THE DEVELOPMENT OF OIL SPILL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Abstract

ABSTRACT Oil spill countermeasure actions are combatants, and spilled oil is the enemy. A good operation map at the oil spill response plays a keystone role for victory as military combats. Various complicated geographical information—spill location, damaged areas, natural resources and positions of response resources like skimmers, booms and vessels—are involved in a spill situation. The development of Geographical Information System (GIS)-based spill management software was studied in the project entitled Computerized Oil Spill Response Support System in Korea, by Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute (KORDI) in cooperation with the Korea Maritime Police Agency (KMPA) and the Korea Environmental Science & Technology Institute (KESTI). The spill management software was developed to implement computer operation maps of oil spill countermeasures on the desktop of spill responders. Spill responders can draw the spill positions, damaged areas, and locations of response. The management of cleanup activities is another important role of this software. The users of this software can record every response activity with the time, location, and input amounts of resources, which allow for the evaluation of response activities and estimation of cleanup costs. Fisheries damage also can be assessed using the preimplemented aquaculture field database. The integrated oil spill model can predict oil trajectory of future with computer graphics animation. Moreover, Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps are included so spill responders can determine operational priority efficiently using the ESI and trajectory model predictions. This software is expected to give a great efficiency to spill responders and to be a good solution to manage oil spills.