AN
IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT OF THE STRATEGIES, IMPACTS,
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES FOR THE ELIMINATION
OF SPILLED OIL BY BURNING, AND FOR
THE CONTROL OF ACCIDENTAL MARINE PETROLEUM
FIRES This is an 8-hour course involving
an overview of controlled "in-situ" burning
as one of several techniques for the
elimination of spilled oil at sea. The primary
objective of this training session is to
provide all participants with a thorough
review of the tools and techniques for conducting
safe and efficient burning operations
in offshore, nearshore and inshore environments.
A brief summary of prior experiences
during experimental and actual burns is
provided. This summary is followed
by an assessment of the physical, chemical
and environmental issues that most
influence the feasibility of burning spilled
oil under a variety of conditions.
An in-depth review of representative burn
scenarios is then directed toward
blowouts, tanker accidents, pipeline failures,
fuel transfer mishaps, and a number
of other situations that could involve the
deliberate or accidental ignition of oil
on water.
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OIL SPILL VOLUME
ESTIMATION & DOCUMENTATION
AN INTRODUCTION TO BASIC
OIL SPILL SURVEILLANCE & REPORTING TECHNIQUES, THE
ESTIMATION OF WATERBORNE OIL SPILL VOLUMES, AND
THE DETERMINATION OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE VOLUME CONTROL
RATES This 8-hour course involves an overview of
the basic mathematics, science and terminology needed
to understand and document oil spill spreading,
transport and degradation phenomena. Techniques
are provided so that standardized and meaningful
descriptions can be given for the nature and amount
of oil spilled, as well as the amount of oil actually
contained and recovered, chemically dispersed and/or
eliminated with controlled burning. Guidelines,
based on the instructor's personal experiences during
hundreds of oil spills in arctic, temperate and
tropic environments, are provided for the identification
and description of oil spilled under a variety of
water and substrate conditions (salt & fresh water,
soil, ice, snow, etc.). The emphasis is on waterborne
slicks, providing helpful techniques for estimating
slick dimensions, describing the type and condition
of the oil spilled, and recording the location and
estimated volume of the oil. Specific guidelines
for "spotter" personnel are provided so that data
with operational value can be recorded and sent
back to the Command Center and to vessels and other
aircraft on location.
OFFSHORE OIL SPILL RESPONSE
AN OVERVIEW OF RESPONSE TECHNIQUES
AND EQUIPMENT INVOLVING MECHANICAL RECOVERY, DISPERSANT
APPLICATION & CONTROLLED BURNING The primary objective
of this 8-hour classroom session is to provide each
participant with an overview of response options
currently available for the offshore control of
oil spills. An important goal is to present qualitative
and quantitative information with an emphasis on
operational issues involving oil fate and behavior,
slick tracking and characterization, equipment selection
and field techniques, and environmental constraints
that most influence the performance of each response
option. Mechanical containment and recovery techniques
remain the mainstay for most offshore responses
involving major oil spills. However, the United
States and many other countries have recognized
the importance of chemical dispersants and controlled
burning for a wide range of spill conditions. During
this training session participants will examine
the advantages and disadvantages of all three response
techniques, identifying those operational, environmental
and socio- political issues that determine the feasibility
of each response.
APPLICATION OF CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS
This 8-hour classroom session is
designed to provide each participant with a basic
understanding of the environmental and operational
conditions under which the chemical dispersal of
spilled oil would likely be safe, efficient and
of minimal environmental concern. The physical and
chemical properties of commonly used dispersants
are addressed within the framework of likely spill
scenarios where treated oil could mix effectively
and disperse rapidly within the upper 5 to 10 meters
of the water column. Representative government regulations
and approval criteria are examined in light of current
improvements in dispersants, their application,
and monitoring programs. Key dispersant application
parameters, such as swath, speed, pump rate, etc.
are addressed for vessel application systems, helicopter
spray buckets, and fixed- wing packages (e.g., DC-3s
and DC-4s, and Hercules aircraft with the Aerial
Dispersant Delivery System or ADDS).
