Abstract
A controlled laboratory study was conducted to measure the dispersion effectiveness of Corexit 9500 on 23 different crude oils. This study was a part of a larger project initiated by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) testing 20 oils to compare the predictive value of laboratory dispersant effectiveness tests with their larger scale test conducted at Ohmsett, BSEE’s national oil spill response test facility located in Leonardo, NJ. The test used in this study was the Baffled Flask Test (BFT), which is planned for adoption as EPA’s official testing protocol for listing commercial dispersant products on the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule, replacing the current Swirling Flask Test (SFT) [1]. In addition, the results of 3 additional oils, the 2 used in the SFT and BFT as currently written plus another reference oil, are presented. The temperature used for the tests was 15°C, to match the temperature used at Ohmsett. The dispersion effectiveness ranged from 3.4% to 93%. The BFT is a laboratory test with results that are inversely correlated with oil viscosity and therefore has predictive value in the decision to use a dispersant in the event of a spill.
Highlights
Background and IntroductionBench-scale Dispersant Effectiveness (DE) tests are routinely used around the world to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a dispersant product on standard oils or to study the effect of oil and dispersant type and environmental variables on dispersant effectiveness
This paper summarizes data from the Baffled Flask Test (BFT) and compares it with results from the wave tank, the Exxon Dispersant Effectiveness Test (Exdet), and Warren Springs Laboratory (WSL) tests
DE results with the BFT were compared with three other procedures, the WSL and Exdet laboratory tests and the Ohmsett pilot test
Summary
Bench-scale Dispersant Effectiveness (DE) tests are routinely used around the world to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a dispersant product on standard oils or to study the effect of oil and dispersant type and environmental variables on dispersant effectiveness. Surfactants, the active ingredient in chemical dispersants, reduce the oil-water interfacial tension, promoting the formation of small oil droplets (
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