: The In-Situ Burn (ISB) Gap Analysis Report summarizes the analysis of over 125 post-Deepwater H... more : The In-Situ Burn (ISB) Gap Analysis Report summarizes the analysis of over 125 post-Deepwater Horizon recommendations related to the conduct of ISB operations. The initial set of recommendations was grouped into affinity areas (Operations, Safety, Research, and Policy) and then further divided into subcategories depending on the focus of the recommendation. The recommendations were reviewed by subject matter experts to determine which would have the most significant impacts on the efficacy and safety of ISB operations; and then to develop the final set of Gap Analysis recommendations. For each recommendation identified in the Gap Analysis, the report provides the following: * A brief summary of each of the recommendations identified for ISB from the reference documents or general literature search * The extent to which the recommendation has been addressed or implemented * How addressing these recommendations will provide more robust and safer ISB operations * A description of pro...
Oil spill model simulations of a deepwater blowout in the Gulf of Mexico De Soto Canyon, assuming... more Oil spill model simulations of a deepwater blowout in the Gulf of Mexico De Soto Canyon, assuming no intervention and various response options (i.e., subsea dispersant injection SSDI, in addition to mechanical recovery, in-situ burning, and surface dispersant application) were compared. Predicted oil fate, amount and area of surfaced oil, and exposure concentrations in the water column above potential effects thresholds were used as inputs to a Comparative Risk Assessment to identify response strategies that minimize long-term impacts. SSDI reduced human and wildlife exposure to volatile organic compounds; dispersed oil into a large water volume at depth; enhanced biodegradation; and reduced surface water, nearshore and shoreline exposure to floating oil and entrained/dissolved oil in the upper water column. Tradeoffs included increased oil exposures at depth. However, since organisms are less abundant below 200 m, results indicate that overall exposure of valued ecosystem component...
The report discusses the physical, geological, and biological considerations relevant to oil beha... more The report discusses the physical, geological, and biological considerations relevant to oil behavior and oil spill response and cleanup. The intent is to contribute to an informed and effective oil spill response in coastal waters.
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1995
Chemical oil spill treating agents—here meant to exclude chemical oil spill dispersants, burning ... more Chemical oil spill treating agents—here meant to exclude chemical oil spill dispersants, burning agents, and bioremediation agents—are one type of countermeasure used to control the release and/or spread of spilled oil. They are infrequently used in the United States, in part because they have been inadequately tested and demonstrated for efficacy and environmental effects. A study planned and sponsored by the Marine Spill Response Corporation examined the potential utility of chemical treating agents during marine oil spills. Through an extensive literature search and market survey process, this study defined specific product classes and evaluated these classes in terms of operational use, efficacy, and environmental fate and effects. Individual products within each class were also evaluated in terms of these study parameters, and a resultant compendium of available products worldwide was produced. Based on the evaluation, as well as results from a workshop held in conjunction with...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1999
This paper describes a long-term partnering effort between industry and government to make approp... more This paper describes a long-term partnering effort between industry and government to make appropriate and effective decisions about the use of non-mechanical oil spill countermeasures, ie, in-situ burning (ISB), dispersants, and other chemicals. To illustrate ...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
There is growing interest in the United States for using the full mix of environmentally appropri... more There is growing interest in the United States for using the full mix of environmentally appropriate countermeasures during spill response to achieve the highest level of environmental protection and recovery possible. Determining the right mix of technologies, including mechanical recovery, shoreline cleanup, dispersants, and monitoring (no active response), is particularly challenging in sensitive and valuable estuaries through which high volumes of bulk oil shipment transit. This paper summarizes an ecological risk assessment (ERA) project to consider the potential effectiveness and effects of using dispersants, in addition to conventional countermeasures, to mitigate the impacts of oil spilled into the marine and nearshore environments and to facilitate preparedness efforts at the federal, state, local, and industry level. Sponsored by industry and federal and state agencies, the primary goal was to bring technical and resource experts together to use their collective knowledge ...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1999
The potential and perceived environmental risks associated with dispersant use have been addresse... more The potential and perceived environmental risks associated with dispersant use have been addressed by many scientific studies costing millions of dollars and tens of thousands of research hours. Nevertheless, decision makers still have many diverse and contradictory viewpoints, which can impede their ability to evaluate and reach consensus on the actual risks associated with this countermeasure. In an attempt to resolve the problem in a different way, a new approach was formulated, based on the following hypothesis: The inability to create a solid foundation for dispersant decision support is based not only on limitations to scientific information, but also on the wide differences in the way people understand and interpret this information. In other words, a critical aspect of improved decision making for dispersants is related to good risk communication, not more natural science studies. In 1994, industry initiated a research project to test this hypothesis and define the critical ...
In April 2014, the Washington State Legislature directed and funded the Department of Ecology (Ec... more In April 2014, the Washington State Legislature directed and funded the Department of Ecology (Ecology), in consultation with the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC), Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Department of Transportation (WSDOT), to conduct a study on marine and rail oil transportation.
FINAL REPORT 2.8 Report from Joint Industry Programme to summarize the current technical/policy o... more FINAL REPORT 2.8 Report from Joint Industry Programme to summarize the current technical/policy obstacles on use of dispersants for each Arctic nation
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
The National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule, the Applied Response Tool Evaluation System... more The National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule, the Applied Response Tool Evaluation System (ARTES), and the Selection Guide for Oil Spill Applied Technologies (Selection Guide) are information and evaluation resources that, used together, provide spill response decision makers with a comprehensive framework to assess the potential uses and effects of applied response technologies either during an oil spill emergency or in advance. The applied response technologies addressed by these response tools include fastwater booming strategies, nonfloating oil strategies, water-intake monitoring, alternative sorbents, bioremediation agents, dispersants, elasticity modifiers, emulsion treating agents, firefighting foams, in situ burning on land and inland waters, solidifiers, surface-collecting agents, surface-washing agents, and shoreline pretreatment agents. The U.S. NCP regulates the use of any chemical/biological product as a spill response tool. In most instances, decision makers a...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
This paper describes the last phase of a project sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (A... more This paper describes the last phase of a project sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Using risk communication methodologies, this project was designed to produce three dispersant issue papers as unbiased reference sources that present technical information and study results in non-scientific language for the layman. The third issue paper, currently in press, was designed to provide the decision maker and layman with an understanding of how spilled oil and chemically dispersed oil affect resources in the environment. Synopses of key sections of this paper are presented here. Understanding exposure and effects is a complex task. Exposure to oil alone can cause a variety of adverse effects, including slowed growth, reduced reproduction, and death. Adding dispersants to spilled oil will change the way resources are affected. Today's dispersants are mixtures of solvents and surfactants and, although they can be toxic, are less dangerous than the dispersant products u...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2003
ABSTRACT: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) was the focus of great speculation, evaluation, and facilit... more ABSTRACT: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) was the focus of great speculation, evaluation, and facility construction in the late 1970s due to extremely high oil prices and the need for large, sustainable quantities of energy in the US. Importing natural gas in its liquefied form in special-...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2014
In the United States (U.S.), oil spill response planning, preparedness, and response requirements... more In the United States (U.S.), oil spill response planning, preparedness, and response requirements are dictated primarily by the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, a regulation that implements the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. At the planning stage, these regulations require the development of national, regional, and local response capabilities and promote overall coordination among responders. During a spill, these capabilities are utilized by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) to analyze whether response actions are likely to impact protected resources. The consultation process required under Federal statutes, charges the FOSC to consult with Federal, state, Tribal entities, and other Federal agencies to determine potential effects of response actions during an incident and to develop strategies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those effects (40 CFR § ...
: The In-Situ Burn (ISB) Gap Analysis Report summarizes the analysis of over 125 post-Deepwater H... more : The In-Situ Burn (ISB) Gap Analysis Report summarizes the analysis of over 125 post-Deepwater Horizon recommendations related to the conduct of ISB operations. The initial set of recommendations was grouped into affinity areas (Operations, Safety, Research, and Policy) and then further divided into subcategories depending on the focus of the recommendation. The recommendations were reviewed by subject matter experts to determine which would have the most significant impacts on the efficacy and safety of ISB operations; and then to develop the final set of Gap Analysis recommendations. For each recommendation identified in the Gap Analysis, the report provides the following: * A brief summary of each of the recommendations identified for ISB from the reference documents or general literature search * The extent to which the recommendation has been addressed or implemented * How addressing these recommendations will provide more robust and safer ISB operations * A description of pro...
Oil spill model simulations of a deepwater blowout in the Gulf of Mexico De Soto Canyon, assuming... more Oil spill model simulations of a deepwater blowout in the Gulf of Mexico De Soto Canyon, assuming no intervention and various response options (i.e., subsea dispersant injection SSDI, in addition to mechanical recovery, in-situ burning, and surface dispersant application) were compared. Predicted oil fate, amount and area of surfaced oil, and exposure concentrations in the water column above potential effects thresholds were used as inputs to a Comparative Risk Assessment to identify response strategies that minimize long-term impacts. SSDI reduced human and wildlife exposure to volatile organic compounds; dispersed oil into a large water volume at depth; enhanced biodegradation; and reduced surface water, nearshore and shoreline exposure to floating oil and entrained/dissolved oil in the upper water column. Tradeoffs included increased oil exposures at depth. However, since organisms are less abundant below 200 m, results indicate that overall exposure of valued ecosystem component...
The report discusses the physical, geological, and biological considerations relevant to oil beha... more The report discusses the physical, geological, and biological considerations relevant to oil behavior and oil spill response and cleanup. The intent is to contribute to an informed and effective oil spill response in coastal waters.
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1995
Chemical oil spill treating agents—here meant to exclude chemical oil spill dispersants, burning ... more Chemical oil spill treating agents—here meant to exclude chemical oil spill dispersants, burning agents, and bioremediation agents—are one type of countermeasure used to control the release and/or spread of spilled oil. They are infrequently used in the United States, in part because they have been inadequately tested and demonstrated for efficacy and environmental effects. A study planned and sponsored by the Marine Spill Response Corporation examined the potential utility of chemical treating agents during marine oil spills. Through an extensive literature search and market survey process, this study defined specific product classes and evaluated these classes in terms of operational use, efficacy, and environmental fate and effects. Individual products within each class were also evaluated in terms of these study parameters, and a resultant compendium of available products worldwide was produced. Based on the evaluation, as well as results from a workshop held in conjunction with...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1999
This paper describes a long-term partnering effort between industry and government to make approp... more This paper describes a long-term partnering effort between industry and government to make appropriate and effective decisions about the use of non-mechanical oil spill countermeasures, ie, in-situ burning (ISB), dispersants, and other chemicals. To illustrate ...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
There is growing interest in the United States for using the full mix of environmentally appropri... more There is growing interest in the United States for using the full mix of environmentally appropriate countermeasures during spill response to achieve the highest level of environmental protection and recovery possible. Determining the right mix of technologies, including mechanical recovery, shoreline cleanup, dispersants, and monitoring (no active response), is particularly challenging in sensitive and valuable estuaries through which high volumes of bulk oil shipment transit. This paper summarizes an ecological risk assessment (ERA) project to consider the potential effectiveness and effects of using dispersants, in addition to conventional countermeasures, to mitigate the impacts of oil spilled into the marine and nearshore environments and to facilitate preparedness efforts at the federal, state, local, and industry level. Sponsored by industry and federal and state agencies, the primary goal was to bring technical and resource experts together to use their collective knowledge ...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1999
The potential and perceived environmental risks associated with dispersant use have been addresse... more The potential and perceived environmental risks associated with dispersant use have been addressed by many scientific studies costing millions of dollars and tens of thousands of research hours. Nevertheless, decision makers still have many diverse and contradictory viewpoints, which can impede their ability to evaluate and reach consensus on the actual risks associated with this countermeasure. In an attempt to resolve the problem in a different way, a new approach was formulated, based on the following hypothesis: The inability to create a solid foundation for dispersant decision support is based not only on limitations to scientific information, but also on the wide differences in the way people understand and interpret this information. In other words, a critical aspect of improved decision making for dispersants is related to good risk communication, not more natural science studies. In 1994, industry initiated a research project to test this hypothesis and define the critical ...
In April 2014, the Washington State Legislature directed and funded the Department of Ecology (Ec... more In April 2014, the Washington State Legislature directed and funded the Department of Ecology (Ecology), in consultation with the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC), Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Department of Transportation (WSDOT), to conduct a study on marine and rail oil transportation.
FINAL REPORT 2.8 Report from Joint Industry Programme to summarize the current technical/policy o... more FINAL REPORT 2.8 Report from Joint Industry Programme to summarize the current technical/policy obstacles on use of dispersants for each Arctic nation
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
The National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule, the Applied Response Tool Evaluation System... more The National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule, the Applied Response Tool Evaluation System (ARTES), and the Selection Guide for Oil Spill Applied Technologies (Selection Guide) are information and evaluation resources that, used together, provide spill response decision makers with a comprehensive framework to assess the potential uses and effects of applied response technologies either during an oil spill emergency or in advance. The applied response technologies addressed by these response tools include fastwater booming strategies, nonfloating oil strategies, water-intake monitoring, alternative sorbents, bioremediation agents, dispersants, elasticity modifiers, emulsion treating agents, firefighting foams, in situ burning on land and inland waters, solidifiers, surface-collecting agents, surface-washing agents, and shoreline pretreatment agents. The U.S. NCP regulates the use of any chemical/biological product as a spill response tool. In most instances, decision makers a...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
This paper describes the last phase of a project sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (A... more This paper describes the last phase of a project sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Using risk communication methodologies, this project was designed to produce three dispersant issue papers as unbiased reference sources that present technical information and study results in non-scientific language for the layman. The third issue paper, currently in press, was designed to provide the decision maker and layman with an understanding of how spilled oil and chemically dispersed oil affect resources in the environment. Synopses of key sections of this paper are presented here. Understanding exposure and effects is a complex task. Exposure to oil alone can cause a variety of adverse effects, including slowed growth, reduced reproduction, and death. Adding dispersants to spilled oil will change the way resources are affected. Today's dispersants are mixtures of solvents and surfactants and, although they can be toxic, are less dangerous than the dispersant products u...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2003
ABSTRACT: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) was the focus of great speculation, evaluation, and facilit... more ABSTRACT: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) was the focus of great speculation, evaluation, and facility construction in the late 1970s due to extremely high oil prices and the need for large, sustainable quantities of energy in the US. Importing natural gas in its liquefied form in special-...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2014
In the United States (U.S.), oil spill response planning, preparedness, and response requirements... more In the United States (U.S.), oil spill response planning, preparedness, and response requirements are dictated primarily by the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, a regulation that implements the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. At the planning stage, these regulations require the development of national, regional, and local response capabilities and promote overall coordination among responders. During a spill, these capabilities are utilized by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) to analyze whether response actions are likely to impact protected resources. The consultation process required under Federal statutes, charges the FOSC to consult with Federal, state, Tribal entities, and other Federal agencies to determine potential effects of response actions during an incident and to develop strategies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those effects (40 CFR § ...
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