Phase I: The objective of this project was to develop a near full-scale screening test protocol for the effectiveness and durability of fire resistant oil containment boom that incorporates simultaneous testing in waves and flames. Realistic, inexpensive testing is needed in both waves and high-temperature flames for extended time periods to evaluate any fireboom systems capabilities and limitations before expensive testing at sea.
This is a Joint Industry Project (JIP) between MMS and Environment Canada to investigate the performance of sorbent materials used in the remediation of oil spills. A database will be developed to provide responders with firsthand information during a spill. The objectives of this study include: (1) develop a test procedure for sorbents used for oil spill remediation; (2) test these products to ensure repeatable, reliable, and representative data; and (3) generate a database of information from testing results to determine certifiable criteria.
No standards exist for the performance of oil spill response equipment. Development of a non-polluting, cost effective standard test procedure for evaluating the performance of open ocean containment booms and oil skimmers is needed. The need to increase the number of evaluated products is amplified by recent failures and difficulties in mechanical recovering equipment. Less than 1% of the spill control devices for open ocean field conditions have been tested under measured conditions.
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) initiated a cooperative effort with Environment Canada (EC) to participate in a joint evaluation of innovative skimming technology for oil spill cleanup offshore and in icy waters. Current skimmer technology for recovering oil in broken ice conditions was practically nonexistent. This project evaluated selected skimmers under both simulated and field conditions and produced performance data on which the adequacy of spill cleanup contingency plans can be assessed.
The Minerals Management Service initiated a cooperative effort with Environment Canada (EC) which has videntified knowledge gaps in the application of cleanup techniques to the beaches characteristic of the Pacific coastline, from southern California to the Aleutian chain. This project evaluated the effectiveness of minimizing biological damage of spilled oil to such beaches and attempted to establish a correlation between cleanup effectiveness and environmental damage caused by various cleanup techniques.
The MMS initiated a cooperative effort with the U.S. Coast Guard and Environment Canada (EC) to develop an updated edition of the World Catalog of Oil Spill Response Products. The World Catalog of Oil Spill Response Products provides a complete listing of all oil spill containment booms, skimmers and sorbents that are available worldwide. The Catalog is widely used by governments and state agencies, and private companies involved in oil spill response operations and technology development.
The Minerals Management Service initiated a cooperative effort with Environment Canada to participate in continuing evaluation of innovative oil spill response technology and procedures. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has suspended operation of the Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank (OHMSETT) facility at Leonardo, New Jersey, and alternative facilities and procedures are necessary to minimize the delay in testing innovative oil spill response technology and procedures. This project will identify all suitable test tanks in Canada.
The objectives of the workshop were:
(1) to provide a public forum to describe existing research programs,
(2) to identify future research needs and priorities,
(3) to improve and to advance Arctic oil spill response capabilities, and
(4) to present discussions of the state-of-the-art for all aspects of oil spill response under Arctic conditions.
This was a Joint Industry Project (JIP) between MMS and Environment Canada to evaluate two different atomization systems to be used in a catamaran-type burner to recover high viscosity oils. The burning of oil slicks on water is ineffective when initial slick thickness is less than 3 mm. Clean combustion of an oil slick can be achieved when the oil is atomized directly at the water surface. Two different methods can be used for atomization; acoustic energy or air pressure.
This was a Joint Industry Project (JIP) with Environment Canada to evaluate and optimize the design of an innovative oil spill containment barrier. The barrier uses high pressure water and fine droplets above and parallel to the water surface resulting in a high velocity local wind. This wind drives the surface oil in front of it but the near surface water layer is not as affected as it would be with conventional mechanical containment booms. Phase I of the project focused on field testing of various nozzle configurations and jet velocities.
