Field Measurement of Effectiveness: Historical Review and Examination of Analytical Methods

Abstract

Data are provided on 106 separate offshore experimental spills to determine dispersant field effectiveness. Effectiveness ratings for 25 of these spills were assigned by the experimenters; they vary from 0 to 100% and have an average of 33%. Measurement techniques used for these experiments are reviewed and described. The techniques include: subsurface measurements to determine oil in the water column, surface sampling to determine oil remaining, dispersant application amount or distribution, and the use of remote sensing to observe visually the results or to quantify the area of surface oil. Existing means of detection and quantification appear to be effective. Most experimenters have used subsurface oil data in an attempt to establish a mass balance and thereby an effectiveness value. This technique is critically examined using values from historical trials, and it is shown that the subsurface oil does not have a regular distribution in relation to the surface slick. Correlation cannot be established between concentrations at depth or with time and distance. This lack of correlation implies that mass balance values based on subsurface oil concentrations in relation to the surface slick are not reliable. Effectiveness results claimed in the literature are also suspect because they do not correlate well with the maximum oil concentration seen at a given depth. The mathematical relationships used to provide the integrated amount of oil in the water column are also examined. It is shown by simulation that effectiveness claimed is highly sensitive to both assumptions and mathematical treatment. Historical data are used to show that effectiveness values can vary over an order of magnitude depending on the algorithm used. Values in the literature are generally the highest one would obtain using reasonable algorithms. A number of phenomena have been observed at spill sites. Herding of oil occurs immediately after dispersant application and has sometimes been misinterpreted as dispersion. Examinations of spills where slicks were monitored for longer than 3 h show that extensive resurfacing of oil occurred. Resurfacing is particularly problematic because, depending on current and wind, resurfacing may occur outside slick boundaries. When this occurs, resurfaced oil is not included in subsequent calculations, and consequently, effectiveness is overestimated. Field effectiveness cannot be reliably determined by using only measurements of oil in the water column. The distribution of oil in the water column is not known nor does it necessarily bear a relationship to surface slick boundaries. Furthermore, in the initial hours—perhaps as many as 7—the oil concentration in the water column may be transitory as significant amounts of oil resurface. Remote sensing over a long term such as two or three days is suggested as the primary technique for monitoring experimental spills and for attempting to establish a mass balance.

Testing the Effectiveness of Spill-Treating Agents: Laboratory Test Development and Initial Results

“…Over the past 12 years, 107 test spills have been laid out to test the effectiveness of oil spill dispersants. 5 Of the 107 slicks documented, 23 were controls used to establish a comparison. Percentage effectiveness is reported in 25 spills; the average for these is 30 percent.…”