Chemical Treating Agents

This project aimed to validate and improve the two correlation models using a well know oil spill model OILMAP, by adding crude oils from outside the GOM for which physical and chemical properties are available, introducing ten new crude oils from the GOM for which physical and chemical properties were measured in this study, considering existing data from large tank tests and field trials/spills, and using data from new small tank tests.

Planned wind projects on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf could consist of wind turbine generators connected to a centralized electrical service platform (ESP). The ESP could contain approximately 40,000 gallons of dielectric insulating oil and approximately 2,000 gallons of assorted oil-based fluids (diesel fuel, lubricating oils, etc.) stored on site for facility maintenance. In addition, each wind turbines could have several hundred gallons of lubricating fluid.

Chemical treating agents and chemical dispersants are designed to work effectively in salt water (35ppt salinity). Near shore environments are seasonally influenced by significant freshwater outfalls (i.e. Mississippi River) and northern marine areas where melting sea ice poses unique situations where the use of dispersants might be used. The water in these areas will be fresh (0% salinity) and brackish (10-15% salinity) and this may alter the effectiveness of chemical treating agents and dispersants and thus alter the treating agents and dispersant use decision.

The objective of this research program was to extend the research on chemical herders into pack ice conditions (mechanical containment recovery), in salt marshes (mechanical recovery and in situ burning), and in open water (dispersants). This project was a direct continuation of TAR Project 554 Mid-Scale Test Tank Research on Using Oil Herding Surfactants to Thicken Oil Slicks in Broken Ice.

Task 1. Using Herders to Enhance Mechanical Recovery of Oil in Pack Ice

The objective of this research program is to continue research and development on the use of chemical dispersants. The program contains three separate tasks.

Task 1. Calm Seas Application and Dispersant Wash-Out

This research project will fill an existing gap in oil spill response in the United States by providing hands on training in chemical dispersants for first responders, planners and government agencies by utilizing the unique capabilities of Ohmsett - The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility. This project will develop a chemical dispersant training course to be conducted at Ohmsett that includes practical hands-on experience with handling, safety, application, monitoring, efficacy and recovery in breaking wave environments.

The objectives of this research project are three-fold: To conduct an analysis of monitoring data (visual and instrumental monitoring) collected during Ohmsett dispersant experiments completed between 2003 through 2007, for the purposes of verifying the reliability of existing SMART effectiveness monitoring protocols and recommending changes to improve monitoring methods;
Obtain input from end-users of the SMART protocol regarding past experience with the protocol and instrumentation, as well as their needs for upgrading the effectiveness and operational utility of the protocol; and

The objective of this research was to develop best-fit correlations between readily available fresh oil properties and the window of opportunity for successful chemical dispersant use on Gulf of Mexico crude oils.

The goals of the work were to:

The objective of this research project is to continue to investigate the conditions that might lead to the loss of surfactants from dispersant-treated oil, so that subsequent application of breaking waves will not result in dispersion. A one-week test series will be conducted at Ohmsett - The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility. Long-term exposures of topped Oseberg crude oil will be pre-mixed with Corexit 9500 dispersant on the Ohmsett tank surface will be completed.

The U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) funded and conducted two series of large-scale dispersant experiments in very cold water at Ohmsett The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility, located in Leonardo, New Jersey in February-March 2006 and January-March 2007. Alaska North Slope, Endicott, Northstar and Pt. McIntyre crude oils and Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 dispersants were used in the two test series.