Airborne Laser Induced Fluorescence As A Means For The EffectiveManagement Of Oil Spills, And For The Enforcement Of Oil DischargeRegulations

Abstract

The effective management of oil spills and the enforcement of oil discharge regulations are issues which have been a problem to Coastal States in the past and they will continue to be challenges around the world well into the foreseeable future. Records show that the current instances of major oil spills from tanker accidents are fairly rare, with an annual spillage of some 162 000 tonnes, and the risks associated with these spills are considered to be acceptable. On the other hand, the flouting of oil discharge regulations by sea transportation continues on a regular basis. The total annual tonnage from this ongoing contamination of the sea is estimated to equal some 687 000 tonnes per year, which is almost ten times the tonnage of oil spilled by the Sea Empress when she was grounded off the U.K. coast in February 1996. This paper provides an overview of the oil contamination problem and it addresses issues relating to criteria for the effective management of oil spills, as well as the enforcement of oil discharge regulations, by means of active remote sensing systems based on laser induced fluorescence. The technology for the above systems is not new, but it is apparent that the application of laser fluorosensors in practice, generally falls quite a long way behind the ongoing research and development in the field, especially in developing countries.