Oil spill pollution environmental pollution centers. Containment booms were used to contain oil spilled during the 2010 deepwater horizon oil. It contains chapters that outline and explain oil spills, their potential effects on the environment, how they are cleaned up, and how various agencies prepare for spills before they happen. The definition of oil congressional research service r43128 version updated 2 selected pipeline spills involving oil sand crude oils 2010 enbridge spill in michigan on july 26, 2010, an enbridge pipeline released oil sands crude oil6 into talmadge creek, a waterway that flows. An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment especially marine areas, due to human activity and is the form of pollution. Transportation of oil is when spills are the most likely to occur. An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the. Oil spill pollution may comprise a variety of amounts starting with one or more gallons of oil and up to millions or even hundreds of. The purpose of this booklet is to provide information about oil spills. Among the most serious types of oil pollution is an oil spill. First, some regulations and definitions to understand the part 5 rules, spillage of oil and polluting materials, are promulgated pursuant to part 31.
Oil spill response is an inherently hazardous operation 28. Oceanic oil spills became a major environmental problem in the 1960s, chiefly as a result of intensified petroleum exploration and production on continental shelves and the use of supertankers capable of transporting more. Oil spill law and legal definition an oil spill is a form of environmental pollution. Toxicity testing of dispersants epa response to bp spill. The type of oil spilled affects cleanup methods, and different types of oil spills have different effects on wildlife and human habitats. Proceedings of the seventeenth arctic and marine oil spill program technical seminar, environment canada, ottawa, ont. For detailed information on spill reporting requirements, see wis. This guide is intended to assist those who work in spill response and planning in regions where mangrove ecosystems are an important part of the coastline. An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The arctic region can be defined by latitude the arctic circle or by vegetation, temperature or.
Understanding oil spills and oil spill response pdf epa. The framework can be used to clarify the complexity of oil spill impacts, identify lessons. If a farm or facility meets the definition of this regulation, it. The oil caught fire and burned for two months before the well pressure subsided. Reporting oil spills, hazardous waste spills and groundwater contamination the state of new hampshire has statutory and regulatory requirements regarding the reporting of discharges of both petroleum products and hazardous wastes. The role of the spill management team in oil spill. This booklet was developed by the national clearinghouse for worker safety and health training. Chapter 2 incident and spill reporting 23 definition of hazardous material, waste, substance, and chemical extremely hazardous. Oil spills can cause a wide range of impacts in the marine environment and are. Major oil spills arabian gulf spills 1991 location persian gulf cause terminals and oil tankers destroyed quantity of oil spilled 6 to 8 million barrels exxon valdez oil spill 1989 location alaskan waters cause ship wreckage quantity of oil spills 260,000 barrels gulf oil spill 2010 location gulf of. Spill prevention control and countermeasures although most oil spills are accidental, they are common events. Can take advantage of the alternative compliance option provided to qualified oilfilled operational equipment, in lieu of secondary containment.
The shortterm effects of oil spills on marine species and communities are well. A stakeholder analysis of the bp oil spill and the. Oil spills include any spill of crude oil or oil distilled products e. Fish and wildlife service, best practices for migratory bird care during oil spill response november, 2003.
The goal of the spill prevention, control, and countermeasure spcc program is the prevention of oil spills into navigable waters and adjoining shorelines. Regulatory definitions june, 2006 the pacific statesbritish columbia oil spill task force has undertaken a multiyear project focused on improving our member agencies ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to crude oil and petroleum product spills from pipelines. This sop complements the unl spill prevention control and countermeasures plans spcc plans which were developed and implemented pursuant to the oil pollution prevention regulations 40 cfr 112. This is a particularly dangerous gas and should be treated with extreme caution. The definition of oil and related issues for congress february 3, 2016 open pdf 765 kb from the summary. Most oils tend to spread horizontally into a smooth and slippery surface, called a slick, on top of the water.
For the purposes of this act, the term 1 act of god means an unanticipated grave natural. Oil spill definition, an accidental release of oil into a body of water, as from a tanker, offshore drilling rig, or underwater pipeline, often presenting a hazard to marine life and the environment. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land. Coast guard is the lead response agency for spills in coastal waters and deepwater ports. While oil is a necessary risk in a complex society, recent and avoidable major oil releases have demonstrated that serious improvements in oil spill response are warranted to improve effectiveness. The newfoundland offshore burn experimentnobeprelimary results of emissions measurement. A blowout at a well spewed oil into the valley near the city of fergana. Spills can happen on land or in water, at any time of the day or night, and in any weather conditions. The rate at which an oil spill spreads will determine its effect on the environment.
Guards oil spill response jurisdiction is the coastal zone, defined. Stable emulsions contain between 50 and 80% water thus expanding the volume of spilled. Hansen, in oil spill science and technology second edition, 2017. As defined by section 311a1 of the clean water act cwa, means oil of any kind or in any form, including, but not limited to, petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil. Summary of laws and regulations for hazardous material. These toxicity tests were conducted as part of an overall assessment of bps use of corexit 9500 in response to the oil spill in the gulf. It involves handling a hazardous material in a marine environment often under less than ideal sea and weather conditions. When an oil spill occurs, responders consider factors such as oil toxicity, rate of oil spreading, and length of time for oil to break down. Oil spill response overview handbook 3 safety during an oil spill, responders may be exposed to hazards from the spilt oil. Preventing spills is the best way to protect our health and the environment from exposure to oil. Spill prevention, control and countermeasure regulation 40. Oil spills prevention and preparedness regulations us epa.
Safety and health awareness for oil spill cleanup workers. Certain farms, based on quantity of stored petroleum, and other facilities must have an spcc plan to prevent oil spills and for cleanup and mitigation following a spill. A spill is a discharge of one or more hazardous substances that adversely impact, or threaten to adversely impact, human health, welfare or the environment and requires an immediate response. Wind turbines meet the definition of oilfilled operational equipment promulgated in the december 2006 spcc rule amendments. Epa is the lead federal response agency for oil spills occurring in inland waters. To promote compliance with these duty to report requirements, the following excerpts are presented from the.
Oil spills maybe due to release of crude oil, off shore platforms, drilling rigs, and wells as well as spills of refined petroleum products. Notwithstanding any other provision or rule of law, and subject to the provisions of opa. These emulsions change the properties and characteristics of oil spills to a very large degree. Chapter 32 relating to development used to store brines, crude oil, drilling or frac fluids and similar substances or materials and are directly related to the exploration, development or. Prepare an oil spill contingency plan and a written commitment of. Emulsification is the process of the formation of waterinoil emulsions often called chocolate mousse or mousse among oil spill workers. Imports of crude oil derived from canadian oil sands have increased substantially in recent years, and some project further increases in the future. The national clearinghouse is funded by the national institute of environmental health. Oil spills threaten water quality, destroy habitats, and kill wildlife. Oil spills occur for various reasons, which range from an oil ship getting damaged or similar transport issues to problems or malfunctions of equipment at oil refineries. Factors which affect the ability of an oil spill to spread include surface tension, specific gravity, and viscosity.
Position medess4ms as a downstream service that links the multipurpose mcs in the mediterranean and the endusers, taking full benefit of the capabilities of the existing national ocean forecasting systems stemming out of the mcs and building on the results of past and ongoing ec projects mfstep, mersea, ecoop, marcoast, myocean for oil spill predictions. Summary of information concerning the ecological and economic impacts of the bp deepwater horizon oil spill disaster. It is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment as a result of human activity. Liability of responsible parties congressional research service 2 responsible party liability for removal costs a responsible party in an oil spill incident is liable for removal costs11 under opa. Understanding when to report spills to comply with the industrial storm water permit michigan department of environmental quality mdeq water resources division wrd document date. Cdc oil spill response resources interim guidance for. Purpose of spcc rule specific oil regulations 40 cfr part 112 oil pollution prevention regulation specifies requirements for prevention of. Coralline algae and occasional encrusting or lowprofile corals domi. Oil spill is the major impact on land use in the area, with approximately 9 to million barrels of crude oil reported to have been spilled into the niger delta ecosystem over the past 50years iucnceesp, 2006. The states most impacted were louisiana, mississippi, alabama, texas, and florida.
Summary of information concerning the ecological and. Dispersants are most useful in helping to keep oil from reaching. Planning and response considerations but where reef coral species can survive. Safety and health awareness for oil spill cleanup workers june 2010, v7 osha 3388062010 1800321osha 6742 this book is provided by. Oil alone had similar toxicity to mysid shrimp as the dispersantoil mixtures, with exception of the mixture of nokomis 3aa and oil, which was found to be more toxic.
Oil spill, leakage of petroleum onto the surface of a large body of water. By understanding the basic of the ecology of these forests and learning from past oil spills in mangroves, we can better plan for, protect, and respond to spills that may threaten them. Oil and fuel spill prevention, control, and countermeasure. Pdf while oil is a necessary risk in a complex society, recent and. A reportable discharge or spill is a discharge or spill of oil, petroleum product, used oil, hazardous substances, industrial solid. Oil properties and their impact on spill response options bsees. The role of the spill management team in oil spill response and planning.