Minerals Management Service

This objective of this project was to determine the limiting viscosity for the effectiveness of chemical dispersants applied to viscous U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) crude oils from the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific OCS. The acquired crude oils were categorized based on properties determined by physical and chemical analyses. Small scale wave tank dispersant effectiveness testing was conducted on the crude oil samples with Corexit 9500 applied at the standard 1:15 dispersant to oil ratio (DOR). Six oils were used for the small-scale testing at Ohmsett in moderate breaking waves.

The objective of this research is to assess the feasibility of a cold water and Arctic marine oil spill countermeasure strategy based on the stimulation of OMA formation in the presence of a chemical dispersant. Evaluations will be conducted on both laboratory and wave tank systems under controlled conditions to evaluate the potential effectiveness of treatment of oil spills from shipboard and rig operations.

Project will determine the limiting viscosity for the effectiveness of chemical dispersants applied to viscous U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) crude oils from the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific OCS. Conduct physical and chemical analysis of the acquired crude oils to categorize them based on properties.Conduct small scale wave tank dispersant effectiveness on crude oil samples. These experiments will be conducted using Corexit 9500 applied at the standard 1:15 dispersant to oil ratio (DOR). Identify six oils from small-scale testing and test them at Ohmsett in moderate breaking waves.

The project addressed three primary topics via a series of tasks:

Topic 1 - Damage and Critical Analysis of Accidents:

Specific objectives of this report were: Compare and contrast the risks and benefits of using stiffer synthetic fibers vs. polyester fibers for mooring rope design, manufacturing, installation and long-term operations over the last decade in the Gulf of Mexico.
By theoretical analysis, compare dynamic responses of typical floaters moored with polyester segments and with stiffer fiber segments.

The objective of this project was to provide a description of wave and current energy generating device systems and subsystems and provide a functional taxonomy; identify criteria pertinent to the design, construction, installation, maintenance and operations of these systems, and review the criteria to determine applicability, adequacy, and suitability; identify existing codes and standards that can be applied to these devices; conduct a regulatory gap analysis; and recommend regulatory initiatives or approaches for addressing identified deficiencies.

Free Flow Energy performed a gap analysis to determine if modifications should be made to engineering specifications and regulatory standards to enable the placement of wave and current energy devices within the outer continental shelf (OCS) without compromising safety and performance guidelines.

The following tasks were accomplished:

Task 1. Acquire basic engineering information and generate a list of engineering concerns.

Task 2. Address safety and regulatory concerns and generate a checklist for the complete spectrum of unique safety concerns.

The project developed preliminary guideline Integrity Management (IM) procedures for offshore wind turbine facilities appropriate for use in US waters. These procedures include guidance on frequency and method of inspection and address the platform structure, turbine tower, turbine and housing, and turbine blades.

The objective of this study was to provide guidance for a testing framework that would not compromise the reliability and safety of future HIPPS installations in the Gulf of Mexico. The study provided guidance on the allowable (if any) leakage rates and developed recommendations on HIPPS test configurations that would mitigate concerns over practical limitations to testing.

The objective of this study was to assess the presence and condition of marine growth on floating facility riser systems in the Gulf of Mexico and practices used for inspection, removal and mitigation.