scholarly journals Oil Spill Response Planning in Cold and Warm Water Environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susse Wegeberg ◽  
Janne Fritt-Rasmussen ◽  
Kim Gustavson ◽  
Richard J Wenning ◽  
Michael Bock
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
The Baltic

ABSTRACT The priorities for oil spill response (OSR) are to protect people, prevent or mitigate environmental damages, and minimize the long-term impacts. Several analytic approaches have emerged in the field of spill impact mitigation assessment (SIMA), a science-based framework evolved from net environmental benefits analysis (NEBA), to broaden the focus from consideration of mitigation of ecological impact to also include socioeconomic and cultural impact considerations. In the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), a comparative risk assessment (CRA) decision-support tool was developed for identifying and comparing the ecological consequences of different oil spill response technologies in temperate/sub-tropical deep water, including the use of subsea dispersants. Another analytic assessment tool, Environment & Oil Spill Response (EOS), was developed based on offshore western Greenland and the Baltic Sea to assist in selection of oil spill response options that best mitigate the consequences of spilled oil in polar / sub-polar aquatic ecosystems in the Nordic region. In this work, we briefly review the CRA and EOS tools and highlight the shared and unique attributes of both assessment frameworks and how ecological, environmental and oil chemistry characteristics are handled in contrasting climatic and ecosystem conditions.

Development of Oil Spill Response Decision Support Tool for Aerial Spraying of Dispersants

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 725-744
Author(s):  
Craig Dillon-Gibbons ◽  
Cameron Galtry ◽  
Nicholas Boustead ◽  
Nicholas D’Arcy-Evans ◽  
Phillip Kurts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Particle Dispersion ◽  
Spray Drift ◽  
Operational Mode ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Oil Spill Response

2017-280 Abstract This paper describes the development of a Decision Support Tool (DST) for response planning associated with aerial operations for offshore oil spills. The research program was formulated to include characterization of dispersant spray drift through numerical modeling to generate a database of drift response for a range of airframes and environmental conditions. The drift of aerial dispersants is dependent on a number of different influences including airframe shape and aerodynamics, environmental effects, flight conditions and aerial dispersant make up. As with agricultural spraying, oil spill response spraying has the potential of spray drift to impact upon ecologically sensitive regions and/or areas occupied by people or marine mammals surfacing in the spill area. The development of the DST included an evaluation of existing regulatory models, investigating their application to the offshore environment. It was found that, due to inherent limitations and simplifications, particularly for the larger airframes considered, the existing models were under conservative in comparison with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models in the near field wake regions for offshore spraying purposes. To address these issues, a combination of scaling factors and the use of inviscid vortex transport and particle dispersion models were adopted for inclusion in the DST. It is envisaged that, once validated further, the DST will become an invaluable tool for Oil Spill Response Operators (OSROs) and decision planners in both the operational mode of providing information to aid in establishing setback distances and in the planning mode to assist with the identification of windows of opportunity conducive to spraying operations.

Development of Oil Spill Response Decision Support Tool for Aerial Spraying of Dispersants

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 2017-280
Author(s):  
Craig Dillon-Gibbons ◽  
Cameron Galtry ◽  
Nicholas Boustead ◽  
Nicholas D'Arcy-Evans ◽  
Phillip Kurts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Particle Dispersion ◽  
Spray Drift ◽  
Operational Mode ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Oil Spill Response

2017-280 Abstract This paper describes the development of a Decision Support Tool (DST) for response planning associated with aerial operations for offshore oil spills. The research program was formulated to include characterization of dispersant spray drift through numerical modeling to generate a database of drift response for a range of airframes and environmental conditions. The drift of aerial dispersants is dependent on a number of different influences including airframe shape and aerodynamics, environmental effects, flight conditions and aerial dispersant make up. As with agricultural spraying, oil spill response spraying has the potential of spray drift to impact upon ecologically sensitive regions and/or areas occupied by people or marine mammals surfacing in the spill area. The development of the DST included an evaluation of existing regulatory models, investigating their application to the offshore environment. It was found that, due to inherent limitations and simplifications, particularly for the larger airframes considered, the existing models were under conservative in comparison with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models in the near field wake regions for offshore spraying purposes. To address these issues, a combination of scaling factors and the use of inviscid vortex transport and particle dispersion models were adopted for inclusion in the DST. It is envisaged that, once validated further, the DST will become an invaluable tool for Oil Spill Response Operators (OSROs) and decision planners in both the operational mode of providing information to aid in establishing setback distances and in the planning mode to assist with the identification of windows of opportunity conducive to spraying operations.

Upgraded RETOS™: An International Tool to Assess Oil Spill Response Planning and Readiness

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 1353-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliott Taylor ◽  
Miguel Moyano ◽  
Alexis Steen
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Oil Spill Response

ABSTRACT In 2011 the Regional Association of Oil and Gas Companies - Latin America and the Caribbean (ARPEL) developed the “Oil Spill Response Planning and Readiness Assessment Manual” and its assessment tool, the “Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOS™)” with the support of regional and international experts from industry and government, including associations such as Clean Caribbean and Americas (CCA), RAC-REMPEITC-Carib, and IMO. The ARPEL Manual and RETOS™ provide a general guide for industry and governments to assess their level of oil spill response (OSR) planning and readiness management in relation to pre-established criteria. These criteria are commonly agreed upon by the institutions involved in the project and consider international best management practices. The foundation for the ARPEL Manual's concepts and criteria is the “Assessment of Oil Spill Response Capabilities: A Proposed International Guide for Oil Spill Response Planning and Readiness Assessment”, a guideline developed for the 2008 International Oil Spill Conference. RETOS™ adapts evaluation criteria according to the type of OSR program to be assessed.Seven different scopes from two perspectives (government and industry) are considered, including facilities, companies' business lines, and government national programs.For each scope there are three possible assessment levels for which OSR planning and readiness assessment criteria become increasingly more demanding.Each level contains criteria in 10 different categories (topic areas). Training workshops on RETOS™ were held during 2011 and 2012. Field tests were conducted by experts and surveys were conducted among users including companies, governments and consultants. Feedback from workshops and the practical application of RETOS™ provided recommendations for upgrades that were reviewed by ARPEL. Subsequently, a proposal to upgrade RETOS was made to the IOSC Executive Committee, which decided to support the endeavor. This paper describes the upgraded version of RETOS and its availability. The upgraded version of RETOS™ has garnered interest from several institutions that contributed to its completion as reviewers: a global Tier 3 organization (OSRL), Caspian and Black Sea's OSPRI, GI WACAF, and IPIECA. This multi-institutional review increased awareness of these readiness assessment tools, is expected to further expand worldwide awareness of the ARPEL Manual and RETOS™, and provides improved OSR planning and readiness management for industry and governments alike. A unique tool that is freely downloadable from the internet, the upgraded RETOS™ is being launched at the 2014 IOSC.

SPILL IMPACT MITIGATION ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANNING IN THE ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 2017-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Robinson ◽  
William Gardiner ◽  
Richard J. Wenning ◽  
Mary Ann Rempel-Hester
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Ecosystems ◽  
Oil And Gas Development ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Different Response

ABSTRACT #2017-351 When there is risk for oil release into the marine environment, the priority for planners and responders is to protect human health and to minimize environmental impacts. The selection of appropriate response option(s) depends upon a wide range of information including data on the fate and behavior of oil and treated oil, the habitats and organisms that are potentially exposed, and the potential for effects and recovery following exposure. Spill Impact Management Assessment (SIMA; a refinement of Net Environmental Benefits Analysis, or NEBA, in the context of oil spill response) and similar comparative risk assessment (CRA) approaches provide responders a systematic method to compare and contrast the relative environmental benefits and consequences of different response alternatives. Government and industry stakeholders have used this approach increasingly in temperate and subtropical regions to establish environmental protection priorities and identify response strategies during planning that minimize impacts and maximize the potential for environmental recovery. Historically, the ability to conduct CRA-type assessments in the Arctic has been limited by insufficient information relevant to oil-spill response decision making. However, with an increased interest in shipping and oil and gas development in the Arctic, a sufficiently robust scientific and ecological information base is emerging in the Arctic that can support meaningful SIMA. Based on a summary of over 3,000 literature references on Arctic ecosystems and the fate and effects of oil and treated oil in the Arctic, we identify key input parameters supporting a SIMA evaluation of oil spill response in the Arctic and introduce a web portal developed to facilitate access to the literature and key considerations supporting SIMA.

SPILL IMPACT MITIGATION ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANNING IN THE ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 1325-1344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Robinson ◽  
William Gardiner ◽  
Richard J. Wenning ◽  
Mary Ann Rempel-Hester
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Ecosystems ◽  
Oil And Gas Development ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Different Response

ABSTRACT #2017-351 When there is risk for oil release into the marine environment, the priority for planners and responders is to protect human health and to minimize environmental impacts. The selection of appropriate response option(s) depends upon a wide range of information including data on the fate and behavior of oil and treated oil, the habitats and organisms that are potentially exposed, and the potential for effects and recovery following exposure. Spill Impact Management Assessment (SIMA; a refinement of Net Environmental Benefits Analysis, or NEBA, in the context of oil spill response) and similar comparative risk assessment (CRA) approaches provide responders a systematic method to compare and contrast the relative environmental benefits and consequences of different response alternatives. Government and industry stakeholders have used this approach increasingly in temperate and subtropical regions to establish environmental protection priorities and identify response strategies during planning that minimize impacts and maximize the potential for environmental recovery. Historically, the ability to conduct CRA-type assessments in the Arctic has been limited by insufficient information relevant to oil-spill response decision making. However, with an increased interest in shipping and oil and gas development in the Arctic, a sufficiently robust scientific and ecological information base is emerging in the Arctic that can support meaningful SIMA. Based on a summary of over 3,000 literature references on Arctic ecosystems and the fate and effects of oil and treated oil in the Arctic, we identify key input parameters supporting a SIMA evaluation of oil spill response in the Arctic and introduce a web portal developed to facilitate access to the literature and key considerations supporting SIMA.

Regional Planning for Shoreline Cold Weather Oil Spill Response in Finland

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 300140
Author(s):  
J. Halonen
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Joint Project ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Holistic Management ◽  
Near Shore ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
The Baltic

Finland's northern location presents operational and logistical challenges to effective oil spill response operation in the wintertime as the northern parts of the Baltic Sea are covered by ice almost every winter. In Finland the Regional Rescue Services (RRS) are responsible for near shore spill response and shoreline cleanup operations. To improve their cold weather response capability four coastal RRS initiated a joint project to develop a shoreline cold weather response plan. This project called WinterSOKO (A32372) focuses on the response options applicable in cold conditions and the spill response logistics on snow- and ice-covered shorelines and near shore waters. This paper presents the logistical approach used in the project. Optimal combination of marine and land based logistical support is a key success factor as the cold weather response requires a holistic management of multiple response strategies with variable conditions in the spill site.

IOSC WORKSHOP REPORT: A PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL GUIDE FOR OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANNING AND READINESS ASSESSMENT

2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliott Taylor ◽  
Alexis Steen ◽  
Mark Meza ◽  
Benjamin Couzigou ◽  
Marc Hodges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
National Level ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Response Capability

ABSTRACT This paper presents a proposed Oil Spill Response (OSR) Readiness assessment tool for international application that is designed to support spill response planning and readiness assessments by industry and government. This paper summarizes the content of a larger report developed by an IOSC Workshop Subcommittee and refined during an IOSC Special Workshop: Assessment of Oil Spill Response Capabilities held on 3 December 2007 in Gamboa, Panama. Each nation and industry sector has different interests and areas of knowledge with respect to spill response priorities and capabilities. As personnel change jobs, their knowledge departs with them. Consequently, expectations for response capability and the manner by which it should be attained can vary. Requirements for levels of response competency may change over time, may not be balanced by the risk of spills, and may not support long-term readiness to meet actual spill risks. There have been few attempts in the spill response community to prepare generic checklists or comprehensive guides for the assessment of response capability. Most guidance is focused on the content of OSR contingency plans. The current IOSC effort aims to be as comprehensive and as detailed as possible encompassing an entire OSR system or program. The IOSC Workshop Subcommittee prepared a broad suite of planning and readiness assessment elements to encourage improved response capacity by aiding development and maintenance of response management systems from a site level to a multi-national level and to reach beyond OSR contingency planning. This approach turns the document into a powerful management tool for evaluating oil spill response capacity at different planning levels, from local, to regional, national and multi-national. Government and industry representatives from Latin America and the Wider Caribbean Region met in Panama on 3 December 2007 to review and discuss the preliminary IOSC Guidelines. This paper and its companion report are intended to advance best international practice for OSR planning and readiness assessment. It is hoped that this IOSC Guide can be maintained as an evergreen tool by consistent use and feedback from within the spill response community.

The Next Generation of Planning for Offshore Oil Spill Response

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 1417-1432
Author(s):  
John Caplis ◽  
Andrew Krieger
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Outer Continental Shelf ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Capability Analysis ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Offshore Oil

ABSTRACT 2017-333: In 2014, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) commissioned a study to inform an update of Oil Spill Response Plan (OSRP) regulations for offshore oil and gas facilities and pipelines at Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 254. The study, Oil Spill Response Equipment Capability Analysis, was conducted by a team led by Booz Allen Hamilton (Booz Allen), with support from RPS Group (formerly ASA Sciences), Environmental Research Consulting (ERC), and SEA Consulting. In close coordination with BSEE, the Booz Allen team reviewed eleven worst case discharge (WCD) scenarios in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Regions. The study, which involved literature reviews, oil spill modeling, and benchmarking against foreign and domestic regulatory regimes, concluded in February 2016, and highlighted many areas for improving the requirements for response capabilities in the OSRPs. This paper focuses on the key spill modeling methodologies, observations, and results in the Oil Spill Response Equipment Capability Analysis study, and its use of a concept of operations (CONOPS) for the application of various oil spill countermeasures in response to a WCD. The modeling results provided both new insights and reaffirmed many principles that have long guided oil spill response operations. The CONOPS systematically rolls them up into an offshore-based construct for employing multiple countermeasures in ways that will most effectively reduce oil contact with the environment. This effort did not attempt to quantify environmental impacts or provide guidance on applying countermeasures based upon a net environmental benefits analysis (NEBA) or spill impact mitigation analysis (SIMA). Decision-making for implementing the CONOPS will still require an additional overlying comparative analysis that evaluates the environmental, cultural, social and economic tradeoffs in order to find the preferred balance of spill countermeasures for a given planning scenario or incident. Regardless, the use of the construct (or CONOPS) as outlined in the study offers sound improvements for response planning involving very large spills in the offshore environment.

scholarly journals Next-Generation Smart Response Web (NG-SRW): An Operational Spatial Decision Support System for Maritime Oil Spill Emergency Response in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6585
Author(s):  
Mihhail Fetissov ◽  
Robert Aps ◽  
Floris Goerlandt ◽  
Holger Jänes ◽  
Jonne Kotta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Spatial Decision Support System ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
The Baltic

The Baltic Sea is a unique and sensitive brackish-water ecosystem vulnerable to damage from shipping activities. Despite high levels of maritime safety in the area, there is a continued risk of oil spills and associated harmful environmental impacts. Achieving common situational awareness between oil spill response decision makers and other actors, such as merchant vessel and Vessel Traffic Service center operators, is an important step to minimizing detrimental effects. This paper presents the Next-Generation Smart Response Web (NG-SRW), a web-based application to aid decision making concerning oil spill response. This tool aims to provide, dynamically and interactively, relevant information on oil spills. By integrating the analysis and visualization of dynamic spill features with the sensitivity of environmental elements and value of human uses, the benefits of potential response actions can be compared, helping to develop an appropriate response strategy. The oil spill process simulation enables the response authorities to judge better the complexity and dynamic behavior of the systems and processes behind the potential environmental impact assessment and thereby better control the oil combat action.

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