oil spills in marine waters: what really happens seacoast science

11/12/2013

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Oil Spills in Marine Waters: What Really Happens

Seacoast Science Center

Nancy E. KinnerCoastal Response Research Center

Center for Spills in the EnvironmentUniversity of New Hampshire

November 7, 2013

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Format of Tonight’s Talk

• Thanks for coming/participating• Questions: Encouraged during

talk

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CAVEATS

• Will not discuss fracking as not my expertise• Talk not about merits/problems with

hydrocarbon-based economy• Hydrocarbon exploration and production is

occurring and will continue to occur for some time to come• UNH Response Centers focus on how to improve

response and restoration of spills that will occur

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• Conduct and Oversee Basic and Applied Research and Outreach on Spill Response and Restoration

• Transform Research Results into Practice• Serve as Hub for Oil Spill R&D (ALL

Stakeholders)• Facilitate Collaboration on R&D Among

Stakeholders

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Coastal Response Research Center

(NOAA $)

Center for Spills in the Environment (All Other $)

Background on Crude Oil

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Crude Oil

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Crude Oil Composition

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Crude Oil Composition

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Crude Oil Fractions

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Light vs. Heavy Crude Oil

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Sweet vs. Sour Crude = Sulfur %

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What Large Volumes of Petroleum Are Being Moved

in New Hampshire and Maine?

Ships,Pipelines and Trains

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Vessels• Tankers into Portland = Oil for Portland

to Montreal Pipeline• Portsmouth Harbor:

• Oil, Coal, Kerosene, Liquid Asphalt• Mostly Oil, Propane and Coal• 1.6 Million Tons per Year

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Portland Pipeline RouteCapacity: 6.3 million gallons per day

Options for Canadian Crude By Pipeline

Source: Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Crude Oil Forecast, Markets & Pipelines, June 2011

Churchill

All of CERI’s research is publically available atwww.ceri.ca

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CURRENTLY, NO OIL SANDS PRODUCTS IN MAINE

No Refinery Capacity in East for It!

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Oil Sands Products in Portland Pipeline???

• Not Now• Future: Possible to Export Out

of Portland Harbor to Overseas Heavy Crude Refineries

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NH and Maine Railroads Carry Bakken Crude Oil

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Bakken Formation

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U.S. Refineries in 2012

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Why Rail vs. Pipeline?

• Geographic Flexibility• Responsiveness

• Hard to Site/Build Pipelines

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Low Pressure Tank Car – DOT 111A100W1

Top Fittings

Bottom Outlet

Crude Oil – DOT Class 3 Hazardous Material

[Justin Piper, BNSF Railway. Presentation given in April, 2013 at CSE OSP Workshop]

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Some bitumen being transported in heated rail cars

[William Fairfield, Canadian Pacific Railway. Presentation given in Dec, 2012 at CSE OSP Workshop]

New DOT 111 Railcars

• Thicker, Puncture Resistant Shell• Extra Protective Head Shields on Ends• Additional Protection of Top Fittings• Higher Capacity Pressure Release Valve

• Recommended by NTSB in 2011• PHMSA did Not Act

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Unit Trains

• 50 to 120 Cars Per Train• All of One Commodity• Lowers Shipping Cost• Can Load/Unload 3.57 Million Gallons of

Oil on Unit Train in 24 hours• ~2470 gallons per minute

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Coastal Response Research Center38

Priority #1 = Stop Fire, Rescue PeopleHuman Health and Safety Paramount

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Priority #2 - Stop Source of Leak

•Start Relief Well•Install “Cap” to Stop Flow

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Relief Wells

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Coastal Response Research Center 41

Capping Well


• Crabs, Shrimp, Oysters, Blue Fin Tuna, Charismatic Marine Mammals

• Recreational Beaches

• Commercial Fishing• Subsistence Fishing

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Priority #3 – Identify Natural Resources at Risk

Shorelines on ESI maps are color-coded by sensitivity to oil. Symbols mark localized areas for biological and human-use resources.

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• Purpose of Response Technology

• Key Is Select Most Appropriate Response Techniques

• Unique to Each Spill and Each Day of Spill• Weather

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Priority #4 – Minimize Damage to Natural Resources


Oil was in patches, not one continuous slick

Oil plumes were on surface and at depth

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Response: Sorbents


Booms and Skimmers

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Capture and Concentrate Oil, Deflect Oil from Critical Area

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Response: In Situ Burning


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Response: Chemical Dispersants

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Surface Application


Sub-Surface ApplicationResponse: Dispersants

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Why Use Chemical Dispersants?

• Wind and Waves Often Too High to Allow Mechanical Removal (Booms & Skimmers) or Burning

• Kept Oil Out of Nearshore Waters and Marshes• Where organisms were breeding and juveniles• Marshes hard to clean if repeatedly fouled with

oil

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Dispersant Controversy

• Exposure/Toxicity of Dispersants to Marine Life, Humans, Seafood

• Exposure of Marine Organisms Below Surface to Dispersed Oil

• Proprietary Mixture• Where Did Oil Go?


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Nature’s Response

• Function of Environmental Conditions• Temperature

• (H2O, Air)

• Wind• Oil Type• Currents, Tides


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Response: Biodegradation

• Every Year, ~ 20 Million Gallons of Oil Enter GOM from Natural Seeps

• Naturally Occurring Bacteria Live in GOM Use Oil as Food Source

• DWH Oil is More Food• Takes <10 days to Degrade Oil Mass by Half

• 10 g 5 g

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T. Hazen, LBL, 2010

Gulf of Mexico Oil Degrading Microbes

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Thank You for Listening

Contact Info:

Nancy E. KinnerCenter for Spills in the EnvironmentCoastal Response Research Center

[email protected]

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oil spills in marine waters: what really happens seacoast science

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