OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR GEORGES BANK

Abstract

ABSTRACT Lease Sale #42, held on December 18, 1979, provided the North Atlantic District of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and the U. S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Boston, an opportunity to develop oil spill contingency planning requirements for companies exploring for oil and gas on Georges Bank, one of the world's most productive fisheries. After extensive consultation with the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office and Atlantic Strike Team representatives, Clean Atlantic Associates (CAA), an oil industry cleanup cooperative for the Atlantic outer continental shelf, received specific criteria regarding response times, sea-state capabilities, uptake rates, support vessels, storage capabilities, training, and drills. These criteria were developed with the assistance of a technical review board approved by the Commandant of the Coast Guard. CAA met the criteria by purchasing additional response equipment and further demonstrating the capabilities of existing equipment. Response equipment was maintained at two offshore locations to ensure that the specified six-hour response times could be achieved under normal conditions. The offshore response equipment was deployed by drilling personnel at offshore well sites. CAA and the Atlantic Strike Team successfully conducted a coordinated response exercise on July 30, 1981, in Rhode Island Sound. Additional training classes and a surprise offshore drill have been held subsequently.