Tag: Deepwater Horizon

Deep-water corals keep good records, which come in handy in the case of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster

As the Arctic warms and sea ice retreats, oil and gas exploration is underway in Canada's Beaufort Sea, with all the benefits and risks this development entails. To better understand these risks, particularly those of proposed shipping and exploration, WWF has taken a milestone step in answering these big questions by leading groundbreaking research to map possible oil spills in the Beaufort Sea. This study looks at four types of oil spills under different conditions, resulting in 22 different scenarios. Explore some of the key findings by clicking at the WWF's interactive map below , which WWF is making available to help advance discussions about balancing conservation and development in the Canadian Arctic. The results from the study give northern residents and decision-makers scientific evidence they need to make choices about the risks they face. The project involved the analysis of multiple types of oil spill scenarios that could occur in the Beaufort Sea. The goal was to assess the transport, fates, and effects of oil on nearby surface water and shorelines from potential crude, heavy fuel, and light fuel oil spills. Modelling investigated both surface and subsea releases. Four different generalized "spill analyses" were evaluated for this study: a shipping spill analysis in ...

A multi-disciplinary team of scientists launched the second expedition in the Gulf of Mexico to examine the effects of Deepwater Horizon spill-related oil and dispersant exposure on deepwater shipwrecks and their microbial communities. The study is part of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program that is sponsored by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and George Mason University (Mason). The expedition will return to five shipwrecks examined by the team in March 2014, and plans to investigate up to five additional shipwrecks. Sites are located both within and outside of the spill area, and will be comparatively analyzed to determine if resident microbial communities' exposure to hydrocarbons and dispersant affects the natural process of wood degradation and metal corrosion in the deepwater marine environment. Using a Remotely Operated Vehicle, the scientists will collect high-resolution video and photos; sediment, water, biological, and other samples; and retrieve short-term microbiological experiments deployed near the five shipwrecks when they were previously visited. Experiments will also be deployed at the new sites for long-term monitoring purposes. BOEM's Environmental Studies Program provides the information needed to predict, assess, and manage impacts from ...

A multi-disciplinary team of scientists launched the second expedition in the Gulf of Mexico to examine the effects of Deepwater Horizon spill-related oil and dispersant exposure

A helper from Chris Reddy's WHOI lab collected oil samples from a Gulf coast beach The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest accidental release of oil into the ocean, with approximately 210 million gallons gushing from the blown out well. In an attempt to prevent vast quantities of oil from fouling beaches and marshes, BP applied 1.84 million gallons of chemical dispersant to oil to oil released in the subsurface and to oil slicks at the sea surface. The dispersant was thought to rapidly degrade in the environment. A new study by scientists at Haverford College and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has found that the dispersant compound DOSS, which decreases the size of oil droplets and hampers the formation of large oil slicks, remains associated with oil and can persist in the environment for up to four years. The study was recently published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The study examined samples collected from deep-sea corals and surrounding sediments collected in Dec. 2010 as well as oil-soaked sand patties found on coastal beaches since July 2010 to the present. "We found DOSS persisted in variable quantities in deep-sea coral communities 6 months ...

The 2010 DWH spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest accidental release of oil into the ocean. The dispersant was thought to rapidly degrade in the environment

The blowout preventer that was intented to shut off the flow of high-pressure oil and gas from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico during the disaster on the Deepwater Horizon

Containerships Ltd Oy, GNS Shipping/Nordic Hamburg, and ARKON Shipping are pleased to announce that they have ordered 2 two-plus-two, dual-fuel engine-technology container ships. Containerships will be chartering the ships over the long term, the owner and technical manager will be GNS Shipping/Nordic Hamburg, while Arkon will be the commercial manager and the charter broker. The ships, both of which will be delivered in the course of 2016, will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) but will also be able to burn conventional marine diesel oil/heavy fuel—hence the “dual-fuel engine-technology” label. The new container ships will offer efficient and environmentally friendly option for transporting containers by sea, and will not just meet but exceed environmental standards in the Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) in which Containerships operates. According to a recent survey, most shipping lines operating in the SECA area will use gas oil when the SECA regulations come into force, but industry studies indicate that, in view of the significantly higher cost of fuel oil, over time investments in LNG technology or Scrubber technology will predominate. Containerships’ strategy is to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to environmental regulations, and to be a pioneer in eco-friendly shipping while continuing ...

International classification society RINA has launched a new goal-based class voluntary notation, GREEN PLUS. The voluntary notation will be based on an environmental performance index which covers all aspects of the vessel's impact on the environment, including carbon emissions. RINA's GREEN STAR notation has become a watchword for environmental excellence in shipping, anticipating the requirements of MARPOL and other relevant legislation, and placing owners and operators in an advantageous position. Now, with GREEN PLUS, RINA introduces a new class notation only to be granted to new vessels which make a significant investment in design solutions, onboard equipment, and operational procedures which contribute to an improvement in environmental performance beyond the minimum levels required by regulation. Design solutions and onboard equipment include anything which reduces the risk of pollution, or which lowers fuel consumption and air emissions. Innovative engine design, alternative fuels, high-efficiency propellers, optimal hull design and bio-degradable oils all fall into these categories. Operational procedures covered by a GREEN PLUS notation include those which ensure that design solutions and onboard equipment are correctly used, voyage planning programmes resulting in reduced fuel consumption and emissions, or training courses designed to increase the environmental awareness of officers and crews. Antonio Pingiori, managing ...

The Coast Guard federal on-scene coordinator (FOSC) for the Deepwater Horizon Response completed the transition to the "Middle Response" ("Middle R") process and opened active National Response Center (NRC) cases for three miles of coastline in Louisiana. "Our response posture has evolved to target re-oiling events on coastline segments that were previously cleaned," said Capt. Thomas Sparks, the FOSC for the Deepwater Horizon Response. "But let me be absolutely clear: This response is not over---not by a long shot. The transition to the Middle Response process does not end clean-up operations, and we continue to hold the responsible party accountable for Deepwater Horizon cleanup costs." The term "Middle R" is used to describe an enhanced NRC process of responding to reports of oiling across the Gulf with: Dedicated Coast Guard teams pre-positioned for rapid response to residual oil; and Re-stationed Oil Spill Removal Organizations on standby, ready to clean when directed. This process is fully functioning on more than 3,200 miles of Louisiana shoreline as well as along the Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi coasts. According to Sparks, the "Middle R" process requires continued but more focused response equipment and personnel. This makes it not only a more nimble tool for ...