--> Abstract: Oil Spill Disaster Response and Management in Arctic Waters: Challenging Factors, by Arka Prava Mukherjee; #90177 (2013)

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Oil Spill Disaster Response and Management in Arctic Waters: Challenging Factors

Arka Prava Mukherjee

One of the biggest challenges in oil spill response is the quantification and observation of the spilled oil. Both aspects are important from an operational and a regulatory perspective. Over the years various tools have been used to achieve this goal, but there are limitations in capability. Oil spill response methods are generally divided into three main categories: mechanical recovery, where oil is contained in an area using boom or natural containment and removed using skimmers and pumps; non-mechanical recovery where chemical countermeasures, burning, or bioremediation are used to degrade or disperse an oil slick; and manual recovery, where oil is removed using simple hand tools and techniques such as pails, shovels or nets. However, each of these response options may be significantly limited or even precluded by the harsh environmental conditions that characterize the Arctic operating environment. The present Arctic Oil Spill counter measures require the support of aircraft, vessels, and trained personnel to properly deploy and operate them. Remote locations and lack of infrastructure can impede these systems considerably. The cumulative impact of such limiting factors can make marine spill response operations near impossible for long periods of time in arctic and sub-arctic areas. With all three spill response options stated above, time is critical. As soon as oil is spilled to water, it begins to spread, evaporate and emulsify. As time passes, it generally becomes more difficult to track, contain and recover or treat spilled oil. Therefore, the quick mobilization and deployment of response equipment and trained personnel is important to the overall response effectiveness.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90177©3P Arctic, Polar Petroleum Potential Conference & Exhibition, Stavanger, Norway, October 15-18, 2013