Effects of Oil on the Marine

Environment, Contingency

Planning and Spill

Response

Ed Levine National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Office of Response and Restoration

(212)668-6428

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov

Ed.Levine@NOAA.gov

Scientific Support Coordinator

• Scientific Support Coordinators (SSCs) are the principal

advisor to the U.S. Coast Guard On Scene Coordinators

(OSC) for scientific issues, communication with the

scientific community, and coordination of requests for

assistance from state and federal agencies regarding

scientific studies.

• There are nine regional SSCs and a scientific support team

that includes expertise in environmental chemistry, oil slick

tracking, pollutant transport modeling, natural resources at

risk, environmental tradeoffs of countermeasures and

cleanup, and information management.

* Fuel (for transportation and factories)

* Electricity generation

* Machinery

* Asphalt

* Heating

* Wax (crayons, candles)

* Medicines

* Ink

* Plastics

* Fertilizers

* Pesticides

* Paints/varnishes

* Etc., etc., etc. ….

What Is All That Oil Used For?

hair spray hair gel balloons

cosmetics toiletries pet toys

sandals/flip flops ballpoint pens vertical blinds

plastic hangers phones picture frames

polyester clothing trash bags photo albums

children's balls toys document binders

freezer bags shopping bags Teflon products

storage containers band-aids candles

egg cartons disposable plates garden hose

marking pens office equipment kitchen utensils

faux fur pantyhose spray paint

petroleum jellyand many more products!

Oil in the Marine Environment

Source

Mil

lions

of

Gal

lons

National Academy of Sciences

Estimates of Annual Petroleum

Inputs to the Sea

Oil in the Sea III: Inputs, Fates, and Effects (2002)

Why Does All That Oil Spill?

We use a lot of oil and it needs to be transported.

The US uses 710 million gallons per day. In fact, every 22

minutes, the US uses up the amount spilled from the Exxon

Valdez.

The world uses 3.65 billion gallons per day. In 2008 each day

2.27 billion gallons of oil are at sea being transported*.

But not all spills come from tanker accidents. Some comes from

storage tanks, pipelines, oil wells, tankers and vessels cleaning

operations.

The largest input of oil to the sea is runoff and rainfall.

* Planet Energies

☛ Every eight months, 11 million gallons of oil run off the nation's roads and driveways into waters that eventually reach the sea. The Pew Oceans Commission, 2003. ☛ That's the equivalent of an Exxon Valdez-size oil spill.

Relative to the amount of oil now transported around the world, the amount of oil spilled from tankers has actually decreased. (Source: International Oil Spill Statistics, 1997) (Map:Mark Bloch/ABCNEWS.com/Magellan Geographix)

1 -240 million gallons: 26 January 1991, from terminals, tankers; 8 sources total, near Kuwait; off coast in Persian Gulf and in Saudi Arabia 2 - 78.5 million gallons: 6 August 1983, tanker Castillo de Bellver, South Africa; Atlantic Ocean, 64km off Table Bay. 3 - 68.7 million gallons: 16 March 1978, tanker Amoco Cadiz, France; Atlantic Ocean, off Portsall, Brittany. 4 - 43.1 million gallons: 10 November 1988, tanker Odyssey, Canada; North Atlantic Ocean, 1,175 km northeast of Saint John's, Newfoundland. 5 - 42.7 million gallons: 19 July 1979, tanker Atlantic Empress, Trinidad and Tobago; Caribbean Sea, 32 km northeast of Trinidad and Tobago. 6 - 42.0 million gallons: 11 April 1991, tanker Haven, Italy; Mediterranean Sea, port of Genoa. 7 - 41.51 million gallons: 2 August 1979, tanker Atlantic Empress; 450 km east of Barbados. (On 19 July 1979, the Atlantic Empress spilled 42.7 million gallons of oil as the result of a collision with the Aegean Captain in the Caribbean Sea near Trinidad and Tobago. In this incident, the Aegean Captain spilled 4.31 million gallons of oil. On 2 August 1979, while under tow from the original spill site, the Atlantic Empress spilled an additional 41.5 million gallons.)

8 - 38.2 million gallons: 18 March 1967, tanker Torrey Canyon, United Kingdom; on Lands End. 9 - 37.9 million gallons: 19 December 1972, tanker Sea Star, Oman; Gulf of Oman. 10 - 36.6 million gallons: 23 February 1980, tanker Irenes Serenade, Greece; Mediterranean Sea, Navarino Bay, off Pylos. 11 - 31.5 million gallons: 7 December 1971, tanker Texaco Denmark, Belgium; in North Sea. 12 - 31.2 million gallons: 23 February 1977, tanker Hawaiian Patriot, United States; Pacific Ocean 593 km west of Kauai Island, Hawaii. (In this incident the vessel sank with some of its cargo still onboard after spilling an undetermined amount of oil. The spill size reported reflects the total amount of oil spilled and oil left onboard the sinking vessel.) 13 - 28.9 million gallons: 15 November 1979, tanker Independentza, Turkey; Bosporus Strait near Istanbul, 0.8 km from Hydarpasa port. 14 - 28.4 million gallons: 11 February 1969, tanker Julius Schindler, Portugal; Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands. 15 - 28.1 million gallons: 12 May 1976, tanker Urquiola, Spain; near La Coruña Harbor port.

The Oil

• Complex Mixture

– Paraffins, Naphthenes, Aromatics

• Crude Oils

• Refined Oils

Oil Properties

• Density

• Viscosity

• Pour Point

• Flash Point

Oil Spilling from the T/V Jessica in the Galapagos

Spill Sizes

Olympic Pool :

Length--50 m. Width-- 25 m Depth-- 2.0 m.

VOLUME--2,500 M3 or 2,500,000 Liters, or 660,430 Gallons

One quart of oil can contaminate about 250,000 gallons of water.

One tablespoon of diesel oil can produce a sheen the size of a football field.

The largest spill occurred during the 1991 Persian Gulf war when about 240 million

gallons spilled from oil terminals and tankers off the coast of Saudi Arabia. The

second largest spill occurred over a ten-month period (June 1979 - February 1980)

when 140 million gallons spilled at the Ixtoc I well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.

Now DWH is the second place spill.

The Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska was approximately 11 million gallons. This was

only about the 35th largest in the world, though it was the largest in the US. It came

from a supertanker that was about the size of 15 gyms in length, 4 gyms wide, and 2

gyms deep (which held 66 million gallons).

Oil Leaking from a Barge off the North Coast of PR

What Happens to Oil When It Spills?

Oil generally floats because it is lighter than water.

Oil tends to float and spread out into a very thin film on the

water surface...usually only about 0.1 mm thick...then spreads

even thinner to a sheen, which is one tenth or one one-

hundredth of this.

Sheens are often seen as rainbow-like or silvery as in puddles

in parking lots.

It is very rare for oil to sink. It needs to adhere to heavier

particles such as sand, algae, or silt to sink. An exception is a

kind of oil used for burning in electric utility plants. This oil

can actually sink in water since it is heavier than water.

Oil Weathering Processes

Over time,

the slick can

be torn into

smaller and

smaller

pieces.

Tarballs

Oil’s Effects on Marine Life

OIL

ENVIRON-MENT

BIOTA

Transport, Fate, Transformation, Effects and Management of Oil Spills

OIL PROPERTIES Volume, Composition,Density/specific & API gravity, Viscosity/pour point, Flashpoint

FATE AND TRANSFORMATION

PROCESSES Spreading Advection Evaporation Mixing Dispersion Dissolution Emulsification Sedimentation Flocculation Photolysis Biodegradation Auto-oxidation

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Wind, Currents, Sea state, Convergence, Divergence, Temperature, Salinity, Water Density, Oxygen, Light, Particulate, Nutrients, Shoreline type, Sediment type

ECOLOGICAL

PROCESSES Feeding, Respiration, Metabolism, Growth, Excretion, Osmoregulation. Reproduction, Development, Recruitment, Migration,Disease, Competition, Predation, Succession, Biodiversity

BIOLOGICAL

PROPERTIES Abundance, Biodiversity, Life stage, Community structure

BIOTA Microbes, Neuston, Plankton, Nekton, Benthos, Plants, Fishes, Birds, Reptiles, Mammals

RESPONSE OPTIONS None Open Water - skim, burn, disperse Shoreline - manual, mechanical, washing, chemical, bioremediation

TOXICOLOGICAL PROCESSES Biodegradation, Biophysical removal, Adherance, Smothering, Bioaccumulation, Biotransformation, Detection/avoidance, Narcosis, Acute Toxicity, Chronic Toxicity, Mutagenicity, Carcinogenicity, Teratogenicity

Oiled Blue Crab from a Spill in Delaware Bay

What Are the Environmental Impacts?

These impacts may often be exaggerated in the public media.

Nevertheless, oil can have a significant impact on marine larvae,

birds and mammals in particular, and to a lesser extent on fish.

Some components of oil are toxic if exposure occurs within the

first two days of a spill (1 part per million [ppm], i.e. one gallon in

one million gallons, can be toxic to invertebrate larvae).

Oil on feathers hinders the water-repellancy of birds.

Oil on fur takes away its insulating capacities.

Oil Impacted Mangroves in Tampa, FL

MARINE LIFE

Because of the wide variety of wildlife species, seasonal variation, and the range of oil types, each oil spill will be different. The two principal causes of harm to wildlife are toxicity and coating. Oil is most toxic during the initial phases of a release, before the lighter components have dissipated. Since these lighter, more toxic elements are also usually more soluble in water, fish swimming through the area, or (if the water is sufficiently shallow) shellfish in the immediate neighborhood of the spill, will be most at risk from toxic exposure. There may be an initial “surge” of toxic effects that become less significant over time (acute vs. chronic). In addition, the stress of oiling may render wildlife vulnerable to other, natural threats.

Cleaning an Oiled Sea Otter in Seward, AK

BIRDS Birds are usually the most visible victims of an oil spill. One important reason is that feathers repel water but not oil. In fact, feathers readily absorb large quantities of oil immediately upon contact. This then deprives the birds of the vital functions of feathers - flying, insulation, and buoyancy. When exposed to oil, birds may sink or drown or loose body heat rapidly. Birds will also ingest any oil that adheres to their body through the activity of preening, with toxic effects resulting. If heavily oiled, preening may increase enough to interrupt normal feeding. This, combined with rapid loss of body heat due to loss of insulation may induce starvation. Oiled birds may not lay eggs as usual and oiled eggs may not hatch.

Oiled Bird

Diving sea birds will generally be affected more seriously by oil spills than birds that stay on the surface, and some species are more susceptible than others. Some may avoid oily water and some may actually be attracted to it. It is usually difficult to determine precisely the number of birds killed in a spill. Most of them are never recovered, falling prey to scavengers or simply sinking. Effects will vary widely depending on the mix of species present, the time of year and relation to migration and breeding cycles. Some sea bird species have long lives and breed slowly. In such a case, a specific population may require a long time to recover from an incident. Treatment of oiled birds may be controversial. Even with well trained handlers, wild birds experience extreme stress from human contact and from treatment procedures, which can often be as fatal as the oil itself. Oil spill rehabilitation has become more professional and survival rates are increasing, but depend greatly on the spill situation.

Bird Being Cleaned

Oil Spill Contingency Planning

Spill Contingency and Response Plans

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan

Regional Contingency Plans

Area Contingency Plans

Industry Response Plans

Plan Testing and Improvement

Environmental Sensitivity Map

Biology

Geomorphology Socio-Economic

Aquaculture

Bathing Beach

Seals

Birds

Marsh

Sandy Beach

Mud Flat

Oil Spill Response

Spill Roles and Responsibilities

Oil spill responses can involve a large number of organizations

due to the potential for wide-spread and diverse impacts.

Government agencies at several levels may have jurisdiction

over different aspects of a spill response.

To ensure effective coordination, lead agencies have been

designated within the National Response System to coordinate

or direct spill response efforts. While many spills are small and

are cleaned up by the spiller under the supervision of local

authorities, the National Response System ensures that state

and federal resources are available to ensure adequate cleanup

on larger or more complex spills.

What Happens After a Spill Occurs?

On-Scene Coordinator:

At the federal level, the On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC), is

an official from EPA for spills in the inland zone and from

the Coast Guard for spills in the coastal zone. The FOSC is

the lead federal official for spill response.

The FOSC’s responsibilities include coordinating all

containment, removal, and disposal efforts and resources

during an incident, including federal, state, local, and

responsible party efforts.

US Coast Guard Oil Spill Federal On Scene Coordinator

The most common cleanup techniques are:

•Containment and Recovery: Surround the oil with booms and

recover the oil (for cleaning and reuse) with skimmers. Skimmers

separate oil from the water by:

* centripetal force -- water is heavier than oil and spins out further

so the oil can be pumped out

* lifting oil on a conveyor belt off the water surface; or

* wringing out the oil that clings to oleophilic (oil-attracting) rope

mops.

This technique is the most widely used as it is least destructive, but

it is only 10-15% efficient under even the best circumstances.

* Sorbents: Remove oil with absorbent sponges made from diaper-

like substances. Some sorbents are made from natural materials --

straw, grasses, coconut husks, or wood chips.

Skimming Oil Inside Boom

Manual Recovery of Oil from a Salt Marsh

•Dispersants:

These are chemicals that act like detergents to break oil up into

tiny droplets to dilute the oil's effect and to provide bite-sized

bits for oil eating bacteria that occur naturally, particularly in

areas that have had a history of oil spillage.

•Burning:

Burning is usually 95-98% efficient, but does cause black

smoke. The smoke is not more toxic than if the oil were burned

as intended in fuels. One gallon of oil burned this way creates

the same pollutants as three logs in a fireplace or woodstove.

•Bioremediation:

Enhancing natural biodegradation by natural oil-eating bacteria

or by providing them with needed fertilizers or oxygen.

Aircraft Spraying Dispersant on Oil

Igniting a Pool of Oil in the Persian Gulf

Bioremediation Application in Prince William Sound, AK

•Shoreline Cleanup:

High-pressure hosing to rinse oil back into water to be skimmed

up. This usually does more harm than good by driving the oil

deeper into the beach and by killing every living thing on the

beach. This was used extensively after the Exxon Valdez spill

due to public and state pressure to make the beaches "look clean

again," despite the known risks. Areas left alone to be weathered

by winter storms were shown to be cleaner and harboring more

life than those cleaned by high-pressure washing. (Short term

aesthetic considerations should not override the more basic

longer term ecological considerations in rehabilitating a beach.)

•Do Nothing:

Particularly in open ocean spills, cleanup is difficult and not

efficient. Wave action and photo-oxidation (from sun) helps to

break oil down.

High Pressure Washing a Rock Beach in Alaska

* Fishing industry

* Resorts and recreation areas

* Water supplies for drinking and industry

* Etc., etc., etc.

Who Else Might Be Affected By an Oil Spill?