Oil Spill Preparedness Research Articles

WILDLIFE RESPONSE: PART OF THE PLAN

ABSTRACT When an oil spill impacts wildlife, the success of the wildlife response often depends on the quality of the preplanning and the responders ability to manage the factors that they can control. While factors such as season and weather, seasonal behavior and lifecycle stages of wildlife cannot be controlled, training of personal, equipment caches and pre-identifying facilities can have a huge influence on the success or failure or a wildlife response. Effective planning prior to the event is the only way to assure maximum preparedness and effective response. Wildlife response planning has become a key component of oil spill preparedness and response. With the recent publication of the IPIECA Report: A Guide to Oiled Wildlife Response Planning, planning for wildlife response has become an accepted and expected component of any oil spill contingency plan. Depending on available resources, appropriate response strategies may include any of a variety of tools: assessing impacts, use of dispersants, protective booming, hazing, wildlife rehabilitation and euthanasia. A good wildlife plan should address each of these issues and provide the information and guidance to necessary for responders to make appropriate and timely decisions that will maximize the success execution of the plan and the objectives of the specific response. This paper will outline the components necessary in a good wildlife plan within a framework that should be familiar to oil spill response planners. It will include a strategy section, an action section and a data section. As with every other phase of the response there are a variety of factors that affect the success of the wildlife plan. These include efficient management of all resources including the human resources, equipment and facilities. Quick initiation of the operations is critical to minimize the time between oiling of animals when they are collected and rehabilitation initiated. This paper will provide a framework for planners or responders with little or no wildlife experience to assist them in planning for the wildlife component within the overall response.

Contingency Regulations and Oil Spill Preparedness in Norwegian Arctic Areas1

ABSTRACT Svalbard includes all landmasses between 74 and 81 degrees North and between 10 and 35 degrees east, as well as the sea inside a territorial boundary stretching out 4 nautical miles from land. Ice and snow permanently cover two thirds of this area. Svalbard is a very sensitive area in case of oil spill or chemical accidents. A lot of activities on Svalbard may lead to oil spill. Spills from tourist cruise vessels, coal carriers and tank farms may be the largest threat. The law and regulations in this area gives the authorities an opportunity to direct the different companies to prepared an oil spill contingency plan. Because of a large expansion of the coal shipment from Svea mines on Svalbard and that the sailing would take place in a very sensitive area, the authorities took decision to ask for an oil spill contingency plan. The shipment takes place from July to November during the “ice free” months. The responsible company worked out different reports such as a weathering study of different bunker oils, environmental risk analysis, emergency preparedness analysis, a report discussing safe shipment within the sensitive area and an oil spill contingency plan. Based on these reports, the responsible parties received further requirements including carrying out a training program, oil spill exercises and efforts to avoid ship grounding. One of the the challenges of oil spill contingency planning in an area like Svalbard is how to keep the organisation trained for every sailing season.

Display of Site Characteristics VIA Poster Illustration for Oil Storage Facilities: Florida Power & Light Cases

ABSTRACT Florida Power & Light has completed the development of posters for its nine bulk oil storage facilities that graphically illustrate various site characteristics important in preparing and responding to an oil spill event. Initiated in 2001, the large three-by-five foot size posters provide extensive and valuable information in a concise visual format that minimizes the necessity to utilize numerous support documents. The posters incorporate oil storage facility area information including environmentally sensitive areas, shoreline types, bathymetry, currents, area infrastructure (roads, pipelines), digital and ortho-photos, and historical wind conditions. In addition, the posters provide oil spill preparedness maps using stochastic results (multi-trajectory runs) from FPUs SIMAP oil spill model. These consolidated maps show potential oil impact areas and dissolved aromatic concentration plumes over various timeframes from the beginning of the spill. Booming strategy and equipment deployment site maps are additional items. Finally, the posters provide important graphical and textual information concerning Incident Command System (ICS) strategic objectives, organizational chart, spill response contacts and phone numbers, and tide data.

Approaches and Application of Comparative Risk Assessment Concepts to Oil Spill Preparedness Planning and Response

ABSTRACT Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) is emerging as a methodology that may be applied to facilitate decision-making when various possible activities compete for limited resources. The CRA framework may be an especially valuable tool for prioritization of remediation efforts and for making choices among various environmental policies specific to oil industry operations. This paper will show that CRA is an efficient and cost-saving tool that assists in developing oil spill response priorities based on the broadest possible range of concerns and issues important to all stakeholders. In addition, the CRA approach allows the cost/benefit evaluation of alternative environmental policies and strategies relative to the baseline risks and disruptions associated with oil spills (as well as other costs and benefits of petroleum use).

Risk-Based Oil Spill Emergency Preparedness on the Norwegian Continental Shelf

ABSTRACT The Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO) is responsible for oil spill response, planning, and preparedness on behalf of the companies that are operating on the Norwegian continental shelf The responsibility includes initial response offshore, as well as coastal protection and shoreline cleanup. NOFO is developing a plan for regional oil spill preparedness to be implemented in 2001. The plan is based on risk assessment and covers planned oil production activities in the Norwegian offshore sector. Previously, NOFO's oil spill response plan was based on authority requirements and recognized standards. NOFO is now proposing a risk-based approach, aiming to identify the need for oil spill response in different areas of the Norwegian sector. The new approach is based on estimated probability of oil spill situations, dimensioning oil spill scenarios, and oil drift modeling to define arrival time to shore, coastal areas at risk, and amount of oil that may possibly reach the shore. The risk-based approach is an alternative to traditional “worst case” considerations and allows implementation of more cost-effective measures.

Applying the “Polluters Pays Principle” to Fund Oil Spill Preparedness in the North East Atlantic1

ABSTRACT Under Article 6 of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-Operation (OPRC 1990), states individually or in cooperation with industry or others states shall maintain prepositioned oil spill combating equipment. Furthermore, the preamble of the OPRC 1990 and the HNS-OPRC Protocol 2000 reinforce that the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) should be taken into account as a general principle of international environmental law. With a few exceptions, most of the countries have transferred the costs of preparedness measures to the general taxpayer and have made no attempts to allocate this cost directly to the shipping industry in accordance with PPP. In the North East Atlantic (N??) countries (France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco), as well as in the majority of countries, the financial costs for maintaining a minimum state of preparedness represent a considerable burden to these governments. Despite this fact, no attempts have been made to transfer this burden to the potential polluter. Based on the inquiries made into the extent to which the PPP presently is being applied to oil spill preparedness, this paper examines the aspects related to the general application of the PPP in the N?? countries.

EPA REGION IX'S FUELS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

ABSTRACT The Fuels Management Approach “raises the bar” for regulators and the oil industry. It is a concept that includes all aspects of the “life cycle of oil,” from E&P through consumption. Oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response issues are addressed within this concept. There are major gaps or overlaps in the regulatory framework, misunderstanding and confusion regarding regulators' duties, and significant inconsistencies in regulatory implementation. While regulators have similar concerns regarding fuels management, little has happened to resolve these issues. Industry is evolving at an amazing pace through mergers, downsizing, and major oil companies selling assets to smaller operations. The result has been increased numbers of abandoned oil wells, facilities in disrepair, and problems associated with an aging infrastructure. This has impacted regulators' resources as well, and they have become increasingly ineffective because of their lack of coordination and understanding of the oil industry. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuels Management Program (FMP) is based on the philosophy that regulators must develop a new strategy to keep pace with industry changes. The FMP utilizes a holistic approach to the environmental problems related to the oil industry. The program goals are to (1) improve interagency coordination and communication, (2) identify agencies' key issues that could be resolved through partnerships, etc., and (3) identify the universe of problem petroleum sites in Region IX. To accomplish these goals, however, the FMP must level the playing field by establishing (1) a baseline understanding of the oil industry by regulators, (2) a baseline understanding of the roles and responsibilities of these agencies by all stakeholders, and (3) a forum to discuss fuels management, resources, and technical issues. The EPA FMP includes workshops and outreach activities for both regulators and industry. This paper discusses the development of the FMP, results of recent workshops, and future involvement of the oil industry.

DISPLAY OF SITE CHARACTERISTICS VIA POSTER ILLUSTRATION FOR OIL STORAGE FACILITIES: FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CASES

ABSTRACT Florida Power & Light (FPL) is creating posters for its bulk oil storage facilities that graphically illustrate various site characteristics important in preparing and responding to an oil spill event. The posters provide valuable information in a concise visual format that minimizes the necessity to utilize numerous support documents. The posters incorporate oil storage facility area information including environmentally sensitive areas, shoreline types, bathymetry, currents, area infrastructure (roads, pipelines), digital and ortho-photos, and historical wind conditions. In addition, the posters provide oil spill preparedness maps using stochastic results (multi-trajectory runs) from FPL's Spill Impact Model Analysis Package (SIMAP) oil spill model. These consolidated maps show potential oil impact areas and dissolved aromatic concentration plumes over various timeframes from the beginning of the spill. Booming strategy and equipment deployment site maps are additional items. Finally, the posters provide important graphical and textual information concerning Incident Command System (ICS) strategic objectives, organizational chart, spill response contacts and phone numbers, and tide data.

Managing Preparedness in the New Millennium: Applying a Measurement Strategy

ABSTRACT One of the most vexing questions in the world of oil spill preparedness is “Are we ready?” There is no question that countless energy and resources have been invested in improving oil spill response. The problem arises in trying to determine to what level these efforts have succeeded or where to focus future improvement efforts to fill any gaps. Understanding the true gaps in preparedness has become ever more critical. Many government response organizations have faced declining budgets in recent years. Corporate executives are likely to face difficulty justifying large expenditures on preparedness with fewer and fewer large spills. Anecdotal evidence is not enough to support requests for current perceived readiness woes, including additional personnel and equipment. Nor does this evidence provide insight to future preparedness shortfalls. So how do we support decision makers struggling to make wise choices with a limited pool of resources? How do we ensure that public and private response resources complement each other? These questions suggest the need for a commonly accepted preparedness management system. The authors describe a preparedness assessment system under development by the U.S. Coast Guard that is patterned after Malcolm Baldridge's quality improvement principles and will enable decision makers to better manage preparedness.

Industry and Government Roles in Addressing Historic Properties in Oil Spill Response: Lessons Learned From A Recent Exercise and Incidents

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on industry and government roles for addressing historic properties during oil spill response. In 1997, the National Response Team (NRT) developed a Programmatic Agreement on Protection of Historic Properties during Emergency Response under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (PA) (National Response Team, 1997). At the 1999 International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC), U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) representatives discussed the development and implementation of the PA, which is intended to ensure that historic properties are appropriately taken into account during the planning for and conducting of emergency response to oil spills and hazardous substance releases. Following the 1999 IOSC, DOI and Chevron representatives began a dialog regarding industry and government roles under the PA. Chevron invited the DOI representatives to participate in an October 1999 large-scale, industry-led spill exercise; a precedent-setting drill that included historic properties protection as a key objective. This 2001 paper focuses on how industry and government have worked together to protect historic properties, government roles in PA implementation, and lessons learned. As an example of what industry can do to support the protection of historic properties during planning and response activities, this paper describes Chevron's Historic Properties Program, a program managed under its emergency spill response environmental functional team (EFT). A discussion of lessons learned focuses on the need for clear definition of industry and government roles, and the benefits of building a foundation of cooperation between industry and government to protect historic properties. Of particular importance is the inclusion of historic properties in all aspects of oil spill preparedness and response, including planning, drills, training, and response organization structure and staffing. Experience from incident response in Alaska has shown that the PA assists Federal On-Scene Coordinators (FOSCs) and responsible parties, while also protecting historic properties, when the FOSC is prepared to implement the PA promptly and effectively.

Global Initiative

ABSTRACT The Global Initiative (GI) is defined as an umbrella for various mechanisms by which the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and industry, through the International Petroleum Industry Environment Conservation Association (IPIECA), co-operate to support national and regional implementation of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response, and Co-operation 1990 (OPRC Convention) and to enhance oil spill preparedness and response capacity through the mobilisation of external assistance and industry support at the national level. The overall aim of GI is to improve and sustain the capability of developing countries to protect their marine and coastal resources at risk from an oil spill incident from any sources, through the implementation of the OPRC Convention. A key feature of the project is the emphasis on promoting industry/government co-operation through the mobilisation of existing and planned industry marine environmental protection expertise and resources. As initially envisaged the project has a global orientation: it directly encourages the ratification of the OPRC Convention and the relevant international liability and compensation conventions and promotes their effective implementation; project activities are undertaken at nationall regional levels to ensure that the weaknesses and gaps peculiar to a certain region are taken care of by moulding the package of training and resource building to address national and regional needs.

Abstract: Oil Spill Preparedness and Response in Latin America

Abstract: Oil Spill Preparedness and Response in Latin America

EMERGING LATIN AMERICAN OIL SPILL REGULATION

ABSTRACT Environmental regulation in Latin America is currently undergoing radical change. In response to an increase in environmental awareness, internal pressures (including privatization of state-owned monopolies), and external standards (such as those of the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA] Environmental Side Agreement and ISO 14000), a large number of Latin American countries have passed or will soon pass new environmental legislation. Although much of this legislation aims to develop or strengthen the general environmental frameworks of these countries, there are many emerging Latin American regulations and initiatives that deal specifically with oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response. As a first step toward understanding the impacts that these oil spill regulations and initiatives will have for individual Latin American countries and the region, this paper seeks to identify and explore the current forces driving the increase in oil spill regulation in Latin America; examine some new oil spill regulatory initiatives taking place in individual countries, including Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia; review relevant international treaties and regional initiatives; and discuss anticipated future trends for the region as a whole.

PROMOTING OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS IN EGYPT: JOINT GOVERNMENT/INDUSTRY EXERCISE

ABSTRACT In October 1996, Mobil, Amoco, and Amoco's Egyptian joint venture partner, Gupco (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company), conducted a tier III oil spill exercise with key government authorities, including the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC). This joint exercise represented a significant step forward in promoting global government and industry cooperation in preparedness and response to major oil spills. The exercise involved high-level decision makers from key Egyptian government agencies charged with responding to oil spills. Other participants were local, regional, and international tier II and III consultants and contractors, including responders from Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) in Southampton, England. During the exercise, onshore response equipment was deployed, and civil aviation, customs, and immigration issues related to air transport of equipment and mobilization of personnel to Egypt were tested. Technical resources from the Integrated Simulators Complex in Alexandria, Egypt, were used by the response team in developing strategies to deal with the oil spill scenario. Professional media personnel were used to test issues pertaining to government and public affairs. This exercise, which was observed by the Egyptian Red Sea governor and the U.S. ambassador, demonstrates that Egyptian authorities are working to become a “center of excellence” in oil spill preparedness for the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, and North African region.

GETTING IT CORRECT, WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS INTERNATIONALLY

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the international situation regarding oil spill preparedness drills or exercises. It attempts to cover the requirements of planning, developing, and managing exercises internationally. The paper discusses certain key points in the planning, development, and exercise-execution phases, and offers a process flow methodology for these important stages. Following the exercise, the debrief methods and collation of data to provide the exercise report are also discussed.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: KEY TO ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS

ABSTRACT Recent developments in oil spill information systems have extended the accessibility of information to users in operational and planning environments through the integration of databases, predictive models, expert systems and advanced user interfaces. Such systems now represent the gateway to full “command and control” systems for oil spill preparedness and response.

IMO's role in promoting oil spill preparedness

The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC Convention, 1990) came into force on 13 May 1995. The main objectives of the OPRC Convention are to facilitate international co-operation and mutual assistance in preparing for and responding to a marine pollution incident and to encourage states to develop and maintain adequate capability to deal credibly with oil pollution emergiencies. The paper outlines and describes in some detail the strategy adopted by IMO in the implementation of the OPRC Convention, the mechanisms established to address/discuss issues of mutual concern amongst the member states of IMO and the oil industry, and the various activities undertaken by IMO in co-operation with relevant sister UN organizations and the oil industry to assist countries requiring assistance including the mobilization/provision of technical assistance to countries on an individual basis. It is apparent that IMO's role as a provider of technical advice and delivery of project assistance, as a co-ordinator for the mobilization of international assistance to major marine pollution incidents upon the request of countries in need, as a Forum for discussion/overseeing the implementation of the OPRC Convention (through the meetings of the OPRC Working Group) including the development of marine pollution preparedness and response training programmes is set to become more important given its pro-active approach to promoting oil spill preparedness in co-operation with industry and governments.

THE STATES/BC OIL SPILL TASK FORCEAN—INTERNATIONAL MODEL FOR FORMULATING AND INFLUENCING PUBLIC POLICY

ABSTRACT The States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force was established in 1989 to enhance spill coordination among the West Coast states and British Columbia, and to address a number of issues that became apparent during the Nestucca barge and Exxon Valdez oil spills. Task Force members are the directors of the oil spill prevention and response agencies in Alaska, British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington. The Task Force has become a national model for facilitating cooperation and building consensus between coastal states and provinces and their federal governments. In October of 1990, the task force issued a report containing a comprehensive set of recommendations addressing oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response. The group had achieved remarkable consensus, and many of the report's recommendations have been included in recent legislation enacted by the member states. The success of the task force's approach to regional coordination has also reduced the need for a proposed Pacific Oceans Resources Interstate Compact, which has been proposed to expand the states' role in areas of regulation that are otherwise federally preempted. The task force has become an effective mechanism for developing vigorous, productive relationships between government agencies, industry, and the public in both the United States and Canada. It has created important linkages between state/provincial and federal regulatory activities; for example, by providing input to Coast Guard and EPA rulemaking that implemented the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. It also assisted in assuring a well-coordinated international response to the July 1991 Tenyo Maru oil spill outside the Strait of Juan De Fuca between Washington and British Columbia. The task force is continuing to advance its goals of promoting public policy on oil spill prevention; cooperative management of major spills by government and industry; protection of the states/provincial rights and their natural and economic resources; and inter-governmental consistency in regulations adopted for oil spill prevention, contingency planning, and resource damage assessment.

HISTORICAL BUILDUP OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE CAPABILITY IN JAPAN

ABSTRACT With the large oil spill that occurred in 1971 as an impetus, Japan's Maritime Pollution and Disaster Prevention Law was amended in 1973 and subsequently in 1976. The amendments required owners of vessels and petroleum facilities to retain designated quantities of oil boom, sorbent, dispersant, and other items to minimize impact from spills. A large oil spill caused by a ruptured crude oil storage tank in 1974 led to the enactment of additional legislation: the Petroleum Complex Disaster Prevention Law. Under this, petroleum facilities are required to maintain designated quantities of oil boom, oil boom deploying vessels, skimming boats, and the like. These legislative measures, together with voluntary efforts, have contributed to a sound buildup of the nation's oil spill response force. However, the response capability including stockpiled materials and equipment has been designed primarily to cope with incidents in closed waters such as inland seas, bays, and ports, and hence not for a oil spill in open seas as large as that from the Exxon Valdez. As one of the measures under the 1990 International Convention for Oil Spill Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, the Government of Japan has entrusted the Petroleum Association of Japan with an oil spill response capability reinforcement project to cope with a large oil spill should one occur in Japanese waters or nearby seas. Under the scheme, during the 5 year period beginning in 1991, the Petroleum Association of Japan is scheduled to build up, using subsidies from the government, stockpiles of cleanup equipment and materials and to augment the existing response capability.

Task Force on Oil Spill Preparedness: A Canadian On-Shore Evaluation

ABSTRACT The oil industry's ability to effectively contain and clean up oil spills has been questioned over the years, and recent events have heightened this concern. Growing public interest and efforts by the upstream oil industry in Canada to assess its operations resulted in formation of the Task Force on Oil Spill Preparedness. The study was sponsored by the Canadian Petroleum Association and the Independent Petroleum Association of Canada, which represent most companies in the upstream industry. The overall evaluation concentrates on both onshore and offshore activities, but this paper discusses only the onshore segment. In the past 40 years the industry has made substantial efforts to prevent oil spills. As a result, Canada has experienced no catastrophic oil spills in operating about 40,000 producing wells and 37,000 km of oil pipelines. In spite of these efforts, the industry believes there is room for improvement. The study recommends allocating more resources to improving equipment, training on-site personnel, establishing better communications within companies and between companies and regulatory agencies, and continuing research in oil spill countermeasures. These recommendations are being incorporated in the existing framework to improve the response capability of the upstream oil industry.