ESI, Risk Assessment for Oil Spill


Book Description

Environmental Sensitivity Indexing (ESI) and risk assessment are two critical components in the preparation and management of oil spills along coastal regions. In the event of an oil spill, quick and efficient response is necessary to mitigate the adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Accurate assessment of the potential risks and damages caused by oil spills is essential for effective management of the spill. ESI is a tool used to assess the sensitivity of an area to oil spills, taking into account the local environmental conditions, biological resources, and socio-economic factors. The ESI can be used to identify high-risk areas, such as sensitive habitats, critical infrastructure, and popular recreational areas. This information can be used to develop contingency plans, prioritize response efforts, and allocate resources in the event of a spill. Risk assessment is the process of evaluating the potential hazards and impacts of an oil spill on the environment and human health. This process takes into account the characteristics of the oil, the environmental conditions, and the socio-economic factors in the affected area. Risk assessments help to identify potential sources of pollution, evaluate the effectiveness of response strategies, and develop long-term monitoring plans to assess the impacts of the spill. Integrated modeling, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are valuable tools for conducting ESI and risk assessments for oil spills. Integrated modeling combines data from multiple sources to simulate the behavior of oil spills under various environmental conditions. Remote sensing technology can be used to detect and monitor oil spills, and GIS can be used to map the potential impacts of spills on coastal environments. In Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, ESI and risk assessment are crucial for managing the risk of oil spills along the coast. The region is home to several critical habitats, including mangroves, estuaries, and coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to oil pollution. The use of integrated modeling, remote sensing, and GIS can help to identify high-risk areas and develop effective response plans in the event of a spill. In conclusion, ESI and risk assessment are essential tools for managing the risk of oil spills along coastal regions. By identifying high-risk areas and evaluating potential impacts, ESI and risk assessment can help to mitigate the environmental and economic damages caused by oil spills. The use of integrated modeling, remote sensing, and GIS can improve the accuracy and effectiveness of ESI and risk assessment, enabling quick and efficient response in the event of a spill.




Risk Analysis VII & Brownfields V


Book Description

This book contains the papers presented at two conferences organized by the Wessex Institute of Technology. The first conference is the Seventh International Conference on Computer Simulation in Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation, being held in Algarve, Portugal, September 13-15. This biennial conference is the latest in a successful series that began in 1998 and that includes many practical applications, demonstrating how to analyze and manage risk and mitigate hazards. The applications cover man-made as well as natural hazards, the importance of which is becoming increasingly evident in our modern world. These problems have become a priority for all governments, as well as a cause for public concern. The second conference is the Fifth International Conference on Prevention, Assessment, Rehabilitation and Development of Brownfield Sites, also being held in Algarve, September 14-16. The biennial conference was first held in 2002 and covers the challenges the public and private sectors must face in seeking to reuse brownfield sites and to capitalize on the opportunities.




Oil in the Sea III


Book Description

Since the early 1970s, experts have recognized that petroleum pollutants were being discharged in marine waters worldwide, from oil spills, vessel operations, and land-based sources. Public attention to oil spills has forced improvements. Still, a considerable amount of oil is discharged yearly into sensitive coastal environments. Oil in the Sea provides the best available estimate of oil pollutant discharge into marine waters, including an evaluation of the methods for assessing petroleum load and a discussion about the concerns these loads represent. Featuring close-up looks at the Exxon Valdez spill and other notable events, the book identifies important research questions and makes recommendations for better analysis ofâ€"and more effective measures againstâ€"pollutant discharge. The book discusses: Inputâ€"where the discharges come from, including the role of two-stroke engines used on recreational craft. Behavior or fateâ€"how oil is affected by processes such as evaporation as it moves through the marine environment. Effectsâ€"what we know about the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on marine organisms and ecosystems. Providing a needed update on a problem of international importance, this book will be of interest to energy policy makers, industry officials and managers, engineers and researchers, and advocates for the marine environment.




Marine Hydrocarbon Spill Assessments


Book Description

Marine Hydrocarbon Spill Assessments: From Risk of Spill through to Probabilities Estimates describes the methods used for estimating hydrocarbon spill risks and the potential consequences. Throughout the book, mathematical methodologies and algorithms are included to aid the reader in the solving of applied tasks presented. Marine Hydrocarbon Spill Assessments: From Risk of Spill through to Probabilities Estimates provides a fundamental understanding of the oil properties and processes which determine the persistence and impacts of oils in the marine environment. It informs the reader of the current research in hydrocarbon spill assessments, starting from an assessment of a risk of a spill, and moving on to modelling approaches to impact assessments, laboratory toxicity assessments, field impact assessments and response options, and prevention and contingency planning. - Identifies efficient solutions to protect coastal regions from the marine pollution of hydrocarbon spills - Includes case studies examining and analyzing spills, providing lessons to prevent these in the future - Covers the science of oil spills from risk analysis to cleanup and the effects on the environment




Assessing Environmental Risk of Oil Spills with ERA Acute


Book Description

This open access book introduces readers to a new methodology for assessing the risks to the marine environment following accidental oil spills. The methodology will soon be implemented on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and will be complemented by guidelines for its use in a regulatory framework. The brief book is intended to provide international readers with a basic grasp of what the ERA Acute methodology consists of, what its applications are, and the underlying impact and restoration models used in its development. The content is divided into three main parts: an introduction and overview of risk management applications for generalists at the management level, a model overview for generalist scientists, and a more detailed final section for risk assessment professionals, which presents the results of the validation and sensitivity testing.




Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment


Book Description

U.S. Arctic waters north of the Bering Strait and west of the Canadian border encompass a vast area that is usually ice covered for much of the year, but is increasingly experiencing longer periods and larger areas of open water due to climate change. Sparsely inhabited with a wide variety of ecosystems found nowhere else, this region is vulnerable to damage from human activities. As oil and gas, shipping, and tourism activities increase, the possibilities of an oil spill also increase. How can we best prepare to respond to such an event in this challenging environment? Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment reviews the current state of the science regarding oil spill response and environmental assessment in the Arctic region north of the Bering Strait, with emphasis on the potential impacts in U.S. waters. This report describes the unique ecosystems and environment of the Arctic and makes recommendations to provide an effective response effort in these challenging conditions. According to Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment, a full range of proven oil spill response technologies is needed in order to minimize the impacts on people and sensitive ecosystems. This report identifies key oil spill research priorities, critical data and monitoring needs, mitigation strategies, and important operational and logistical issues. The Arctic acts as an integrating, regulating, and mediating component of the physical, atmospheric and cryospheric systems that govern life on Earth. Not only does the Arctic serve as regulator of many of the Earth's large-scale systems and processes, but it is also an area where choices made have substantial impact on life and choices everywhere on planet Earth. This report's recommendations will assist environmentalists, industry, state and local policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of this special region to preserve and protect it from damaging oil spills.




Scenarios and Responses to Future Deep Oil Spills


Book Description

It has often been said that generals prepare for the next war by re-fighting the last. The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill was unlike any previous – an underwater well blowout 1,500 meters deep. Much has been learned in the wake of DWH and these lessons should in turn be applied to both similar oil spill scenarios and those arising from “frontier” explorations by the marine oil industry. The next deep oil well blowout may be at 3,000 meters or even deeper. This volume summarizes regional (Gulf of Mexico) and global megatrends in marine oil exploration and production. Research in a number of key areas including the behavior of oil and gas under extreme pressure, impacts on biological resources of the deep sea, and the fate of oil and gas released in spills is synthesized. A number of deep oil spills are simulated with detailed computer models, and the likely effects of the spills and potential mitigation measures used to combat them are compared. Recommended changes in policies governing marine oil exploration and development are proposed, as well as additional research to close critical and emerging knowledge gaps. This volume synthesizes state-of-the-art research in deep oil spill behavior and response. It is thus relevant for government and industry oil spill responders, policy formulators and implementers, and academics and students desiring an in-depth and balanced overview of key issues and uncertainties surrounding the quest for deep oil and potential impacts on the environment.




Oil Spill Environmental Forensics


Book Description

Oil Spill Environmental Forensics provides a complete view of the various forensic techniques used to identify the source of an oil spill into the environment. The forensic procedures described within represent various methods from scientists throughout the world. The authors explore which analytical and interpretative techniques are best suited for a particular oil spill project. This handy reference also explores the use of these techniques in actual environmental oil spills. Famous incidents discussed include the Exxon Valdez incident in 1989 and the Guanabara Bay, Brazil 2000. The authors chronicle both the successes and failures of the techniques used for each of these events. Dr. Zhendi Wang is a senior research scientist and Head of Oil Spill Research of Environment Canada, working in the oil and toxic chemical spill research field. He has authored over 270 academic publications and won a number of national and international scientific honors and awards. Dr. Wang is a member of American Chemical Society (ACS), the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC), and the International Society of Environmental Forensics (ISEF). - International experts show readers the forensic techniques used in oil spill investigations - Provides the theoretical basis and practical applications for investigative techniques - Contains numerous case studies demonstrating proven technique




Coastal Risk: Shores and Deltas in Peril


Book Description

The interaction between land and sea is controlled by a number of processes that are in general driven by the equilibrium between environmental forcing components (e.g. hydrodynamic - waves, currents, surges), atmospheric (e.g. winds) and terrestrial (e.g. catchment land cover) and sediment dynamics. In the context of the Anthropocene epoch, the equilibrium in many coastal regions is now often altered by the influence of human activities. Successive human activities globally influence (indirectly) these forcing components, helping magnify the negative impact of extreme meteorological events and sea level rise. Directly, human activity can also influence a number of processes at a local scale within and between the catchment, the sea and the coast. For example, misplaced engineered infrastructure inside these naturally dynamic environments can accentuate disequilibrium, destabilizing shores and deltas. Development in catchments can promote rapid runoff, inducing sometimes-dramatic effects on downstream urbanized areas, the socio-economy as well as on coastal resources and ecosystems. This Research Topic aims to assemble research and review papers that focus on the dynamics of shores and deltas in peril under present conditions as well as in the future context of sea-level rise, climate change and adaptation strategies under various scenarios.




Oil Spill Science and Technology


Book Description

Oil Spill Science and Technology, Second Edition, delivers a multi-contributed view on the entire chain of oil-spill related topics from oil properties and behaviors, to remote sensing through the management side of contingency planning and communicating oil spill risk perceptions. Completely new case studies are included with special attention to the Deepwater Horizon event, covering the impacts of wetlands and sand beaches, a mass balance approach, and the process for removing petroleum chemicals still trapped near Alabama beaches. Other new information on lingering oil left behind from the Exxon Valdez spill, the emergency system used in the Prestige incident, and coverage on the Heibei Spirit spill in Korea are also included. This updated edition combines technology with case studies to identify the current state of knowledge surrounding oil spills that will encourage additional areas of research that are left to uncover in this critical sector of the oil and gas industry. - Updated with new chapters on risk analysis and communication, contingency planning, restoration, and case studies - Supported with technological advances evolved from the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil tragedy and events in the Arctic/Antarctic - Multi-contributed from various industry experts to provide an extensive background in technical equipment and worldwide procedures used today