Effectiveness in the Laboratory of Corexit 9527 and 9500 in Dispersing Fresh, Weathered, and Emulsion of Alaska North Slope Crude Oil under Subarctic Conditions

2002 ◽  
Vol 7 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Moles ◽  
Larry Holland ◽  
Jeffrey Short
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
North Slope

Controlled Burning of Crude Oil on Water Following the Grounding Of the Exxon Valdez

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-216
Author(s):  
Alan A. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Exxon Valdez ◽  
In Situ Combustion ◽  
Entire Area ◽  
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽  
Original Volume ◽  
Controlled Burning

ABSTRACT During the evening of the second day following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 gallons (57,000 to 114,000 L) of North Slope crude oil were eliminated using in-situ combustion techniques. The oil was collected with the 3M Company's Fire Boom, towed in a U-shaped configuration behind two fishing boats. Working with 500-foot (152-m) tow lines, a 450-foot (137-m) boom was moved at about one-half to one knot (0.26 to 0.52 m/s) through slightly emulsified oil patches downwind of the spill. Once oil had filled the downstream portion of the U-shaped boom and the boats were clear of any surrounding slicks, a gelled-fuel igniter was released from one of the tow boats. Shortly after ignition, flames gradually spread out over the entire area of the contained oil. As flames reached 200 to 300 feet (61 to 91 m) into the air, the area of the contained oil layer (and therefore the size and intensity of the fire) could be controlled by adjusting the speed of the vessels. The total burn time was approximately 75 minutes; however, the intense part of the burn lasted for about 45 minutes. The original volume of oil, likely between 15,000 and 30,000 gallons, was reduced to approximately 300 gallons (1,136 L) of stiff, taffy-like burn residue that could be picked up easily upon completion of the burn. The controlled elimination of crude oil therefore resulted in an estimated 98 percent or better efficiency of burn.

PAHS AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS IN EFFLUENTS FROM ARTIFICIALLY WEATHERED OIL ON GRAVEL

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-200
Author(s):  
Walter H. Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Anaerobic Biodegradation ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Pacific Herring ◽  
Fish Eggs ◽  
Oil Droplets ◽  
Developmental Abnormalities ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Oil Toxicity

ABSTRACT Several recent studies report that low parts per billion (ppb) concentrations of petroleum polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are toxic to marine fish embryos and that crude oil toxicity increases as it weathers. Such claims for Pacific herring embyros derive from two experiments by Carls et al. (1999) in which herring eggs were exposed to seawater passed through gravel coated with artificially weathered Alaska North Slope crude oil. The experiments differed in the extent of weathering of the oil on gravel. Carls et al. reported that developmental abnormalities in herring embryos occur during chronic exposure to PAH levels as low as 0.4 ppb in seawater passed through the oiled gravel. Earlier studies had shown that effects are observed at low PAH levels only when oil droplets or films adhered to the herring eggs. To better understand Carls et al. experiments, we examined effluent from a gravel bed prepared following Carls et al. and report that ammonia, sulfides, and oil droplets were present in the effluent from oiled gravel generators that were shut down between two 16-day trials (as was done by Carls et al.). Oil droplets (0.5 to 1 mm) were intermittently present in effluent from oiled gravel generators even when the flow was continuous. Two hours after restarting flow, low dissolved oxygen, ammonia, and sulfides were present in the generators and in the effluent. Droplets, ammonia, and sulfides all induce developmental abnormalities of the types seen by Carls et al. The presence of ammonia and sulfide in the effluent after shutdown is a laboratory artifact and constitutes clear evidence of anaerobic biodegradation of the oil on gravel. Evidence of anaerobic biodegradation suggests that the exposure regime of Carls et al. did not effectively simulate field conditions. Our results demonstrate that the presence of confounding toxicants in the Carls et al. experiments cannot be dismissed. There is no basis to conclude that aqueous exposure to low ppb PAH levels affects herring eggs or that weathering increases oil toxicity to fish eggs without additional experiments that specifically account for the potential confounding factors and all chemicals in effluents from oiled gravel columns.

DEGRADATION OF CRUDE OIL ENHANCED BY COMMERCIAL MICROBIAL CULTURES

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 995-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvador Aldrett ◽  
James S. Bonner ◽  
Thomas J. McDonald ◽  
Marc A. Mills ◽  
Robin L. Autenrieth
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Biological Markers ◽  
Cost Efficiency ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Standard Methods ◽  
Microbial Cultures ◽  
Biological Methods

ABSTRACT Remediation and cleanup of oil spills has been attempted using different technologies. Biological methods such as bioremediation have been favored over others due to their cost efficiency and their low environmental impact. Bioremediation of Alaska North Slope crude oil was effectively attempted in a laboratory study using 13 commercial products. The products containing the microorganisms were provided by different vendors. The treatments were tested over a 28-day period, and the samples were extracted and analyzed using standard methods. After 28 days, four products showed an effective enhancement of the bioremediation process: the saturate fraction was degraded approximately 80%, and the aromatic fraction was degraded approximately 70%. Biological markers such as pristane, phytane, and C30 hopane were partially degraded.

TESTING THE EFFICACY OF OIL SPILL BIOREMEDIATION PRODUCTS

1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 (1) ◽  
pp. 487-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert D. Venosa ◽  
Miryam Kadkhodayan ◽  
Dennis W. King ◽  
Brian A. Wrenn ◽  
John R. Haines ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Uptake ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Mineral Nutrients ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Oil Components ◽  
Percent Decline

ABSTRACT Ten bioremediation products were tested in laboratory respirometers for their ability to enhance the biodegradation of artificially weathered Alaska North Slope crude oil compared to natural populations supplied with mineral nutrients. The sea water used was natural sea water obtained from the Gulf of Mexico near Gulf Breeze, Florida. All products were tested in triplicate in closed laboratory flasks connected to an instrument able to track and record cumulative oxygen uptake continuously over time. Triplicate flasks were sacrificed periodically, the contents extracted with hexane, and the oil components quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Correlations were made between the decline in aliphatic and aromatic analytes and the net oxygen uptake observed in each flask. From these correlations, the median time needed to consume enough oxygen to effect a 60 percent decline in the total resolved analytes was computed for each product, and this time was compared statistically to the time needed by the natural populations in the source sea water to effect the same removal. Using this approach, five of the ten products were found to enhance biotransformation of the crude oil analytes. When the analysis was repeated for the aromatic constituents only, using a target removal of only 25 percent, only two of the ten products gave shorter response times than the nutrient-supplemented sea water.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document