Arctic Oil Spill Response Research Articles

Air quality impacts in the vicinity of a chemical herder mediated in-situ burn for Arctic oil spill response

Chemical herder augmented in-situ burning (ISB) is one of the most viable oil spill response techniques in partially ice-covered waters. Herein we report on the impacts of herder-mediated ISB tests on ambient air quality by making atmospheric measurements during ISB field tests in partially ice-covered waters in Fairbanks, Alaska. Concentrations of PM2.5, six combustion gases (CO, CO2, NO, NO2, NOx, SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and herding agent (OP-40) in the airborne plume (6–12 m downwind) were measured during three ISB events. PM2.5 concentrations significantly (p-value = 0.8014) exceeded NAAQS (24 h) exposure limits, while the remaining pollutants were found significantly (p-value <0.05) below the established exposure limits. OP-40 herder was not detected in the collected aerosol samples. To our knowledge, this is the first study on atmospheric emissions in the vicinity of a field-scale herder-augmented oil-spill ISB study in a high-latitude Arctic environment and provides information that is helpful to ensure the safety and well-being of on-site response personnel.

Current practices and knowledge supporting oil spill risk assessment in the Arctic

Oil spill response (OSR) in the Arctic marine environment conducted as part of operational planning and preparedness supporting exploration and development is most successful when knowledge of the ecosystem is readily available and applicable in an oil spill risk assessment framework. OSR strategies supporting decision-making during the critical period after a spill event should be explicit about the environmental resources potentially at risk and the efficacy of OSR countermeasures that best protect sensitive and valued resources. At present, there are 6 prominent methods for spill impact mitigation assessment (SIMA) in the Arctic aimed at supporting OSR and operational planning and preparedness; each method examines spill scenarios and identifies response strategies best suited to overcome the unique challenges posed by polar ecosystems and to minimize potential long-term environmental consequences. The different methods are grounded in classical environmental risk assessment and the net environmental benefit analysis (NEBA) approach that emerged in the 1990s after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The different approaches share 5 primary assessment elements (oil physical and chemical properties, fate and transport, exposure, effects and consequence analysis). This paper highlights how the different Arctic methods reflect this common risk assessment framework and share a common need for oil spill science relevant to Arctic ecosystems. An online literature navigation portal, developed as part of the 5-year Arctic Oil Spill Response Technologies Joint Industry Programme, complements the different approaches currently used in the Arctic by capturing the rapidly expanding body of scientific knowledge useful to evaluating exposure, vulnerability and recovery of the Arctic ecosystem after an oil spill.

Environmental effects of Arctic oil spills and spill response technologies, introduction to a 5 year joint industry effort

With the level of industrial activities increasing in Arctic areas it is crucial to assure that dedicated oil spill response capabilities and strategies are available for deployment in this region. To further build on existing research and improve technologies and methodologies for Arctic oil spill response, nine oil and gas companies established the Arctic Response Technology Joint Industry Program (ART-JIP) in 2012 with the goal 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. As part of the environmental effects research program of the ART-JIP a comprehensive review of the environmental impacts arising from both the oil spill itself and the countermeasures activities was executed. A number of research activities were identified to improve the knowledge base for using a Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA) in the Arctic. As a follow-up of the review modelling-, laboratory- and field studies were conducted. The data collected from the review and the additional studies have been organized in an information tool to support tool Arctic NEBA. Results from the studies have improved the understanding of what happens to oil once frozen into ice, how the microbe communities are reacting to oil in ice and what the exposure potential and effects are on the marine organisms that live in association with the ice. This output from the ART-JIP will help managing oil spill impacts and will assist in the definition of a response strategy that minimizes effects to the environment.

Advances from Arctic Oil Spill Response Research

Abstract 2017-161 Over the past four decades, the oil and gas industry has made significant advances in being able to detect, contain and clean up spills and mitigate the residual consequences in Arctic environments. Many of these advances were achieved through collaborative research programs involving industry, academic and government partners. The Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology - Joint Industry Programme (JIP), was launched in 2012 and completed in early 2017 with the objectives of building on an already extensive knowledge base to further improve Arctic spill response capabilities and better understand the environmental issues involved in selecting and implementing the most effective response strategies. The JIP was a collaboration of nine oil and gas companies (BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Eni, ExxonMobil, North Caspian Operating Company, Shell, Statoil, and Total) and focused on six key areas of oil spill response: dispersants; environmental effects; trajectory modeling; remote sensing; mechanical recovery and in-situ burning. The JIP provided a vehicle for sharing knowledge among the participants and international research institutions and disseminating information to regulators, the public and stakeholders. The network of engaged scientists and government agencies increased opportunities to develop and test oil spill response technologies while raising awareness of industry efforts to advance the existing capabilities in Arctic oil spill response. The JIP consisted of two phases, the first included technical assessments and state of knowledge reviews resulting in a library of sixteen documents available on the JIP website. The majority of the JIP efforts focused on Phase 2, actual experiments, and included laboratory, small and medium scale tank tests, and field research experiments. Three large-scale field tests were conducted in the winter and spring months of 2014–2016 including recent participation of the JIP in the 2016 NOFO oil on water exercise off Norway. The JIP was the largest pan-industry programme dedicated to oil spill response in the Arctic, ever carried out. Twenty seven research projects were successfully and safely conducted by the world’s foremost experts on oil spill response from across industry, academia, and independent scientific institutions in ten countries. The overarching goal of the research was to address the differing aspects involved in oil spill response, including the methods used, and their applicability to the Arctic’s unique conditions. All research projects were conducted using established protocols and proven scientific technologies, some of which were especially adjusted for ice conditions. This paper describes the scope of the research conducted, results, and key findings. The JIP is committed to full transparency in disseminating the results through peer reviewed journal articles, and all JIP research reports are available free of charge at www.arcticresponsetechnology.org.

LONG TERM ICE EXPOSURE STUDIES FOR ENHANCING ARCTIC NEBA SCIENCE BASE

ABSTRACT #2017-097 The Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology - Joint Industry Programme has the goal 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. In 2013 a comprehensive review of investigations into environmental consequences of spilled oil and oil spill response technologies in the Arctic marine environment was performed by a multi-disciplinary team of experts. This review indicated that there is a significant science base for oil spill response decision-making in the Arctic already available and also listed recommendations for studies to enhance the science-base for Arctic Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA). To follow up on the reviews’ recommendations a unique long-term mesocosm experiment was executed to improve the scientific knowledge of the fate and biodegradation of oil and oil spill response residues in ice, as well as the environmental effects to ice associated ecology. Eight mesocosms were installed in the sea ice of the Van Mijenfjorden in Svea, Svalbard, Norway in February 2015 and remained in place until July 2015. The study was designed to monitor the long term fate, behaviour, persistence and biodegradation of the oil in ice together with the impact on the microbial communities, following different response scenarios. Additionally, under-ice phyto- and zooplankton communities were sampled and monitored for effects. The same exposures were replicated in the laboratory to measure the sensitivity and resilience of the polar cod. Over the five month period that the mesocosm experiment lasted, the following parameters were studied within the water column, through the ice layer and within the water-ice interface:Chemical composition of the oilBacterial populations and oil degrading microorganismsMicrobial activity and biodegradation activityZooplankton - survival, feeding and reproduction (under ice)Ice algae primary production Results from the studies and additional modelling activities have improved our understanding of what happens to oil once frozen into ice, how microbiology is reacting to oil in ice and what the exposure potential is of the ecology associated with the ice. This information enhances the NEBA science base and helps the response community in selecting a combination of response strategies that minimises the effects to people and the environment.

Investigations of skeletal layer microstructure in the context of remote sensing of oil in sea ice

ABSTRACT (2017-159)The Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology – Joint Industry Program (JIP) funded a controlled basin experiment in November 2014 to assess the relative capabilities of a variety of oil in ice remote sensing techniques. An 80-cm sheet of level salt-water ice was grown in the Test Basin facility at the US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire. The basin ice was representative of natural level sea ice grown under quiescent conditions. This created a controlled baseline environment to compare different sensors with a manageable number of variables. The sensor testing spanned a two-month ice growth phase and a one-month decay/melt period. The detailed physical and electrical properties of the lab-grown ice sheet were monitored over the course of the experiment.Analysis of preliminary sensor data revealed that the skeletal layer--the soft, porous band of new ice crystals at the growing ice water interface--plays a significant role in the process of incorporation of oil into the ice sheet, with oil infiltration occurring between the small lamellae structures. In addition, the underwater sensors, particularly acoustic sensors, appeared to be very sensitive to skeletal layer properties, especially the surface roughness of the ice/water interface and the density of the skeletal layer.Preliminary X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) data collected as part of the experiment demonstrated a qualitative scale dependence of sensor response to the skeletal layer microstructure. We used a cold-hardened Bruker SkyScan 1173 micro-CT scanner, housed in a −10 °C cold room, to generate full 3-dimensional x-ray images of the sea ice samples. We have demonstrated that the system is capable of distinguishing areas of void space, brine, ice, and oil at 40 micron resolution. The micro-CT scans were used to characterize the skeletal layer of the ice, including measuring density, thickness, orientation and spacing of the lamellae at 39 – 71 micron voxel resolution.Characterizing the ice structure with high resolution micro-CT imaging may resolve some of the ambiguity in the sensor measurements and lead to improved accuracy of the numerical models that predict sensor performance in different oil and ice scenarios.

Detection of oil in and under ice

ABSTRACT (2017-147) In 2014, researchers from ten organizations came to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in New Hampshire to conduct a first of its kind large-scale experiment aimed at determining current sensor capabilities for detecting oil in and under sea ice. This project was the second phase of the Oil Spill Detection in Low Visibility and Ice research project of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP), Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology - Joint Industry Programme. The objectives of the project were to:Acquire acoustic, thermal, optical and radar signatures of oil on, within, and underneath a level sheet of laboratory sea ice.Determine the capabilities of various sensors to detect oil in specific ice environments created in a test tank, including freeze-up, growth and melt.Model the potential performance of the sensors under realistic field conditions using the test data for validation.Recommend the most effective sensor suite of existing sensors for detecting oil in the ice environment. The sensor testing spanned a two-month ice growth phase and a one-month decay/melt period. The growth phase produced an 80 centimeter thick level sheet of salt water ice representative of natural sea ice grown under quiescent conditions. Above-ice sensors included frequency modulated continuous wave radar, ground penetrating radar, laser fluorescence polarization sensor, spectral radiometer, visible and infrared cameras. Below-ice sensors included acoustics (broadband, narrowband, and multibeam sonars), spectral radiometers, cameras, and fluorescence polarization. Measurements of physical and electrical properties of the ice and oil within the ice were provided to optical, acoustic, and radar modelers as inputs into their models. The models were then used to extrapolate the sensors’ laboratory performance to potential performance over a range of field conditions. All selected sensors detected oil under some conditions. The radar systems were the only above-ice sensors capable of detecting oil below or trapped within the ice. Cameras below the ice detected oil at all stages of ice growth, and the acoustic and fluorescence systems detected encapsulated oil through limited amounts of new ice growth beneath the oil. No single sensor detected oil in and below ice under all conditions tested. However, we used the test results to identify suites of sensors that could be deployed today both above and below the ice to detect and map an oil spill within ice covered waters.

State-of-the-Art Oil Spill Trajectory Prediction in Ice Infested Waters: A Journey from High Resolution Arctic-Wide Satellite Data to Advanced Oil Spill Trajectory Modeling-What You Need to Know

ABSTRACTIn ice covered waters, successful oil spill response requires predictions of where the oil and ice will travel. The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP), Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology - Joint Industry Programme (JIP) funded research to improve oil spill response by leveraging new state-of-the-art ice forecasting into oil spill trajectory models. We present an overview of the systems and discuss how these advancements will provide responders with new information for spill preparedness and planning. The Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC) has developed two coupled ice-ocean models that cover the entire Arctic: TOPAZ4 and neXtSIM. TOPAZ4 uses both in situ ocean data and satellite data; the model also includes an ecosystem model. The neXtSIM model is a new high resolution (3km) coupled ice-ocean which uses daily sea ice thickness and concentration fields from satellites.SINTEF’s Oil Spill Contingency and Response (OSCAR) model can now use output from both TOPAZ and neXtSIM. The OSCAR user can view the ice conditions with the spill, and the oil trajectory is modified by the time dependent ice coverages. Case studies will be discussed that test the implementation for different areas of the Arctic. Through these case studies, we provide new types of information for spill responders. The OSCAR model also includes information on oil weathering in ice from extensive laboratory and flume data for oils in water with and without ice.Case Study 1: In the Beaufort Sea we compare observed ice drifter position time series with the ice drift calculated by the OSCAR model using input from the NERSC models. We then simulate a potential oil spill in the area.Case Study 2: The 2009 Joint Industry Project included fieldwork and modeling for oil released in marginal ice zone in the Barents Sea. In May 2009, 7000 liters of fresh Troll oil was released into the marginal ice zone to study the oil weathering, spreading and overall oil trajectory.

International Ice Services’ Planning for an Arctic Oil Spill Response

ABSTRACT 2017-382 Formed in 1999, the International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG) is a consortium of the ice services from all over the world. The operational ice services representing nations from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, including all eight Arctic Council nations, come together with a common goal of promoting cooperation between the world’s ice centers on all matters concerning sea ice and icebergs. In 2013, the IICWG began to focus on how the ice services can support an emergency response in ice-laden waters. This focus was on providing current and forecasted information on sea ice and iceberg conditions in the area of the incident as well as for the shipping routes approaching the area. With rapidly changing sea ice, ice information would be critical to planning an effective response. The IICWG formed a partnership with the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF) and Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) in 2015 to expand the awareness of the ice services and their capabilities to the oil companies and oil spill removal organizations. In 2016, the IICWG conducted an unannounced emergency notification exercise to validate the contact information for each of the ice services. In an effort to ensure responders would be able to access the most accurate contact information, IICWG published this ice services’ contact list worldwide in classification society periodicals. The preparations of these nations culminated in a Tabletop Exercise at the group’s annual meeting in October 2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The exercise scenario involved a major oil spill response in ice-infested waters with participants from the ice services, maritime users, satellite data providers, and OSRL. The lessons learned from this exercise will prepare all of the ice services for a coordinated oil spill response. The IICWG also collaborated with the Arctic Council Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Working Group for future exercises and planning.

Ongoing Research on Herding Agents for In Situ Burning in Arctic Waters: Studies on Fate and Effects

ABSTRACT Research on the fate and effects of herding agents used to contain and thicken oil slicks for in situ burning in Arctic waters continues under the auspices of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology – Joint Industry Program (JIP). In 2014/2015 laboratory studies were conducted on the fate and effects of herders. The purpose of the studies was to improve the knowledge base used to evaluate the environmental risk of using herders in connection with in situ burning for oil spill response in Arctic seas. Two herding agents were studied (OP 40 and ThickSlick 6535). Laboratory-scale herding and burning experiments were carried out for investigating the physical fate of the two herders during combustion of Alaska North Slope and Grane crude oils (fresh and emulsified). The results showed that after burning, the herder was mainly found on the water surface, and only small concentrations of herders were found in the water column (0.2–22.8 mg/L). The inherent properties of herders in relation to toxicity and bioaccumulation on the high Arctic copepods (Calanus hyperboreus), as well as the biodegradability of herders were studied under arctic conditions. The results indicated that a distinct mortality was seen at the highest test concentrations of the herders. However, the concentration of herders required to produce acute toxicity in the laboratory was approximately three orders of magnitude higher than the concentrations measured in the water column when herders were used to conduct an in situ burn in the laboratory. OP-40 might bio-accumulate whereas TS6535 might not. TS6535 was mostly degraded within 7 days, whereas the degradation of OP-40 was insignificant over 28 days. Since herders are mainly considered as a surface active chemical compound, the potential impacts of herders on Arctic seabird feathers (from legally hunted Thick-Billed Murre and Common Eider) were investigated. Different dosages of herders were tested; high dosages that might be present just after the application of the herder and low dosages (approximately monolayers) likely to occur for a significant time and distance from the operations. Low dosages corresponding to approximately monolayers of OP-40 and TS6535 did not cause feathers to sink; however they did absorb more water than the controls. The high dosages caused measured damages to the feather microstructure. Finally, laboratory burning experiments were carried out to determine if there was a difference in the composition of smoke plumes from mechanically contained burns versus herded oil burns. Herder was not measured in the smoke plumes, and there were no other noticeable differences in combustion between the two methods of containment (herder vs. metal ring).

Ongoing Research on Herding Agents for In Situ Burning in Arctic Waters: Laboratory and Test Tank Studies on Windows-of-Opportunity

ABSTRACT Researching the use of herding agents to contain and thicken oil slicks for in situ burning in Arctic waters continues under the auspices of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology-Joint Industry Programme. In 2014/2015 laboratory and test tank studies were conducted on defining potentials for effective herder use. The objective of these experiments was to determine the window-of-opportunity for two commercially available herders (ThickSlick 6535 and OP 40) to contract slicks of weathered oils to ignitable thicknesses. The experiments involved a range of crude oils that were quantitatively evaporated and emulsified (ANS, Endicott, Grane and Terra Nova). Small and medium-scale herding experiments (1-m2 quiescent pans, Dynamic Film Performance tests on a Rocking Shaker, 10-m2 quiescent pools and tests in an indoor wind/wave tank) were carried out at the SL Ross laboratory in Ottawa, ON. Larger-scale tests were conducted in 28.5-m2 quiescent refrigerated pools at the US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, NH. The purpose of these experiments was to determine at what point (defined by oil type, evaporation and emulsion water) the herders could no longer contract the slicks to an ignitable thickness in cold ice-free water and slush ice. Some laboratory tests involved burning the herded slicks under a fume hood.

Remote Sensing of Oil In and Under Ice in a Climate-Controlled Test Basin

Abstract (2017-111) The ability to rapidly detect and delineate an oil spill in an Arctic environment is critical for efficient and effective response. The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOSP), Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology – Joint Industry Programme (JIP) funded a novel controlled laboratory experiment to assess the relative efficacy of a variety of remote sensing instruments. This unbiased evaluation of existing and emerging technologies was recently conducted in the Ice Engineering Test Basin at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. CRREL provided the unique testing environment for sensor evaluation using the 120 ft. long by 30 ft. wide by 8 ft. deep Test Basin. The refrigerated Test Basin was filled with a manufactured saltwater solution and an 80 cm sea ice sheet was grown with fifteen individual containment hoops. Within the individual containment hoops, oil volumes were injected at predetermined ice thicknesses leading to oil encapsulation at differing ice depths. The Prince William Sound Oil Spill Recovery Institute assembled a team of remote sensing experts to select, operate and interpret sensors to examine and validate oil detection capabilities in level sea ice. Testing covered the full ice cycle from fresh oil and encapsulated oil in growing ice to migrating oil during ice melt out. Five aerial sensors were attached to a cantilevered boom on a motorized carriage operating above the ice surface, while at the bottom of the tank were nine subsea sensors installed on a computer-controlled traveling underwater platform Ice cores were obtained outside the hoops during ice growth and in designated hoops during the melt-out phase, with the objective of characterizing ice structure and oil migration using crystallography and CT scanning. Environmental measurements that would affect sensor performance such as resistivity, acoustics, air, ice and water temperatures were also recorded. This experiment provided a comprehensive side-by comparison of the sensors evaluated, while correlating measurements with the ice properties. The paper will provide a full description of the hoop layout plan, the oil injection process, and the measurements schedule that minimized sensor interference.

Evaluation of Oil Spill Modeling in Ice Against In Situ Drifter Data from the Beaufort Sea

ABSTRACT While coupled ice-ocean models provide reliable hindcasts and large-scale predictions of ice conditions and movements in the Arctic, to date, operational models have not been implemented with sufficient spatial resolution or skill to define sea ice characteristics and dynamics needed for high resolution oil spill trajectory forecast modeling. Recently (2015) Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Centre (NERSC) researchers updated their modeling approach and rheology used for pack ice. They found that using the newly developed Elasto-Brittle (EB) model showed significant improvement in performance over the present Elastic-Viscous-Plastic (EVP) modeling approach used in the operational forecast and reanalysis versions of their TOPAZ4 coupled ice-ocean model. NERSC also integrated a wave-in-ice model (WIM) into a newly updated version of TOPAZ, to characterize waves in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ). RPS ASA’s oil transport and fate models OILMAP and SIMAP (OIL/Spill Impact Model Application Package) were updated, integrating the NERSC ice modeling products for use in transport and oil weathering algorithms. Oil trajectory model simulations, using the existing publically-available TOPAZ4 and updated ice model products, were compared with available in situ drifter data for the Beaufort Sea from the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP). The goal was to evaluate model performance (skill) against drifters that were trapped in the pack ice where the EB/EVP rheology applies. The comparisons show that model-based trajectories increasingly diverged from observations over days and weeks due to cumulative errors. The model using EB rheology more closely agreed with the IABP observations than TOPAZ with EVP, and the updated TOPAZ showed improved model performance over TOPAZ4. However, model skill was degraded by time-averaging of ocean and ice model vectors before input to the oil spill model. Demonstrated improvement of oil-in-ice spill modeling would help meet the needs for Arctic oil spill response in the coming decades. While the accuracy of individual oil model trajectories projected weeks to months into the future would be expected to be low, in the event of a spill, forecasts could be updated frequently (on a time scale of hours to days) with satellite information, aircraft observations, drifter data, and other observations to improve reliability. The overall transport patterns and results of an ensemble of trajectories would provide useful information for planning and risk assessments based on typical current and ice movement patterns.

Effectiveness of chemical dispersants used in broken ice conditions

ABSTRACT (no. 2017-095) In 2012, the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers initiated “The Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology Joint Industry Program (JIP)” with nine companies funding projects in a wide range of technical areas. This paper summarizes results from the project “Dispersant Testing under Realistic Conditions”, a collaboration between SINTEF (Norway) and SL Ross (Canada). The objective of the research was to build on current knowledge to increase understanding of the effect of oil type, degree of weathering, and environmental conditions on dispersant effectiveness in ice-covered waters. SINTEF and SL Ross performed approximately 70 tests using two identical recirculating flumes with variable parameters such as oil types, dispersant type, mixing energy, ice coverage, and water salinity. The oils were weathered in the flumes for 6 or 18 hours under simulated winds, waves, and cold temperatures to represent weathering that might occur at sea prior to dispersant application. The dispersed oil was exposed to various mixing energies, starting with low energy waves, followed by somewhat higher energy waves, and finally by applying propeller wash. Four crude oils were studied and the dispersant efficiency of three commercial oil spill dispersants were evaluated for the tested oils. Other test parameters were ice coverage (50% and 80%) and water salinity (35, 15, and 5 ppt). Dispersant effectiveness as a function of the different test variables were estimated using results from the flume-based experiments. As expected, shorter weathering times resulted in an increase in dispersant efficiency. The dispersant effectiveness varied with both oil type and dispersant type applied, and the effectiveness increased when higher mixing energy conditions were used. Varying the ice cover did not influence the results significantly, but water salinity did, with the lowest dispersant efficiencies found at 5 ppt salinity. The conclusions are based on the findings from testing performed under the controlled conditions and may not be directly transferable to all conditions that could be encountered in the Arctic. However, this study shows that dispersants can be considered as a response option for spills in ice, but effectiveness needs to be validated in the field during an actual event.

Advances in Remote Sensing Research on Oil and Ice from the IOGP Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology JIP

ABSTRACT (2017-044) The IOGP Arctic Oil Spill Response Technology Joint Industry Program’s Remote Sensing Technical Working Group was initiated in 2012 with the objective to expand the oil industry’s detection and monitoring capabilities for spills on, under, around or in ice. The first phase produced two state-of-knowledge reports assessing sensor capabilities above and below the ice. A key finding from these studies was that many existing remote sensing platforms and sensors originally developed for oil on open water can also provide effective sensing in a broad range of ice conditions. The second phase covered an integrated experiment that included sensor testing in a cold basin, followed by modeling to determine potential applicability of different sensors in a wider range of sea-ice conditions. Five above-ice (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Radar (FMCW), ground penetrating radar (GPR), visible and infrared cameras and laser fluorescence polarization [LP] sensor) and seven below-ice (high dynamic range optical camera, visible and infrared spectrometer, LP sensor, broadband and narrowband sonar and multibeam echo sounder) sensors were tested with varying ice thickness and oil concentrations at the US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) over a three-month period. All of the sensors used during this experiment showed some ability to detect oil on, in, or below ice under certain conditions and major advances in the knowledge of sensor applicability were made. Three follow-on projects (late 2016) include an operations guide providing a concise operationally oriented review of the different sensor technologies in key oil and ice scenarios, and additional field testing with medium to long-wave infrared, and the FMCW radar.

Data challenges in dynamic, large-scale resource allocation in remote regions

Resource allocation is difficult in large-scale systems in remote locations with sparse infrastructure and dynamic, demanding requirements, as can be the case in disaster management, emergency and oil spill response, and search and rescue operations. Resource allocation challenges are particularly acute in Arctic oil spill response, where the lack of infrastructure makes logistics challenging and heightens the need for comprehensive and thoughtful resource allocation models. This paper describes data challenges associated with the development of resource allocation models for dynamic network scheduling in support of Arctic oil spill response. A marine transportation traffic analysis and an Arctic resource allocation database, developed to support the resource allocation model development described, were developed using public and private information sources. This paper outlines the challenges associated with the data acquisition and analysis efforts, and provides recommendations for addressing the data challenges, which are similar to those in other complex, safety–critical resource allocation problem settings.

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

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).

Advancing Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Techniques for Arctic Conditions

ABSTRACTIndustrial 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&amp;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&amp;G industry has made significant progress over the last decades on addressing the technical challenges of operating in the Arctic. The O&amp;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&amp;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).

Bureau of Ocean Management, Regulation, and Enforcement Arctic Oil Spill Response Research and Development Program “Two Decades of Achievement”

ABSTRACT Oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation in the Arctic have increased dramatically in recent years. Oil spill response in cold environments must take into accou...

BEHAVIOR-BASED SAFETY PROCESSES IN ARCTIC OIL SPILL RESPONSE

ABSTRACT The Alaska North Slope region is a challenging operating environment. During spill response operations, worksite hazards are magnified and ensuring safety of response personnel becomes more difficult. In the Incident Management Team, the Safety Officer develops a Site Safety Plan to identify hazards and establish guidelines for safe operations. This information is typically communicated to the field workers when they check-in at the Staging Area or other assigned location. The Site Safety Plan alone, however, fails to address specific behaviors of the personnel that lead to unsafe activities. Behavior-Based Safety Processes fill in this missing piece. The PIRATE Process is an example of behavior-based safety at work. PIRATE - Personal Involvement Reduces Accidents to Everyone - is a fundamental part of the safety culture in the Greater Prudhoe Bay operating area. The March 2006 Gathering Center 2 (GC-2) Transit Line oil spill response presented significant challenges to all involved: extreme weather conditions, congested work areas, spilled oil on frozen lake and tundra environments, and complex field operations competing for personnel and resources. Daily involvement with PIRATE (and similar North Slope Behavior-Based Safety Processes) has made the workforce acutely aware of each individuar'S role in workplace safety, enhancing the overall safety performance of the organization. This poster shows some of the difficulties of a complex arctic oil spill response, and the application of Behavior-Based Safety Processes to enable safe and efficient operations in the face of these challenges.