oil Refining ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
The Government ◽  
Sea Area

ABSTRACT The ROPME sea area as defined in this paper is the scene of some of the world's most intensive offshore oil exploration and production and the associated crude oil refining and tanker terminaling for oil exportation. The potential for oil pollution in the area is high, with its confined nature making it especially vulnerable to the effects of oil pollution. Awareness of this problem is well developed in the region in both government and industry, and good progress has been made in recent years toward preparing for the big oil spill which has so far not materialized, but which most experts consider inevitable at some time. Two distinct groups share the concern for oil pollution. The oil industry has well over 40 companies active in the area in some way. Many of these have a 15 year history of cooperation in oil spill response and continue to play a full role in protecting the environment from the adverse effects of oil pollution. More recently, nations bordering the area have taken an active interest in the problem and have demonstrated an impressive record of commitment and action over the past five or six years. While government and industry have maintained their separate identities, a good working relationship exists between them, and there is good information exchange and practical cooperation between the two groups, most especially at the national level. Future years should see this trend develop even further. A very impressive arsenal of oil pollution response equipment has been built up in the sea area since two major oil spill incidents in 1980. What is especially noticeable now is the proportion of this equipment that is owned and operated directly by the government agencies. This stands in marked contrast to the situation in 1980. In addition to the equipment resources available, the pool of personnel trained in oil spill response technology and methods is rapidly expanding as a result of seminars, workshops, and training courses that are being organized on a regular basis. The development of national and regional legislation to control the main sources of man-made pollution, for example, from tanker operations and offshore exploration and production, is in a very active stage and the oil industry is expected to have clear operational guidelines within the next few years.

scholarly journals KenSea – development of an environmental sensitivity atlas for coastal areas of Kenya

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
John Tychsen ◽  
Ole Geertz-Hansen ◽  
Jesper Kofoed
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Maritime Transportation ◽  
Sensitivity Index ◽  
Environmental Sensitivity ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Kenyan Coast ◽  
The Government

The Kenya coastline extends 600 km from the border of Tanzania in the south to the border of Somalia in the north (Fig. 1). The Kenyan coast features a diverse marine environment, including estuaries, mangroves, sea grass beds and intertidal reef platforms and coral reefs, which are vital for the reproduction of marine organisms. These coastal ecosystems are regarded as some of the most valuable in Kenya but face serious threats from the ever increasing human pressure of tourism, industrial pollution, destructive fishing, mangrove logging and other unsustainable uses of marine resources. Another serious threat is the maritime transportation activities along the coast and at the ports. It is estimated that at any given time more than 50 ships operate in the major shipping lanes off the Kenyan coast, of which about nine are oil tankers with capacities ranging from 50 000 to 250 000 tonnes. Furthermore, the harbour of Mombasa serves as the major port for countries in East Africa. In recognition of the risks posed by oil pollution the government of Kenya and the commercial petroleum industry agreed to develop a National Oil Spill Response Contingency Plan (NOSRCP) with the purpose of enabling a speedy and effective response to any oil spill within the territorial waters of Kenya. An important element of this plan was the mapping of the coastal resources and the development of an environmental sensitivity atlas showing the vulnerability of the coast to marine oil spills. In 2004, the Government of Kenya approached the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kenya for financial support to develop an environmental sensitivity atlas. The project was approved and forwarded for funding by the Danish Consultancy Trust Fund administrated by United Nations Operational Program (UNOPS) in Copenhagen. The project was announced in Denmark, and the KenSea group headed by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) was awarded the contract. The project comprises four phases: (1) data compilation and development of the KenSea database, (2) development of a coastal classification for Kenya, (3) development of the sensitivity index jointly with a group of stakeholders, and (4) compilation of the KenSea environmental sensitivity atlas (Tychsen 2006).

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.

scholarly journals OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE IN THE BOHAI BAY REGION – A MULTI LAYERED APPROACH 1

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 755-758
Author(s):  
Patrick Ooi ◽  
Declan O'Driscoll ◽  
Sean Ng
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Bohai Bay ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Layered Approach ◽  
The Government ◽  
Offshore Oil

ABSTRACT In recent years, the Bohai Bay region has seen increasing activities in the areas of offshore oil exploration and production. This paper looks at the multi-layered approach taken by the oil industry members and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) Government Authorities, to address oil spill response (OSR) preparedness and response capabilities in the region. It documents the OSR activities conducted by EARL and the setting up of OSR equipment Centres. A good and strong approach has been given to OSR preparedness and response capability for the Bohai Bay region, by both the Government and oil industry members. This paper identifies, and suggest further steps needed to ensure preparedness and the capability to deliver an effective response to an oil spill incident in the region.

THE IPIECA GUIDE TO TIERED PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (1) ◽  
pp. 1097-1099
Author(s):  
Richard Santner ◽  
David White ◽  
Bernie Bennett ◽  
Jim Clark ◽  
Yvette Osikilo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Scope Of Application ◽  
Tier 3 ◽  
Political Economic

ABSTRACT The profile of global oil spill risk is continually changing; as exploration/production activities expand, ship and pipeline transportation patterns alter and new fields are developed that encompass different political, economic and environmental challenges. The Tiered Response Concept was first developed by the oil industry in the 1980s as a means to ensure that appropriate response capabilities were available to deal with oil spills. Recognised since then by government and industry as international best practice, the tiered approach ensures a rapid and effective response can be mounted to events ranging from small operational spillages to worse case scenarios. Building response capabilities calls for careful consideration of the specific risks (probable events and their consequences at specific sites) that prevail in each case. The arrangements and resources that are determined appropriate for the risks faced in one case, may thus be deemed excessive, or inadequate, to deal with those prevailing in another. What a particular tier comprises, and the boundaries between the tiers of preparedness, will be different in each case under consideration. These differences may be slight, or very substantial, depending on what circumstances prevail and the tier level under scrutiny. Over the years, operators and government regulators have sought prescriptive rules to define what constitutes a Tier 1, 2 or Tier 3 capability. To address this, the IPIECA Guide to Tiered Preparedness and Response, originally published in the late 1990s, has recently been substantially updated. Whilst retaining the very same core principles, the new Report provides more guidance and illustration of the way in which tiered preparedness and response may be interpreted and implemented in practice. The scope of application, across marine operations in all sectors of the oil industry, has been embraced, and the issues are set out so that they may apply also to land-based scenarios. This Paper introduces the new IPIECA Report, provides clarity on the key features to be considered in assessing the risks of oil spills, and discusses the factors that may influence how preparedness and response capabilities may be built. It has relevance to all organisations involved in building or regulating oil spill response arrangements.

Spill Response Planning in the Republic of Kazakhstan1

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (1) ◽  
pp. 1185-1187
Author(s):  
Mark Shepherd
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Caspian Sea ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Large Country ◽  
North East ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
The Republic

ABSTRACT In recent years the international oil industry has been increasingly active in the former Soviet Union region. The Caspian Sea area alone has estimated reserves of 70 billion barrels of oil. The northeast Caspian region, the focus of major exploration campaigns in the last two years, is a unique environment where the sea level can vary between zero and 10 metres purely as a consequence of the wind direction. Temperatures range between +40 degrees Celsius in the summer to −40 degrees in winter, with the north east Caspian sea being frozen for some four to five months of the year. These factors not only make the region very challenging from an operational point of view, but present a whole new set of challenges for the oil spill response planners. The Republic of Kazakhstan (RoK) is a very large country and industry is widely distributed with operational oil spill risks arising from pipeline operations, exploration, production and distribution of refined product. The goal was set by the oil industry to assess the spill risks in the region and firstly to identify individual Tier 1 requirements. Having established the Tier 1 needs, the study progressed to a review of the logistics and of the available infrastructure. Using a combination of these resources, one could determine whether a credible Tier 2 capability could be developed or whether additional stockpiles and trained personnel would be required.

Oil spill preparedness and response—has the paradigm changed?

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 720
Author(s):  
Declan O'Driscoll
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
The United States ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Way

Will 2010 in the future be seen as a year that marked the transformation of the approach by the oil industry to the way it manages the preparedness and response to major oil spills similar to the effect of the Exxon Valdez in 1989? The Exxon Valdez spilled 37,000 tons of crude oil in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. The spill had a profound impact on the local environment and the livelihoods of the local communities. The scale and impact of the incident led to significant regulatory changes in the United States with the introduction of the OPA 90 Act and, internationally, with the ratification and implementation of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (known as the OPRC Convention). The oil industry has since then undertaken many initiatives both on its own and in co-operation with governments across the world to reduce the occurrence and impact of oil spills. The positive aspect of this has been a major reduction in the number of major marine oil spills matched by increasing awareness and attention to minor oil spills. In recent years, meeting the growing demand for oil in both the developed and developing countries has led to exploration and production in ever more remote and deeper waters around the world. Has the industry adapted appropriately to the challenges of preparedness and response in these areas? The recent tragic loss of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico and subsequent massive and extended oil spill raises serious questions for both industry and government. This presentation will give an overview of the developments in the approach to oil spill preparedness and response since the Exxon Valdez, the challenges the industry and government face in the region and how the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may change the way we manage preparedness and response in the future.

PLANNING AND TRAINING FOR TIER 1 RESPONSE IS FUNDAMENTALTO EFFECTIVE RESPONSE AT ALL LEVELS1

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 759-761
Author(s):  
Richard Santner
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Overall Response ◽  
First Response ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
And Training

ABSTRACT The oil industry concept of tiered preparedness and response has long been established as a valuable model for developing an appropriate response structure, with capabilities commensurate with oil spill events and their associated consequences. A Tier 1 incident is typically referred to as an operational one occurring at or near a company's own facilities, as a consequence of its own activities. An individual company would typically provide resources to respond to this type of spill. The Tier 1 part is often seen as the smallest and thus the least significant and this Paper asks whether enough planning and training is done at this level. Different oil industry activities encompassing exploration, production, shipping transportation, oil handling facilities and even pipelines, give rise to a varied and broad range of scenarios that call for different Tier 1 solutions. In any spill event, speed and efficiency of first response, and the awareness of the integrated tiered solution that ensures an appropriate call for additional resources when required, will make a significant difference to the effectiveness of the overall response. Thus we need to spend time and effort planning well and training at the Tier 1 level. This Paper describes some of the possible Tier 1 scenarios that may be applied to the planning process and the key issues that need to be considered, to ensure Tier 1 capabilities are appropriate, effective and robust, and can be relied upon to support the tiered escalation of response.

Oil Spill Preparedness in Kenya

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-112
Author(s):  
N. Okolo
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Recent Increase ◽  
Government Corporations ◽  
Regular Practice

ABSTRACT Following oil spills and petroleum fire incidents in Kenya, and in light of the recent increase in environmental awareness worldwide, the oil industry in Kenya and its affiliates have taken tangible steps to enhance alertness and implement emergency response plans. A National Oil Pollution Committee was formed in 1989 and charged with (1) assessing the existing capability of the industry to cope with oil spills, and (2) defining the maximum credible incident that the industry can handle, including establishing stock levels of equipment and chemicals, setting up plans, and organization and development of regular practice drills. Since the oil industry in Kenya cannot provide resources capable of responding to, and effectively controlling all emergencies which might occur, the National Oil Pollution Committee includes representatives of two government corporations, Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Pipeline Company, and the four government ministries of Transport and Communications, Energy, Tourism and Wildlife, and Environment and Natural Resources. The Kenya Ports Authority has been appointed as the oil spill coordinator responsible for manpower, storage and maintenance of the equipment stockpile, and equipment employment in case of an oil spill.

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