State-of-the Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil in Arctic Waters

ABSTRACT Chemical dispersants were employed on an unprecedented scale during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and could be a response option should a large spill occur in Arctic waters. The use of dispersants in response to the DWH spill raised concerns regarding the need for chemical dispersants, the fate of the oil and dispersants, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment. Concerns remain that would be more evident in the Arctic, where the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions would make a response to any oil spill very difficult. An outcome of a 2013 Arctic oil spill exercise for senior federal agency leadership identified the need for an evaluation of the state-of-the-science of dispersants and dispersed oil (DDO), and a clear delineation of the associated uncertainties that remain, particularly as they apply to Arctic waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), embarked on a project to seek expert review and evaluation of the state-of-the-science and the uncertainties involving DDO. The objectives of the project were to: identify the primary research/reference documents on DDO, determine what is known about the state-of-the-science regarding DDO, and determine what uncertainties, knowledge gaps or inconsistencies remain 689559 regarding DDO science. The project focused on five areas and how they might be affected by Arctic conditions: dispersant efficacy and effectiveness, physical transport and chemical behavior, degradation and fate, eco-toxicity and sub-lethal impacts, and public health and food safety. The Louisiana University Marine Consortium (LUMCON) dispersants database was used as a source of relevant literature generated prior to June 2008. The CRRC created a database that compiled relevant research thereafter. The six to ten experts on each of the panel were from academia, industry, NGOs, governmental agencies and consulting. Despite the fact that their scientific perspectives were diverse, the panelists were able to generate hundreds of statements of knowns and uncertainties about which all of the members agreed. This required detailed discussion of 1000s scientific papers. While the cutoff date for literature considered was December 31, 2015, the vast majority of the findings are still relevant and most of the uncertainties remain. As the ice in the Arctic diminishes and maritime development and activity increase, these five documents can inform discussions of the potential use of dispersants as a spill response option in both ice-free and ice infested Arctic waters.

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In Situ Oil Spill Countermeasures in Ice-Infested Waters: A Modeling Study of the Fate/Behaviours of Spilled Oil

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2014.1.1215 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (1) ◽

pp. 1215-1225 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Haibo Niu ◽

Kenneth Lee ◽

Michel C. Boufadel ◽

Lin Zhao ◽

Brian Robinson

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Arctic Region ◽

The Arctic ◽

Oil Transport ◽

Habitat Recovery ◽

Dispersed Oil ◽

Oil Biodegradation ◽

Arctic Conditions ◽

Spilled Oil

ABSTRACT The expansion of offshore oil and gas and marine transport activities in the Arctic have raised the level of risk for an oil spill to occur in the Arctic region. Existing technologies for oil spill cleanup in ice-covered conditions are limited and there is a need for improved oil spill countermeasures for use under Arctic conditions. A recent field study has assessed a proposed oil spill response technique in ice-infested waters based on the application of fine minerals in a slurry with mixing by propeller-wash to promote the formation of oil-mineral aggregates (OMA). While it was verified in the experimental study that the dispersion was enhanced and mineral fine additions promoted habitat recovery by enhancing both the rate and extent of oil biodegradation, limited monitoring data provide little insights on the fate of dispersed oil after the response. To help understand the oil transport process following mineral treatment in ice-covered conditions, mathematical modeling was used in this study to simulate the transport of OMA and calculate the mass balances of the spilled oil. To study the effects of ice and minerals on the fate and transport, the result was compared with scenarios without ice and without the addition of mineral fines. The results show general agreement between the modeling results and field observations, and further confirm the effectiveness and potential for using mineral treatment as a new oil spill counter-measure technology. This technique offers several operational advantages for use under Arctic conditions, including reduced number of personnel required for its application, lack of need for waste disposal sites, and cost effectiveness.

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State of Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil in U.S. Arctic Waters

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2017.1.000317 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (1) ◽

pp. 2017317

Author(s):

Nancy E. Kinner ◽

Doug Helton ◽

Gary Shigenaka

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Bering Sea ◽

Scientific Literature ◽

The State ◽

The Arctic ◽

The Public ◽

Dispersed Oil ◽

Oil Spill Response ◽

The U.S ◽

The Bering Sea

Use of dispersants was very limited in the U.S. prior to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010. For that spill, the volume of dispersants applied, as well as the sub sea injection, was unprecedented. It has been suggested that dispersants could be a response option to a large oil spill in the Arctic, particularly because of the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions. One of the outcomes of a 2014 Arctic oil spill drill for senior U.S. agency leadership identified the need for a definitive evaluation of the state-of-science of dispersants and dispersed oil (DDO), particularly as it applies to Arctic waters. For the purposes of this evaluation, the U.S. Arctic is defined as including the Bering Sea and waters as far south as the Aleutian Islands. The Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC) convened five panels of governmental, academic, NGO, and private sector experts to determine the state of DDO science, specifically the knowns and uncertainties. The panels focused on the following five topics: Efficacy and Effectiveness, Physical Transport and Chemical Behavior; Degradation and Fate; Public Health and Food Security; and Eco-Toxicity and Sublethal Impacts. Activities conducted by the CRRC included: collating and constructing a database of the existing scientific literature, and facilitating the discussions of each panel of scientists over a period of 1.5 years. Once each panel had formulated its document regarding the state-of-science (i.e., knowns and uncertainties) regarding DDO, particularly as it applies to Arctic waters, the CRRC requested written input from the public on what to add, remove or change about these statements. Finally, each panel reviewed the public input and decided upon its final statements of knowns and uncertainties. This paper will present a summary of the statements and their implications for the use of dispersants in oil spill response in U.S. Arctic waters.

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Advancing Oil Spill Response in Arctic Conditions: The Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology - Joint Industry Programme

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2014.1.960 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (1) ◽

pp. 960-971 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joseph V. Mullin

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Research Integrity ◽

Field Research ◽

Oil And Gas Industry ◽

The Arctic ◽

Gas Industry ◽

Response Strategies ◽

Arctic Conditions ◽

Oil Spill Response

ABSTRACT The oil and gas industry has made significant advances in being able to detect, contain and clean up spills in arctic environments. To further build on existing research and improve the technologies and methodologies for arctic oil spill response, nine oil and gas companies (BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Eni, ExxonMobil, North Caspian Operating Company, Shell, Statoil, and Total) established the Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology Joint Industry Programme (JIP). The goal of the JIP is to advance arctic oil spill response strategies and equipment as well as to increase understanding of potential impacts of oil on the arctic marine environment. Officially launched in January 2012 at the Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø, Norway, the JIP has six technical working groups (TWG) each focusing on a different key area of oil spill response: dispersants; environmental effects; trajectory modeling; remote sensing; mechanical recovery and in-situ burning (ISB). There is also a field research TWG to pursue opportunities for field releases for validation of response technologies and strategies. Each TWG is led by recognized subject matter experts with years of experience in oil spill response research and operations. This JIP is bringing together the world's foremost experts on oil spill response research, development, and operations from across industry, academia, and independent research centres. Research integrity will be ensured through technical peer review and public dissemination of results. This paper describes the scope and current progress of this Joint Industry Program (JIP).

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Advancing Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Techniques for Arctic Conditions

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2011-1-105 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 (1) ◽

pp. abs105 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Peter Velez ◽

Hanne Greiff Johnsen ◽

Alexis Steen ◽

Yvette Osikilo

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Oil Spill ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

The Arctic ◽

Distinct Advantage ◽

Cold Temperatures ◽

Arctic Regions ◽

Arctic Conditions ◽

Oil Spill Response ◽

High Level

ABSTRACT Industrial and commercial activities in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, including oil exploration, have increased in recent years. The 2008 circumpolar analysis by the US Geological Survey highlighted the large quantities of undiscovered oil and gas (O&G) estimated to be present. Governments of Arctic coastal states require industry to ensure a high level of environmental protection while operating in these areas. There are unique considerations which must be addressed such as: prolonged periods of darkness and daylight, cold temperatures, environmental sensitivities, indigenous peoples and their culture, distant infrastructure and remoteness, presence of seasonal/dynamic sea ice offshore, and a generally higher cost of doing business. Oil spill response (OSR) in the ice-free season can be comparable to the response in others parts of the world, with the exception of lower temperatures and extended daylight hours. The latter is a distinct advantage for OSR operations. Prevention of spills remains a top priority for industry. To address spills, if prevention is unsuccessful, the O&G industry has made significant progress over the last decades on addressing the technical challenges of operating in the Arctic. The O&G industry has also performed work to evaluate and validate OSR response measures under Arctic conditions. Oil spill response is a demanding task in any environment, but responding to spills in Arctic regions can present different challenges, especially with presence of sea ice, than to spills found in more temperate regions and opportunities exist to improve upon this existing capability. Some response techniques have been modified or specially developed for use in the Arctic. The O&G industry will undertake a joint industry research program to further address the challenges of Arctic Oil Spill Response. This paper describes the background, planning, and scope for this Joint Industry Program (JIP).

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COMPARATIVE FATE OF CHEMICALLY DISPERSED AND UNTREATED OIL IN THE ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND OIL SPILL STUDIES 1980–1983

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1985-1-561 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 1985 (1) ◽

pp. 561-569

Author(s):

Paul D. Boehm ◽

William Steinhauer ◽

Adolfo Requejo ◽

Donald Cobb ◽

Suzanne Duffy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Column ◽

Oil Spill ◽

Large Scale ◽

The Arctic ◽

Baffin Island ◽

Dispersed Oil ◽

Beach Sediments ◽

Chemically Dispersed Oil ◽

Deposit Feeding

ABSTRACT Two experimental oil spill studies designed to assess the comparative short and long term fates and effects of chemically dispersed and untreated nearshore discharges in the Arctic were undertaken as part of the Baffin Island Oil Spill (BIOS) Project. The fates of oil in the water column, in subtidal and beach sediments, and in five species of filter- and deposit-feeding animals were investigated. Analytical results indicate that the discharge of the chemically dispersed oil caused a large but short-lived chemical impact on the water column (up to 50 ppm), a significant initial bio accumulation of oil, and little sediment impact. In contrast, the untreated oil, allowed to beach, did not have a significant water column impact, but did result in a large scale landfall, continual long term erosion of oil off the beach, and increasing oil levels in subtidal sediments and deposit-feeding animals.

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Recent Studies on Fate and Degradation of Hydrocarbons Dispersed Subsea

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2017.1.271 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (1) ◽

pp. 271-290

Author(s):

Victoria Broje

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Scientific Basis ◽

American Petroleum Institute ◽

Environmental Benefit ◽

Current State ◽

Dispersed Oil ◽

Oil Biodegradation ◽

State Of The Science

ABSTRACT The goal of applying dispersants as an oil spill response technique whether at the surface or subsea is to minimize surface oil impacts to people, wildlife, and shorelines and to facilitate rapid dilution and natural degradation of the dispersed oil in the water column. Thus, reliable estimates of the fate and degradation of oil, dispersed oil, and, for subsea releases, gas are key considerations when selecting response techniques. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has sponsored research on various aspects of subsea dispersant injection for over 4 years. Three of the most recent of those studies further advanced our understanding of the fate and biodegradation of hydrocarbons dispersed subsea and are discussed in this paper. An effort to evaluate the latest dispersed oil biodegradation studies and biodegradation modeling algorithms resulted in an overview of current state-of-the-science for characterizing biodegradation processes in far field oil spill models and recommendations on improving these modeling practices. Another project examined the current state-of-the-science on oil sedimentation processes including “marine snow” formation in the context of oil spills and dispersant use. It was conducted in order to better understand dynamics, fate, and environmental impacts of oil sedimentation from the perspective of Net Environmental Benefit Analysis, NEBA (aka Spill Impact Mitigation Assessment). The third study conducted numerical modeling to predict the fate of light hydrocarbons with and without subsea dispersant use and to estimate the changes in air quality near a well site. The goal of this effort was to evaluate whether subsea dispersant injection can reduce surface volatile hydrocarbon concentrations in the vicinity of well-control operations to protect responders’ health and safety. These and other API projects advanced our understanding of the scientific and environmental aspects of subsea dispersant use and provide a scientific basis for inclusion of this technique into contingency plans.

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Impact of Arctic Met ocean Conditions on Oil Spill Response: Results of the First Circumpolar Response Viability Analysis

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2017.1.000172 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (1) ◽

pp. 2017172

Author(s):

Jens Peter Holst-Andersen ◽

Synnøve Lunde ◽

David M. Moore ◽

Hans Petter Dahlslett ◽

Odd Willy Brude ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

The Arctic ◽

Geographic Variations ◽

Analytical Methodology ◽

Viability Analysis ◽

Arctic Conditions ◽

Oil Spill Response ◽

Response Systems ◽

Ocean Conditions ◽

Different Response

There is widespread recognition that Arctic conditions can challenge marine oil spill response by limiting countermeasure effectiveness and, in extreme cases, even preventing their use. The Arctic Council's Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (EPPR) Workgroup implemented a response viability analysis to estimate how often different types of response systems could be deployed in different areas of the Arctic based on historical met ocean conditions. This approach, implemented previously in several circumpolar sub-regions, quantifies the effects of met ocean conditions on response techniques by comparing the operating limits for different response systems to a hind cast of met ocean data. Response systems include options for mechanical recovery, chemical dispersants, and in-situ burning. Met ocean conditions in the dataset used include wind, sea state, temperature, sea ice coverage, horizontal visibility, and daylight/darkness. Additional conditions are discussed qualitatively. For each response system studied, the results indicate how often use of that system may be favorable, marginal, or not recommended. Seasonal and geographic variations in the results can inform response contingency planning. Examining the met ocean condition that most frequently impacts a system can also inform needed technological improvements or modifications. EPPR convened experts to provide input to the analysis, including the initial project scoping and development of baseline systems and limits. This paper discusses the project process as well as the analytical methodology, key inputs, assumptions, and results.

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