Oil Spill Emergency Research Articles

Governance of global vessel-source marine oil spills: Characteristics and refreshed strategies

With the rapid development of the international shipping industry, global shipping is getting increasingly frequent and vessel-source oil pollution has become one of the significant contributors to marine environmental pollution. As a special method of oil transportation, oil tankers will do more harm if they have oil spills. The marine pollution caused by ship oil spills around the world has become an increasingly prominent concern of the international community. This paper approaches the subject from beforehand prevention, in-process response, ex-post handling, and comprehensive governance aspects. After analyzing the evolution and the characteristics of the vessel-source oil pollution governance policies worldwide, this paper identifies four crucial issues which include defects in oil tankers' fire and explosion prevention technologies, emergency response systems in oil spills, compensation mechanisms for oil pollution damage, and human factors and ship registry system governance. It then proposes strategy to improve the governance of vessel-source oil pollution, in particular refining the fire and explosion prevention technology for oil tankers, enhancing the oil spill emergency response, perfecting the oil pollution compensation system, paying more attention to the human factor, and advancing the management of flags of convenience. In the final section, this paper points out the future directions of research. The aim of this article is providing a systematic and scientific reference for government departments and concerned organizations, and so that they could take actions to tackle global vessel-source oil pollution.

Impact of ocean waves on transport of underwater spilled oil in the Bohai Sea

To investigate the impact of ocean waves on transport of underwater spilled oil, a wave action module is developed and embedded into an underwater oil spill model. Combined with a validated hydrodynamic background data, the model is applied to a short-term numerical simulation of the 2011 Penglai 19-3 oil spill event in the Bohai Sea. Numerical result shows that the model result is rationally consistent with the field observation. In addition, waves can influence surface oil slick in both horizontal and vertical directions: in horizontal direction, Stokes drift tends to make oil slick spread more widely under the action of wind-waves; in vertical direction, breaking waves tend to entrain the surface oil into water column, and then affects the vertical distribution of spilled oil. Furthermore, sensitivity study shows that using different parameterizations of wave entrainment can make some difference to the model output, but the effect is limited. Besides, the impact of input wave errors varies on different model outputs. This study is expected to provide offshore oil spill emergency responders and researchers with useful information on oil spill monitoring, emergency plans and environmental damage assessment.

A Dynamic Marine Oil Spill Prediction Model Based on Deep Learning

Wang, R.; Zhu, Z.; Zhu, W.; Fu, X., and Xing, S., 2021. A dynamic marine oil spill prediction model based on deep learning. Journal of Coastal Research, 37(4), 716–725. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Water pollution resulting from shipborne oil spills has caused tremendous damage to local marine ecology and has led to huge property losses. By establishing a multi-angle monitoring and early-warning mechanism, the oil spill's trajectory to a large extent can be effectively predicted, and thereby the accompanying economic losses can be reduced. In this study, real-time processing is performed on an oil spill monitoring video frame to analyze the characteristics of the spilled oil, such as the edge contour features, diffusion rate, centroid, area, etc. An initial system model and an oil spill behavior monitoring model were established based on the previously mentioned characteristics. A long short-term memory network in a recurrent neural network was introduced to deal with the memory information to obtain the connection between features and influencing factors. The spatial variable distribution of a dynamic grid reference system, as a substitution of the traditional original data sequence, was used as the system input. The result shows that the model has good stability and can provide a reliable interactive prediction; the result is especially significant given the vigorous exploitation of petroleum resources and the rapid development of maritime transportation in today's global economy. The auxiliary oil spill early-warning system investigated in this paper provides a scientific basis for targeted strategic oil spill emergency planning.

Methods of Justification and Selection of Technologies for Remediation of Oil-contaminated Land

The results of research on the ecological and economic justification of the choice of technologies for the reclamation of oil-contaminated land are proposed. Economic and environmental criteria for the selection of technologies for the treatment of land contaminated with petroleum products are proposed. The algorithm of implementation of the project of recultivation of the lands polluted by oil is considered, which includes an assessment of environmental damage, compensation of losses to landowners, determination of the cost of work on recultivation of the polluted lands, justification of technology and assessment of efficiency of its application. Based on a comparative assessment of the use of various technologies for cleaning up oil-contaminated land according to the proposed criteria, the economic feasibility of using biotechnologies are shown on the example of the elimination of an emergency oil spill in the Niger Delta.

Next-Generation Smart Response Web (NG-SRW): An Operational Spatial Decision Support System for Maritime Oil Spill Emergency Response in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea)

The Baltic Sea is a unique and sensitive brackish-water ecosystem vulnerable to damage from shipping activities. Despite high levels of maritime safety in the area, there is a continued risk of oil spills and associated harmful environmental impacts. Achieving common situational awareness between oil spill response decision makers and other actors, such as merchant vessel and Vessel Traffic Service center operators, is an important step to minimizing detrimental effects. This paper presents the Next-Generation Smart Response Web (NG-SRW), a web-based application to aid decision making concerning oil spill response. This tool aims to provide, dynamically and interactively, relevant information on oil spills. By integrating the analysis and visualization of dynamic spill features with the sensitivity of environmental elements and value of human uses, the benefits of potential response actions can be compared, helping to develop an appropriate response strategy. The oil spill process simulation enables the response authorities to judge better the complexity and dynamic behavior of the systems and processes behind the potential environmental impact assessment and thereby better control the oil combat action.

A stochastic assessment for oil contamination probability: A case study of the Bosphorus

The Bosphorus is one of the busiest shipping lanes globally as it is the only maritime route for Black Sea countries. Every year about 50,000 ships sail through this lane. Hence, it is necessary to develop emergency response planning strategies due to its high vessel passage rate, distinguished geometry, and delicate hydrodynamics that exhibit two layer stratified flow and exchange water mass between the adjacent seas. In this study, a 3D hydrodynamic model of the Bosphorus is established to simulate oil spill scenarios for improving preparedness for an oil spill event. A stochastic approach is followed to identify oil contamination probability maps for four different ensembles considering two different oil types and two meteo-oceanographic conditions. The results highlight the importance of using different meteo-oceanographic conditions, as probability maps regarding different meteo-oceanographic conditions show large variability. The suggested response strategies can be used to manage oil spill emergencies in the Bosporus more efficiently.

Kenya's National Framework to Enhance the Response Capability to Oil Spills

ABSTRACT Investment in the oil and gas sector in the East Africa region should commingle with the incorporation of best practices in oil spill emergency response. Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream operations must focus on prevention of emergencies but always be prepared to implement response actions if all engineering and safety defenses fail. Elements of environmental stewardship, applied scientific research, and technology are among key considerations needed in contingency planning to mitigate the socioeconomic and ecological consequences of hydrocarbon releases. Kenya is in the process of realizing its oil and gas potential. The country has started injection and production testing of its oil reserves in Turkana and has initiated oil export through the Port of Mombasa. These activities, coupled with increased rate of sea borne trade and planned relocation of Kipevu Oil Terminal to an offshore platform, places the country at risk of oil spills and therefore the need to have a robust system of spill prevention, preparedness and response. The World Bank's International Development Assistance (IDA) recognized the relevance of enhancing preparedness and response capability and, through the Kenya Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, initiated the development of the national framework for onshore and offshore oil prevention, preparedness, and response capacity in Kenya. The project is divided into four phases (Identification, Development, Implementation, and Kenya's Regional (East Africa) Response Capacity Enhancement) and four primary deliverables: National Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Marine and Navigable WatersOnshore National Oil Spill Contingency PlanNational Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) Guidance ManualNational Oiled Wildlife Response and Preparedness Guidance Manual This paper provides an overview of the four phases, describes the approach used to meet the project objectives, and provides an overview of the national oil spill contingency plans and national guidance manuals.

Research on Transportation Technology and Disposal Plan of Oil Storage in Deepwater Sunken Ship

Due to the complex hydrological conditions, large water depth, complex operation technology, and large construction difficulties, the disposal of oil storage in the sunken ship is very difficult. Taking the oil storage in the sunken ship as the object, the technologies of rapid extraction, shuttle transportation and transfer of the oil are mainly studied. The disposal plan of the oil storage in the sunken ship is put forward. The plan can meet the requirement that the oil is directly pumped from the cabin to the working ship. The plan also provides decision and technical support for oil spill emergency disposal of the deepwater sunken ship accident.

Responder Safety - Evolving Safety Systems, Processes, and Behaviours in an International Oil Spill Response Cooperative

Abstract Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) is a United Kingdom based industry cooperative for emergency oil spill response and preparedness. The company provides emergency surface and subsurface response to oil spills on a global basis. The nature of emergency oil spill response requires responders to understand and deal quickly with the safety risks arising from working in new and unfamiliar surroundings. The risks derive from the physical nature of the incident, the geographical locations, the local weather conditions as well as working with new colleagues and organisations. OSRL was originally established in the United Kingdom in 1985 and now employs 265 people in 9 countries. This growth has been the result of mergers with response cooperatives in the United States and Singapore and the introduction of a new subsea well capping services division. A common understanding and alignment on safety in an organisation with a range of nationalities and cultures as well as local compliance requirements is critical to safeguarding employees. To ensure this, OSRL began a programme to review safety management systems, processes and procedures as well as employee behaviours. An Operations Excellence Management System, known as ‘The Blueprint', was introduced to provide structure and control in corporate documentation as well as providing better navigation to employees in locating specific procedures. The introduction of the Blueprint prompted a major overhaul of OSRL's core safety procedures, in particular, risk management. While the basic principles of risk assessment were similar, there was a difference across the company in how risk assessments were prepared, approved and presented. The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) Life Saving Rules were introduced. The Rules provide clear guidance on how to prevent accidents known to have caused industry fatalities in the past. OSRL also undertook a review, with employee participation, of the company's values that led to a new corporate ‘Values Compass' with safety at the centre. Employees are encouraged to take personal ownership of their own safety and that of colleagues. Awareness is promoted by setting formal objectives, linked to remuneration, on hazard identification and behavioural safety observations. This paper will show the strategies and initiatives applied to develop a framework of rules, processes and behaviour to support and protect OSRL responders from the range of safety risks encountered when responding to an oil spill.

Emergency Oil Spill Response: Data Collection Automation, and Dissemination

ABSTRACT The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) has employed Geographic Information System (GIS) technology for oil spill planning and response since the early 1990's, adding remote sensing tools to the mix by the turn of the Century. Discussed herein are OSPR's current smartphone and tablet-based field data collection applications. We use an off-the-shelf tool for pre-response protection strategy planning and use customized tools developed in-house for California Sea Otter Surveys, Wildlife Search and Collection and the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT). The benefits of automated field data collection include the omission of transcription errors during manual data input and streamlined data processing. This results in accurate and timely information delivered to responders, thus enhancing their capability for informed decision making. OSPR uses the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Environmental Response Management Application® (ERMA), a web-based GIS data viewer as the Common Operational Picture (COP) for data dissemination throughout the incident response community during an oil spill event, and for the post emergency response cooperative Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). OSPR also uses ERMA a planning tool by uploading significant data layers from the U.S Coast Guard's (USCG) six Area Contingency Plans (ACP) for coastal California and OSPR's Geographic Response Plans for inland waters of the state with higher risk of an oil spill. These response planning data are freely downloadable from the ERMA platform. In the Summer/Fall of 2019 at the Cymric Oil Field in Kern County, California, over 1,000,000 gallons of oil, mud and steam seeped into a dry stream bed from several “surface expressions”. Direct access to the spill site was not permitted for Health and Safety concerns. OSPR used an off-the-shelf small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS, aka drone) equipped with a standard high definition (HD) camera and a thermal infrared camera for SCAT reconnaissance, resources at risk evaluations, and regularly scheduled mapping missions for overall site situational awareness.

A Revised Grey Relational Analysis Method for Multicriteria Group Decision-Making with Expected Utility Theory for Oil Spill Emergency Management

The substantial importance and complexity of oil spill emergency management have been confirmed by the massive, disastrous oil spill accidents that have occurred in recent years. The goal of this study is to research and develop an effective new model to accurately respond to oil spill emergencies for the purpose of disaster risk reduction. In this model, firstly, grey relational analysis is used to treat the variable and complex environment of an oil spill. Secondly, a revised grey relational analysis method based on the concept of angle between two vectors is presented to optimize assessment accuracy by measuring the similarity between the reference series and alternative series. Thirdly, by incorporating expected utility theory, a revised grey relational analysis for facilitating consensus is developed for multicriteria group decision-making. Finally, an empirical study on oil spill emergency management is discussed to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model for oil spill emergency management in a complex environment to reduce disaster risk.

Study of the oil geopermeation patterns: A case study of ANSYS CFX software application for computer modeling

Mathematical simulation of oil permeation through the porous media is the crucial topical problem in the framework of localization and liquidation of emergency oil spills. The main objective of this study was to establish the oil contamination level and oil contamination depth for different soil types which is of particular relevance from the standpoint of environmental safety. Four types of soils were taken for investigation as follows Cambisol with sand texture (No. 1), Luvisol (gray forest), with loamy sand texture (No. 2), Black Typical Chernozem with sandy loam texture (No. 3), Kastanozem (pine forest terrace under the pines) with sand texture (No. 4). The task of predicting the temporal-spatial indicators of oil permeation in the soil during accidental spills was solved using ANSYS CFX software allowing to simulate the absorption amount of oil into the ground. Visualization of oil concentration and velocity for studied soil samples was carried out. Determination of petroleum hydrocarbons concentration by the gravimetric method indicated a direct correlation between oil content in the soil and the porosity of the investigated soil samples. In order to determine the rate of hydrocarbon permeation through the dry and wet soil layer comparative experiments were carried out for the following systems: oil – dry soil and oil – wet soil. Permeation coefficients for dry samples from No. 1 to No. 4 were set at the rate 0.0073 m ∙ day−1, 0.0077 m ∙ day−1, 0.0083 m ∙ day−1, 0.0067 m ∙ day−1 respectively, and for wet soils 0.0083 m ∙ day−1, 0.0093 m ∙ day−1, 0.0093 m ∙ day−1, 0.0083 m ∙ day−1 consequently. The obtained hydrocarbon permeation coefficients for different systems allow calculating the depth of oil penetration for a given time after the spill, taking into account soil moisture. The dependence of oil concentration and permeation rate distribution through the soil fully reflects reliability of the experimental data, thereby confirming the verification of the adequacy of the computer model based on the ANSYS CFX software.

Vermiculite of the Inagli Field as a Promising Material for Environmental Use at Reclamation Sites

This article discusses experimental studies of the use of local vermiculite from the Inagli field (Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russia) as a recultivant on industrially disturbed permafrost-soil ecosystems of Yakutia after emergency oil spills. A brief description of the material composition, physical, chemical and technological properties of local vermiculite, which are close to the properties of vermiculite of the Kovdorskoe field (Murmansk oblast, Russia), is given. The sorption properties of Yakut vermiculite were tested on oil from the Talakan field, gasoline, diesel fuel, and toluene. Vermiculite of the Inagli field is a promising raw material for the production of oil sorbents, especially in connection with the increase in oil production, processing and transportation on the territory of Yakutia. The results of experimental application of hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms (HOM) immobilized on vermiculite in oil-contaminated soils are presented. The technology of using vermiculite raw materials for oil pollution cleaning of various types of permafrost soils provides a significant environmental and economic effect, contributing to reducing the time of rehabilitation of disturbed lands and improving the environment of the disturbed territory.

Responder Needs Addressed by Arctic Maritime Oil Spill Modeling

There is a greater probability of more frequent and/or larger oil spills in the Arctic region due to increased maritime shipping and natural resource development. Accordingly, there is an increasing need for effective spilled-oil computer modeling to help emergency oil spill response decision makers, especially in waters where sea ice is present. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Response & Restoration (OR&R) provides scientific support to the U.S. Coast Guard Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) during oil spill response. OR&R’s modeling products must provide adequate spill trajectory predictions so that response efforts minimize economic, cultural, and ecologic impacts, including those to species, habitats, and food supplies. The Coastal Response Research Center is conducting a project entitled Oil Spill Modeling for Improved Response to Arctic Maritime Spills: The Path Forward, in conjunction with modelers, responders, and researchers. A goal of the project is to prioritize new investments in model and tool development to improve response effectiveness in the Arctic. The project delineated FOSC needs during Arctic maritime spill response and provided a solution communicating sources of uncertainty in model outputs using a Confidence Estimates of Oil Model Inputs and Outputs (CEOMIO) table. The table shows the level of confidence (high, medium, low) in a model’s trajectory prediction over scenario-specific time intervals and the contribution of different component inputs (e.g., temperature, wind, ice) to that result.

Analysis of the Structure of Viscous Oil Flow for the Development of a System to Prevent the Formation of Paraffin Deposits in Pipelines

The detection of paraffin deposits in the systems of main oil pipelines today is a very important problem, since they lead to emergency oil spills, environmental disasters and economic losses both for the enterprise and for the country as a whole. This work is aimed at studying the physicochemical properties of asphaltic resin paraffins, as well as the mechanism of phase transition from liquid to crystalline. Such studies make it possible to estimate the absorption coefficient of the paraffin phase, which was previously not possible due to the complex nature of oil, consisting of hydrocarbons and many organic compounds of various molecular weights, and to provide high-precision non-contact measurements of the concentration of suspended asphalt-resin-paraffins in the oil flow in the pipeline. The analysis of the morphology and chemical composition of paraffins of various deposits is carried out, the dependence of the phase transition depending on the temperature gradient is determined.

Emergency treatment technology and case study of sudden environmental pollution caused by oil spill in river basin

Based on the characteristics of sudden oil spill environmental pollution in a river basin, this paper presented a method for emergency treatment of sudden oil spill environmental pollution in a river basin by analyzing and summarizing a large number of oil spill emergency treatment cases. Stratigies such as pollution source blocking, sluice dam controlling and pollutant interception were applied to control and eliminate the pollution situation. Besides, typical oil spill emergency response cases were picked and analyzed to provide a reference and guidance for the emergency treatment of oil spill incidents in China.

МЕТОД ЛОКАЛИЗАЦИИ АВАРИЙНЫХ РАЗЛИВОВ НЕФТИ

The peculiarities of oil production and field preparation were considered, the causes of emergency oil spills were identified, the main indicators of the risk of oil spill on the external oil pipeline were calculated and the damage from the accident was estimated, sorbents used in the spill localization were analyzed, the method of eliminating emergency oil spills at the fields "Salym Petroleum Development N.V." was proposed.

Prediction and Assessment of Marine Pollution Risk from Ships Based on Statistical Analysis Probability Model

In recent years, with the rapid development of the national marine economy, maritime cargo transportation has continued to increase. In particular, the transportation volume of oil products and hazardous chemicals is increasing rapidly, and the risk of pollution to the water environment caused by ships and related operations is increasing, and marine oil spill accidents occur from time to time. Once a ship spills oil, the oil spilled on the sea migrates and spreads in the ocean as impacted by wind and tidal currents, thereby exerting adverse effects on the surrounding marine environment. As guided by sustainable development strategy, all mankind have developed a consensus of natural ecological protection, and effective prevention and treatment of ship pollution are suggested to show critical significance. Thus, given the development status and historical accidents of a specific water area, this study employs a method based on probability statistics to predict the risk of marine pollution and explore the effective prevention and countermeasures for the pollution. Conducted oil spill risk assessment on Ningbo Guanbao Terminal. Determine the risk value of oil spill accidents in each port area in the area, and provide support for the site selection of the oil spill emergency equipment warehouse in the port waters. The results will be conducive to guiding ship marine oil spill risk management.

Synthesis and Modification of Polyurethane Foam Doped with Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes for Cleaning up Spilled Oil from Water

Marine oil spills have raised widespread environmental concerns. Adsorbents with high oil absorption efficiency and reusability are highly desirable. This paper demonstrates a technical route for the manufacture of polyurethane-based adsorbents, aiming at developing robust and efficient materials for treating oil-contaminated water or remedying emergency oil spill accidents. The investigation includes the synthesis of polyurethanes modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes, the characterizations of their properties, and the analysis of the capacity and feasibility of their applications in oil–water separation. The compositions of the products were characterized by FTIR, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy; the morphologies were analyzed by SEM; the hydrophobicities were tested by the water contact angle, and the thermal properties by TGA; the mechanical properties were depicted by Young’s modulus and the tensile-strain response performance; and the measurements of the absorption capacities and their performance in applications for oils-water separation were conducted in a self-designed apparatus and determined by gravimetric analysis. The results indicate that the developed adsorbents are superhydrophobic and highly robust with a water contact angle of 159°, tensile strain 27% higher and compressive strain 35% lower than regular polyurethanes, absorption capacity up to 60 g g−1, and reusability of 900 absorption–desorption cycles. The high oil absorption efficiency, capacity, and reusability of the adsorbents were confirmed by various oil/organics-water systems, such as engine oil-, silicone oil-, chloroform-, hexane-, toluene-, and kerosene-water system. It is concluded that the adsorbents are efficient not only for floating oils/organics-water but also for well dispersed or mixed oils/organics-water systems; and they can be operated in not only a batch mode for high absorption–desorption cycles but also in a continuous mode for a long operational period, which exhibits great potential and is of particular interest for the adsorbents to be used in large scale oil/organics spill cleanups.

High-throughput screening of oil fingerprint using FT-IR coupled with chemometrics

An important element of the oil spill emergency response is the ability to rapidly identify the properties of oil spilled. Chemometrics provides large numbers of multivariate analysis tools that allow for more extensive use of data. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy coupled with classification and prediction models such as partial least square (PLS) and PLS-DA (discriminant analysis) allows the rapid identification of oil type and characteristics. By searching for the maximum covariance with the variables of interest, PLS allows the visualization of relations between samples and variables. The framework of this study is based on two main steps: The first is classification of oil and the second is prediction of physicochemical properties. Separated into four main categories: crude, light fuel, heavy fuel, and lubricant, spectrums of 92 oils were calibrated to predict the oil type and physicochemical properties of 26 oils. The predictability and robustness of the model was further validated using weathered oil. The classification and prediction models have accuracy of >95%. Most of the PLS models have root mean square error of calibration and prediction ranging from 0.10–3.07 and 0.3–2.8, respectively. External cross validations using weathered oils showed high prediction accuracy (relative standard deviations <5%). By increasing the number of oil type and samples, this approach is a promising method and can be included as part of the oil spill fingerprinting protocols.