Oil Spill Response Research Articles

A multi-criteria simulation-optimization coupling approach for effective emergency response in marine oil spill accidents

Effective marine oil spill responses are vital to reduce environmental, societal, and economic damage. This study developed a Multi-Criteria Emergency Response System (MC-ERS) to comprehensively evaluate response efficiency, operational costs, and environmental losses. The proposed system integrates dynamic multiphase simulation of oil weathering and oil cleanup processes and further provides effective planning for multi-stage resource allocation through system optimization. The developed weight-sum model improved the performance of response operations by reducing the complexity of multi-criteria decision-making. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was chosen as the foundational optimization algorithm due to its efficiency in rapid convergence and suitability for complex problems. From extensive comparisons of PSO variants across benchmark functions and inertia strategies, the C-PSO algorithm was developed, demonstrating enhanced optimization performance for MC-ERS. The developed modelling system performance was demonstrated and evaluated through a representative case study. The optimization plan coordinated resource allocation from onshore warehouses to harbors and spill sites, balancing oil recovery efficiency, costs, and ecological losses. Optimized results indicate an oil recovery of up to 76.50% in five days. Additionally, the system cuts costs by 3.45% and environmental losses by 15.75%. The findings enhance the efficiency of marine oil spill emergency response and provide support for such incidents.

A Novel Biosurfactant-Based Oil Spill Response Dispersant for Efficient Application under Temperate and Arctic Conditions.

Synthetic oil spill dispersants have become essential in offshore oil spill response strategies. However, their use raises significant concerns regarding toxicity to phyto- and zooplankton and other marine organisms, especially in isolated and vulnerable areas such as the Arctic and shorelines. Sustainable alternatives may be developed by replacing the major active components of commercial dispersants with their natural counterparts. During this study, interfacial properties of different types of glycolipid-based biosurfactants (rhamnolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids, and trehalose lipids) were explored in a crude oil-seawater system. The best-performing biosurfactant was further mixed with different nontoxic components of Corexit 9500A, and the interfacial properties of the most promising dispersant blend were further explored with various types of crude oils, weathered oil, bunker, and diesel fuel in natural seawater. Our findings indicate that the most efficient dispersant formulation was achieved when mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) were mixed with Tween 80 (T). The MELs-T dispersant blend significantly reduced the interfacial tension (IFT) of various crude oils in seawater with results comparable to those obtained with Corexit 9500A. Importantly, no leaching or desorption of MELs-T components from the crude oil-water interface was observed. Furthermore, for weathered and more viscous asphaltenic bunker fuel oil, IFT results with the MELs-T dispersant blend surpassed those obtained with Corexit 9500A. This dispersant blend also demonstrated effectiveness at different dosages (dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR)) and under various temperature conditions. The efficacy of the MELs-T dispersant was further confirmed by standard baffled flask tests (BFTs) and Mackay-Nadeau-Steelman (MNS) tests. Overall, our study provides promising data for the development of effective biobased dispersants, particularly in the context of petroleum exploitation in subsea resources and transportation in the Arctic.

Methodology for zoning the Northern Sea Route water area during salvage and rescue operations and oil spill response

A methodology for assessing the possibility of ensuring salvage and rescue operations and oil and oil product spills response throughout the entire water area of the Northern Sea Route has been proposed. From 2024, it is planned to systematically develop year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route, which will be associated with the need to ensure safety. At the moment, this possibility is severely limited due to the lack of multifunctional vessels of high ice class and technical means for spills response in ices. The methodological basis for determining the response time to marine oil spills in the Polar waters is laid down in the Polar Code, documents of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization and documents of the Arctic Council, but their application is determined only by the hydrometeorological and geographical conditions at the place of the accident liquidation. Despite their broad and practical focus, the proposed approaches are only of a general methodological nature, which does not take into account the peculiarities of navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route, its length and zoning. The developed methodology largely overcomes these limitations and allows, at a qualitative level, to zone the waters of the Northern Sea Route according to three classification criteria. Two model examples are provided in the paper. The first example assumes that shipping occurs only in the western part of the Northern Sea Route, i. e. in the Kara Sea, the Ob Bay and the Yenisei Gulf, and in the eastern sector, shipping is completely absent; the second example assumes that navigation occurs throughout the entire water area. For each option under study, the entire water area is zoned according to the level of readiness, which is assessed as “high”, “medium” and “low” and depends on the presence of icebreakers and multifunctional vessels in the area. In the future, this methodology can be supplemented by an assessment of other factors, such as the influence of hydrometeorological conditions, ice conditions, navigation risks, forecasting the intensity of shipping and the selection of the necessary technical means for oil and petroleum product spills response.

Ship Route Oil Spill Modeling: A Case Study of the Northeast Brazil Event, 2019

In this study, we investigate the circulation and chemical processes associated with the deposition of the largest oil spill that reached the northeast coast of Brazil during the second half of 2019. Using the Oil Spill Contingency And Response model (OSCAR), we performed both deterministic and probabilistic simulations of oil spills from tanker ships that were present in the sea in the region at the time. The study used a dataset comprising the latitudinal distribution of oil sightings along the coast between 31 August and 2 December 2019 (box plot analysis) provided by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). The total amount of oil that reached the coast during this period (approximately 5000 tons) and the date and location of the first sighting (30 August, in the southern part of the state of Paraíba (PB)) were also used as parameters to assess the results of the 31 simulations conducted for ships en route near the area of interest between July and August 2019. The results indicate that a leak having occurred through a mobile source is the most plausible hypothesis for explaining the observed temporal–spatial arrival of the oil leaks along the Brazilian coastline. We suggest that prevention, monitoring, and international cooperation are essential for reducing the risks of future environmental accidents of the kind analyzed in this study and to protect the environment and communities affected.

Numerical model of floating oil on seawater, in situ thermal structure, thickness, and remote sensing

Thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing provides oil slick remote sensing for oil spill response. Herein, we derive oil thickness, h, from thermal contrast, ΔT, using a numerical, three-media heat-transfer model that solved the convection–diffusion equation, verified against laboratory measurements of high spatial-resolution thermal profiles for a heavy Texas Raw Crude and a light Colorado Crude, τ = 2.0 and 0.25 mm, respectively. τ is the oil attenuation length and ΔT is the temperature difference between the oil slick and adjacent oil-free water.The model studied processes and factors underlying ΔT, that arise from differing insolation absorption and the resultant heat flows and radiative emissions. The model found that the thermal profile decreased linearly through optically thin oil with and without illumination and through thick oil without illumination. For illuminated, optically-thick, oil under illumination, an internal temperature peak (greater than the air and water temperature) develops in the oil. Insolation absorption was confirmed to drive this temperature peak and thus depends on the oil τ. The model reproduced an expected asymptotic relationship of ΔT to h in the thick h limit and scales with τ. Sensitivity studies found ΔT linearly sensitive to insolation. In contrast, the air–water temperature gradient is insensitive to h for large τ and is strongly and non-linearly dependent on h for small τ,This sensitivity underlies the critical role of τ in TIR oil slick remote sensing.The model provides an investigative oil spill tool that extends existing measurements to different ambient conditions, scene illumination, and crude oils.

EOS - Environment & Oil Spill Response. An analytic tool for environmental assessments to support oil spill response planning: Framework, principles, and proof-of-concept by an Arctic example

The Environment & Oil Spill Response tool (EOS), supports oil spill response planning and decision making. This tool is developed on a research basis, and is an index based, generic and open-source analytic tool, which environmentally can optimise the choice of oil spill response methods for a given spill situation and for a given sea area with respect to environment and nature. The tool is not linked to a particular oil spill simulation model, although it is recommended using oil spill simulation models to have detailed data available for the analysis. The EOS tool consists of an Excel workbook with formulas for calculations and scores followed by screening through decision trees. As case for the EOS tool proof-of-concept, the area of Store Hellefiskebanke, West Greenland, is used. The tool can be downloaded from the Aarhus University home page as a free-of-charge application and is accompanied by a handbook for guidance.

The role of surface and structural properties on the adsorptive behavior of vinyl-methyl decorated silica aerogel-like hybrids for oil/organic solvent clean-up practices

The uncontrolled release of oil and organic solvents into aquatic environment is becoming a growing concern for ecosystems. This underscores the need for the improvement and development of efficient functional sorbents.The primary objective of this work was to design vinyl/methyl-decorated silica aerogel-like hybrids as novel adsorbents for oil and organic solvents and to uncover the relationship between the physicochemical and microstructural changes induced by organic substitution in silica backbone and the adsorption performance of these hybrids. The silica hybrids were prepared in two series through co-condensation of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) or tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). Gradual vinyl substitution was used to monitor the changes in the physicochemical and morphological properties. These changes were investigated using a variety of complementary characterizations techniques such as 29Si-MAS-NMR, and small angle neutron/X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS) analyses, and basic characterization techniques like FTIR, SEM, N2 porosimetry and contact angle measurements. The results confirmed significant structural changes in VT series as VTMS content increased, while it had only a limited effect on the network formation in VM series. In the VT series, the samples exhibited predominantly mesoporous characteristics, resulting in large specific surface areas (792–1021 m2/g). In the VM-series, the samples were mostly macroporous and appeared in a sponge-like monolithic form. Successful vinyl/methyl substitution led to good hydrophobicity (up to 147°) in each series and contributed to an excellent self-cleaning ability. Thanks to their lightweight structure and hydrophobicity, the samples VT-100 and VM-50 exhibited the highest adsorption capacities (up to 11.63 g/g for VM-50 and 10.92 g/g for VT-100) for most organic pollutants and demonstrated stable performance along 10 cycles. The free-standing monolithic structure, well-developed porous network, high hydrophobicity, easy-to-clean property, and superior adsorption performance establish these materials as prime candidates for oil spill remediation practices. Additionally, their potential applications extend to various sectors, including the textile industry for protective clothing, transportation for oil spill response equipment on ships and aircraft, marine and coastal protection to prevent contamination, as green building materials to reduce maintenance needs and enhance energy efficiency, and as protective materials for cultural heritage buildings.

Optimum site selection for oil spill response center in the Marmara Sea using the AHP-TOPSIS method

Optimum site selection for oil spill response center in the Marmara Sea using the AHP-TOPSIS method

Two Birds with One Stone: A Dual-Functional Washing Fluid for Shoreline Oil Spill Response

Two Birds with One Stone: A Dual-Functional Washing Fluid for Shoreline Oil Spill Response

Sustainability and capability-based assessment of marine oil spill response technologies using a decision support system under decomposed fuzzy set.

Marine oil spills are a practically challenging environmental occurrence to remediate. The critical stage of managing marine oil spills is choosing an appropriate response technology. This research implements a novel sustainability and capability policy-oriented decision support system (DSS) and the decomposed fuzzy set-based ORESTE model. First, an integrated criteria system on the basis of the sustainability and capability aspects is employed by considering four social, environmental, economic, and capability dimensions. Second, the ORESTE model under the decomposed fuzzy environment is extended to deal with the uncertainty data, evaluate the conflicts between the candidate alternatives, and choose the optimal scenario. Seven technologies of bioremediation, solidifiers, dispersants, adsorbents, in situ burning, booms, and skimmers for remediating oil spills in the Persian Gulf, Iran, have been assessed. The assessment results indicate that the bioremediation technology is the optimal scenario for the oil spill-contaminated sites management and the suggested DSS is feasible and applicable.

A mixed integer programming approach to improve oil spill response resource allocation in the Canadian arctic

Determining proper locations to establish emergency response facilities is a critical strategic element of pollution preparedness and response planning for oil spills in remote areas. Many location-allocation models are available in the literature, but Arctic contexts such as remoteness and environmental sensitivities are still inadequately investigated while building optimization models. A Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) based optimization model is developed to devise a location-allocation problem: maximizing weighted spill coverage considering spill size, environmental sensitivity, and response time. Strategic decisions - e.g. allocation of stockpiling resources to resource stations and which response stations to open - are incorporated into the model as decision variables. Input parameters of the model are estimated using numerical and geospatial data of potential oil spills and response stations. The model is illustrated for hypothetical oil spill scenarios in the Canadian Arctic. The model provides optimal allocation of resources and recommends best-suited locations to build response facilities. Data visualization tools including Network Diagrams and sensitivity analysis on different model configurations, show the adequacy of the proposed mathematical modelling approach to solve the given problem. Multiple facility locations have been compared to cover all possible oil spills along Arctic shipping routes, further revealing a few better locations considering realistic constraints. Decision makers can use such optimization modelling information – e.g., how many stations to build in the Arctic to adequately cover potential oil spills – to aid strategic decision-making of maritime shipping.

Integrated optimization of marine oil spill response and liquid oily waste management using mathematical programming and evolutionary metaheuristic techniques

Marine oil spill response is a time sensitive and complex task, in which the management of oily wastewater generated from response operations could be a bottleneck limiting the response capacity and efficiency. This study developed a multi-agent decision support system to effectively coordinate mechanical containment and recovery (MCR) of spilt oil and oily wastewater management (OWM) operations. The system aims to minimize the overall response time, cost, and the volume of weathered oil by applying evolutionary optimization, oil weathering process, and response operational agents. The multi-agent system was used to manage an incident through a hypothetical case study in Canada. The system enables the scheduling of available response assets considering all complex operational details of MCR and OWM, such as available oily wastewater storage and transportation capacities and the competitive skimming process of various response vessels. Implementing the evolutionary multi-objective optimization led to a considerable reduction in response time (about 13.6% or 67 hr), cost (about 1.4% or CA$24,800), and volume of weathered oil (about 9.2% or 19 m3) compared to the shortest distance approach. The developed multi-agent system can facilitate decision-making in complex marine oil spill response tasks for maximizing response efficiency.

Revitalizing Community Participant: Overcoming Challenges in the Aftermath of an Oil Spill Disaster Preparedness in Kampung Tanah Merah Baru, Teluk Bintuni, West Papua

This research aims to investigate the community profile and challenges faced by Tanah Merah Baru Village in Teluk Bintuni, West Papua, following diesel fuel spill disasters associated with transportation activities near an LNG exploration company operation. The study employs a comprehensive research methodology, combining quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and focus group discussions with community representatives and a company's oil spill response team. Data was collected and analyzed by using descriptive statistics and factor analysis through IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27 software. The findings reveal that the community profile is influenced by social, economic, and environmental factors. Additionally, there is a low level of awareness and community participation in handling diesel fuel spills and implementing the Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP). Notably, variations exist in the perceptions and attitudes towards diesel fuel spills among community members who have previous exposure to the company’s operational environment. To enhance the community's profile and resilience, targeted efforts are required to provide information and training, thereby improving preparedness and response capabilities in handling diesel fuel spills effectively in Tanah Merah Baru Village, Teluk Bintuni, West Papua.

Geochemical and Geospatial Distribution of Organic Contaminants in the Flood Plain of Ekpetiama, Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

This study investigated the geochemical and geospatial distribution of organic contaminants in the floodplain water and sediments of Ekpetiama in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. This study is necessary because there are limited data on the level of organic contamination in this section of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The extinction of planktons in Ekpetiama became a source of concern to the residents. This concern is because this section of the coastal plain provides fisher folks with livelihood. So, there was a need to track the source of contamination in this part of the Niger Delta region. Previous studies have suggested a high level of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon and Total Hydrocarbon Content as possible sources of reduced dissolved oxygen in similar deltaic terrain. A total of 10 water and 10 sediment samples were collected and analyzed in triplicate at an interval of 100 m in the flood plain. A particle size analyzer was used to perform particle size analyses of air-dried sediments. The American Public Health Association method (APHA) was used to do the chemical analysis of the water samples. Here, a liquid-liquid extraction procedure was performed on sediment samples using 30 mL of Dichloromethane (DCM) as the extracting agent. The results were subjected to statistical validation. The mean grain size ranged from 2.37-4.83, kurtosis (1.94-0.49), and skewness (-0.8-0.71). The contaminant indicators (pH, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen and Total Organic Carbon) point to the presence of organic contamination of the flood plain. The results indicated a total petroleum hydrocarbon range of 0.47-0.87 ppm in water and 0.69-0.96 ppm in sediments and a total hydrocarbon content range of 1.10-2.80 ppm in water and 2.56-3.90 ppm in sediment# samples. The results were above the permitted limits of the World Health Organisation. The source of ecological damage is the abnormal concentrations of organic contaminants in the flood plain. These results significantly caused ecosystem damage and human health effects in the food chain. This study provides information to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency for a cleanup process.

Geochemical and Geospatial Distribution of Organic Contaminants in the Flood Plain of Ekpetiama, Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

This study investigated the geochemical and geospatial distribution of organic contaminants in the floodplain water and sediments of Ekpetiama in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. This study is necessary because there are limited data on the level of organic contamination in this section of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The extinction of planktons in Ekpetiama became a source of concern to the residents. This concern is because this section of the coastal plain provides fisher folks with livelihood. So, there was a need to track the source of contamination in this part of the Niger Delta region. Previous studies have suggested a high level of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon and Total Hydrocarbon Content as possible sources of reduced dissolved oxygen in similar deltaic terrain. A total of 10 water and 10 sediment samples were collected and analyzed in triplicate at an interval of 100 m in the flood plain. A particle size analyzer was used to perform particle size analyses of air-dried sediments. The American Public Health Association method (APHA) was used to do the chemical analysis of the water samples. Here, a liquid-liquid extraction procedure was performed on sediment samples using 30 mL of Dichloromethane (DCM) as the extracting agent. The results were subjected to statistical validation. The mean grain size ranged from 2.37-4.83, kurtosis (1.94-0.49), and skewness (-0.8-0.71). The contaminant indicators (pH, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen and Total Organic Carbon) point to the presence of organic contamination of the flood plain. The results indicated a total petroleum hydrocarbon range of 0.47-0.87 ppm in water and 0.69-0.96 ppm in sediments and a total hydrocarbon content range of 1.10-2.80 ppm in water and 2.56-3.90 ppm in sediment# samples. The results were above the permitted limits of the World Health Organisation. The source of ecological damage is the abnormal concentrations of organic contaminants in the flood plain. These results significantly caused ecosystem damage and human health effects in the food chain. This study provides information to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency for a cleanup process.

Подход к анализу гидрометеорологических условий, определяющих задержку в реагировании на морские разливы нефти в Арктической зоне Российской Федерации

The present study reviews the approach to assessing the oil spills response delay caused by hydrometeorological and geographical conditions at the operation site. To illustrate the method and discuss the results, the application of two mechanical response system in ice and ice-free conditions are considered. Two points of the northern and southern area of the Northern Sea Route are analyzed. It is found that the value of the OSR completion time can exceed a year with a very significant probability. The proposed analysis makes it possible to assess the possibilities of improving the response efficiency for existing and newly created oil spill response strategies in the region of interest, as well as to apply other measures to reduce the risks of the negative impact of accidental spills on Arctic ecosystems.

Development of rapid and effective oil-spill response system integrated with oil collection, recovery and storage devices for small oil spills at initial stage: From lab-scale study to field-scale test

In the present study, through the laboratory-to-field scale experiments and trials, we report the development and evaluation of an integrated oil-spill response system capable of oil collection, recovery (separation), and storage, for a timely and effective response to the initial stage of oil-spill accidents. With the laboratory-scale experiments, first, we evaluate that the water-surface waves tend to abate the oil recovery rate below 80% (it is above 95% for the optimized configuration without the waves), which is overcome by installing the hydrophilic (and oleophobic) porous structures at the inlet and/or near the water outlet of the separator. In the follow-up meso-scale towing tank tests with a scaled-up prototype, (i) we optimize the maneuverability of the assembled system depending on the speed and existence of waves, and (ii) evaluate the oil recovery performance (more than 80% recovery for the olive oil and Bunker A fuel oil). Although more thorough investigations and improvements are needed, a recovery rate of over 50% can be achieved for the newly enforced marine fuel oil (low sulfur fuel oil, LSFO) that was not targeted at the time of development. Finally, we perform a series of field tests with a full-scale system, to evaluate the rapid deployment and operational stability in the real marine environment. The overall floating balance and coordination of each functional part are sustained to be stable during the straight and rotary maneuvers up to the speed of 5 knots. Also, the collection of the floating debris (mimicking the spilled oil) is demonstrated in the field test. The present system is now being tested by the Korea Coast Guard and we believe that it will be very powerful to prevent the environmental damage due to the oil spills.

Membrane technology for treating decanted oily wastewater from marine oil spill operations: Comparison between membrane filtration and membrane bioreactor

Canadian oil spill response regulations require collection of all liquids from a response operation, this involves many vessels and frequent trips to shore to dispose of collected liquids, which mainly comprise of water. Onsite treatment of decanted oily seawater would benefit operations by addressing vessel storage and trip frequency issues. Membrane technology has proven effective at treating oily wastewater from various industries; therefore, is a good candidate for onsite treatment of wastewater generated from response operations. In this study, oily seawater treatment efficiency of a pilot-scale physical membrane filtration and a bench-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) were compared. Three main parameters were considered, total petroleum hydrocarbon, petroleum hydrocarbon fractions, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 99.1 % and 98.2 % TPH removal efficiency were achieved by MBR (93.1 ppm initial oil concentration) and membrane filtration (28.3 ppm initial oil concentration), respectively. The MBR showed more promise than membrane filtration for onsite treatment of decanted wastewater.

Hot and Cold: Photochemical Weathering Mediates Oil Properties and Fate Differently Depending on Seawater Temperature.

Photochemical weathering transforms petroleum oil and changes its bulk physical properties, as well as its partitioning into seawater. This transformation process is likely to occur in a cold water marine oil spill, but little is known about the behavior of photochemically weathered oil in cold water. We quantified the effect of photochemical weathering on oil properties and partitioning across temperatures. Compared to weathering in the dark, photochemical weathering increases oil viscosity and water-soluble content, decreases oil-seawater interfacial tension, and slightly increases density. Many of these photochemical changes are much larger than changes caused by evaporative weathering. Further, the viscosity and water-soluble content of photochemically weathered oil are more temperature-sensitive compared to evaporatively weathered oil, which changes the importance of key fate processes in warm versus cold environments. Compared to at 30 °C, photochemically weathered oil at 5 °C would have a 16× higher viscosity and a 7× lower water-soluble content, resulting in lower entrainment and dissolution. Collectively, the physical properties and thus fate of photochemically weathered oil in a cold water spill may be substantially different from those in a warm water spill. These differences could affect the choice of oil spill response options in cold, high-light environments.

Optical interpretation of oil emulsions in the ocean - Part III: A three-dimensional unmixing model to quantify oil concentration

Knowledge of oil distribution and characteristics (e.g., oil type, oil thickness, concentration, volume, etc.) is valuable for oil spill response and post-spill assessment. Optical remote sensing has the advantage of collecting information in multiple spectral bands, thus being able to classify and quantify different oil emulsions. However, most spectral characteristics of oil emulsions have been obtained from laboratory measurements, and it is unclear how to apply these lab-based findings to airborne or satellite observations of highly heterogeneous oil patches. This study proposes a three-dimensional (3D) unmixing model to explain AVIRIS image spectra of oil-containing pixels with both horizontal and vertical mixing effects. Based on the 3D unmixing model, an oil concentration lookup table (LUT) and LUT-based oil concentration mapping method are developed to quantify oil concentrations from AVIRIS observations, with the results validated through the use of a spectral similarity index. Using spatial and spectral resampling simulations, we also propose an approach to extend the LUT to different optical sensors (e.g., Landsat) in order to map oil concentrations, yet such an approach requires further research to validate and improve.