Environmental Oil Spill
Environmental Engineering
ASSIGNMENT-1
HEBEI SPIRIT- Oil spill, South Korea, 7 December 2007
Figure 1: http://rokdrop.com/2007/12/11/worst-oil-spill-in-korean-history-hits-west-coast/
INTRODUTION:
"A crane-carrying vessel collided with an oil tanker off of South Korea's west coast on Friday, causing more than 66,000 barrels of crude oil to spill in what was believed to be South Korea's largest offshore oil leak, officials said."
Google News
On December 7, 2007, a Chinese Oil tanker (Hebei Spirit) collided with a South Korean crane barge (Samsung Heavy Industries), spilling over 10,000 tons of crude oil into South Korean waters. The incident took place off the west coast of Republic of Korea (ROK), at 0700 local time when the line between the barge and the tug towing it broke. The jib of the crane punctured 3 out of five tanks on the port side of the tanker causing the spill of Iranian crude oil.
It was found by December 17 that more then 150 km of coastline had been impacted by the spill. The areas affected included Taean-gun National park and town of Mallipo, a popular destination for tourists. Along with tourism aquaculture is also a vital industry for the region. The area also contains significant habitats for migratory birds.
The rough weather conditions on December 7 influenced the response activities and even increased the oil spreading area after the spill.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
The spill threatened the livelihood of an area that includes beaches like Shinduri and Mallipo, which is considered one of South Korea's most scenic areas and serves as an important stopover for mallards, great crested grebes and other migrating birds.
The oil spill did irreparable damage to Taean's shores ecologically. According to experts if cleaning up was left to nature it could take 10 years or even up to 100 years. The spill spoiled 339 seafood farms and contaminated 104 miles, including scenic beaches. Till Dec 20 it was found that 7 whales were killed. The tar like oil lumps floated to other coastal areas threatening marine life and other birds living there. Over 40 different species of whales live in the water around Korean peninsula.
The spill affected the marine life adversely. According to a report issued on Mar 13, 2008:
- After the spill the number of sea plants and mollusks found off western coast halved.
- The leak also threatened the underwater food chain, endangering fish and sea birds.
- The density of seaweeds per square meter fell 43 percent from February 2007 and phyllospadix iwatensis, a sea grass also declined 47 percent.
- Because sea grasses and seaweeds make the lowest part of the ocean food chain, there are risks of second hand contamination of fish and birds that are at the top of food pyramid.
- Scores of marine farms and kilometers of beaches were devastated and three people in Taean killed themselves in frustration.
- Oysters, crabs and octopuses also vanished from the affected waters.
- South Korea reported to the international Oil Pollution Compensation Funds that the spill destroyed the livelihoods of 40,000 households, and polluted 300 kms of shoreline, 101 islands, 15 beaches and 35,000 hectares of fish farms.
Birds covered with Oil
Shores and Beaches covered with oil
COSTS:
The cost of cleanup has been estimated to be US$ 330 million. The cleanup involved 13 helicopters, 17 air planes, and 327 vessels. Over 40000 troops, officials and locals were involved in cleaning acyivities. Around 268,710 kilograms of oil absorbents were used in the operation to recover around 4,153 tons of crude oil.[7]
The tanker was impounded by a South Korean government affiliated pollution agency as a clean up cost of 11 million dollars was asked for to be paid by the tanker owners.
RESPONSIBILITY:
In all five people, The Korean skippers of the barge and two tug boats and the tanker's captain and chief officer were accused of negligence and violating anti pollution laws.
Defense lawyers from the rival companies blamed the opponent party for the disaster. The owners of the Hong-Kong registered supertanker Hebei-Spirit denied responsibility for the accident and claimed that the spill was attributable to irresponsible actions by the operators of the Samsung Heavy industries barge. The barge carrying a construction crane snapped its cables to two tugs in rough seas and rammed the anchored 147,000- ton supertanker, holing it in three places and spilling 10,900 tons of crude. The tanker's lawyers accused Samsung of ignoring the safety rules and of using old and recycled cables, which the company purchased from Japan in 1995 to save money.
Samsungs lawyers claimed that the safety of the cables had been fully confirmed by South Korean investigators. They blamed the tankers crew for their allegedly late response to warnings of a possible collision with the drifting barge. According to them the barge snapped its cables while trying hard to avoid a collision because the tanker sailed towards it.
In the final verdict A court in South Korea acquitted the captain and the chief officer of the tanker but passed down prison terms for two korean tugboat captains involved. [1]
RESPONSE:
National Response: A number of actions were immediately taken by the ROK authorities in response to the spill. The Korean Coast Guard (KCG) and ministry of Maritime affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF) shared overall command responsibilities, with MOMAF co ordinating national and international responses and KCG controlling operations aspects of clean up. The affected area (beaches and shoreline) were divided into smaller areas and each area was handed over to specific agencies. A few actions taken were as as follows:[10]
- On Dec 7, the ship was healed six degrees to starboard.
- Oil booms were deployed
- Dispersants were used as the sea conditions prevented use of mechanical equipments. Dissolving agents were sprayed over the oil slick beach to keep it from spreading shoreward pushed by strong winds and ocean currents.
- On Dec 8, the holes were patched and the flow of oil from tanker was stopped.
- The remaining oil was removed from tanker to another vessel.
- Mechanical recovery methods were used after the weather was favorable.
- Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI) developed a prediction model to help in determining the dispersion, spread and degradation of the spilled oil over time.
- Volunteers from private sectors and general public also participated in clean up operations.
Korean Coastguard vessel spraying dispersant/Mechanical methods being used
Damaged Vessel/Vessel being repaired
International Response and assistance: The United Nations Joint UNEC/OCHA Environment Unit and the European Commission Monitoring and Information centre (MIC) made a joint offer of assistance to ROK. The ROK authorities accepted the offer of an assessment team on Dec 13. The team consisted of experts in oil spill pollution response and environmental assessment.
Other international assistance included:
- The United States of America offered bilateral assistance in form of an assessment team, made up of experts from the United states Coast guards (USCG) and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA).
- Japan provided a six member team of Japanese Coast Guard staff and Disaster Relief team members, as well as sorbents.
- The People's Republic of China also provided sorbents.
- Two experts from University of Barcelona also went to provide advice on the matter.
- Experts from Environment Canada (EC) went to ROK to use Shoreline Clean up assessment techniques (SCAT) they have developed. This is a method to access shores while maximizing the effectiveness of the operations on the ground. This technique also determines the volume of oil washed ashore and describing the area affected.
OIL SPILLS:
Each oil spill is unique in many respects, and the precise extent of the damage to the environment can only be determined by a methodical scientific investigation covering major components of the ecosystem. Based on large amount of scientific data available from vast research done on various spills in different environments and different products, some general conclusions regarding the likely environmental consequences of the present spill can be made,[9]
Weathering of an oil spill at sea:
Crude oil spilled at sea will undergo a series of chemical, physical and biological processes called weathering. Weathering processes can be categorized as evaporation, emulsification, natural dispersion, dissolution, photo-oxidation, sedimentation, adhesion and the formation of tar balls.
In case of Hebei Spirit incident, it was assumed that the oil weathered relatively quickly (in first 48 hrs) and even more was degraded in the days following the incident.
Effect of weathering on the potential environmental impacts:
Spilled crude oil causes immediate environmental effects due to its chemical composition. Due to weathering these effects are short term lasting about 24-48 hours. After that the chemical toxicity decreases. The oily residues often called tar is washed up on land several days after an oil spill. This is mainly a physical and aesthetical problem. It will cause biological effects.
Response at Sea
A skilful response to an oil spill at sea is of the utmost importance since the collection and/or dispersion of oil at sea minimizes the pollution of the shoreline and beaches and reduces the impact on the marine based industries, such a fisheries. It is therefore common practice internationally to respond as quickly as possible with the appropriate tools available for recovery, containment and dispersion of oil.
The response by MOMAF and KCG was immediate but not enough robust because of weather conditions. They used dispersants according the requirements and within specified limits but could not use mechanical means.
Response at Land
It is generally more difficult and time consuming to clean up shore line areas than it is to carry out containment and recovery operation at sea. Physically removing oil from some types shoreline can result in more ecological and physical damages then if oil removal is left to natural process. The decision to initiate cleanup and restoration activities on oil-contaminated shore lineshould be based on careful evaluation of socio-economic, aesthetics, and ecological factors. A systematic evaluation of oiled shoreline can minimize damage to the most sensitive areas.
Most clean up operations were carried out using basic equipments like shovels, buckets and absorbent rags and ordinary cloths. Beaches were cleaned with shovels and buckets. Larger rocks were wiped clean using absorbent bags[10]
Attempts were made to clean the sea birds drenched in oil after the oil spill. But studies show that such efforts are largely in vain. The british census conducted suggests that only a small proportion of oiled and cleaned gullimots survive for more then a week or so after being released into the wild. Same applies to other birds and animals like ducks and otters.[5] [6]
STRATERGIES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED:
The immediate response of the ROK was adequate but they were not fully prepared for the emergency. If ROK was having availability of high-sea going tankers or bunker vessels, these vessels could have gone out in the sea immediately after the spill in the bad conditions. As these vessels were not available, the efficiency of the cleaning process dropped. The government's should have developed an emergency response plan after the last major oil spill in July 1995 near city of Yeosu.[3] Because such vessels were not available, dispersants were used. The use of dispersants is a proper and effective way to deal with an oil spill when mechanical recovery can not be performed. But dispersants are effective only in the first few days after the accidents.
The Spill (Disaster) Management System and the available tools for guiding the operation from the control centers and on site could have been better and more effective. These tools and systems should be reviewed at regular times and should be updated as required.
PRECAUTIONS/PREVENTIVE MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN:
The countries should have high sea going tankers and bunker vessels available at all times so that they can go out in the seas even in severe environmental conditions if spill occurs. These vessels can be dedicated to commercial activities and mobilized for oil spill response only in the case of an emergency.
There should be proper Disaster Management systems designed for emergency if spills like this occur. For eg: the guidance system of the vessels involved in operations and the areal assets supporting them at sea activities needs to be using the best possible technology and practises.
Single Hull tankers should be phased out completely. The official deadline to phase out single hull tankers is 2011/12, but the countries can decide to close their territorial waters to single hull vessels well before this planned date thus preventing such incidents. The presence of such vessels in Asia will certainly increase in the coming years after the use of single hull tankers is totally forbidden in North American and European waters. The ROK, as a significant maritime nation can take up the initiative to say no to single hull tankers after this disaster supporting the clean sea philosophy for the sake of the global environment.[2]
Double Hull Tanker
Longer term clean up strategies shall be devised to deal with a number of issues like establishing larger cleaning stations to be equipped with high temperature and pressure pumps to do a final clean of equipments. The stations should be connected to oil/water separating systems to avoid secondary pollution of the environment; and the cleaning of jetties and peers; the cleaning of re-polluted areas, if necessary.
A strategy should be developed for joint training, including exercises, for all relevant agencies involved in oil spill pollution response so as to prepare them for emergency response in the best possible way.
Regualar helicopter based aerial surveys should be done after an oil spill for some time to check on the volumes and spred of oil.
If spill occurs, sampling of sea water and check up of sea plants and animals should be done from time to time after spill to identify the after effects of spill and take required actions if required.
The best possiblle technology should be used and proper training given to the staff on offshore vessels so that they are more careful in rough seas and weather and have the best possible information availabe about vessels motions and controls.
More stringent regulations should be made and followed by ships when navigating through areas of ecological, economic, cultural or scientific significance.
REFERENCES:
- Stanley, B. 2008. World News: Verdicts Issued in South Korea Oil Spill. Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition): A20.
- Graham-Rowe, D. 2006. How did it come to this? New Scientist: 191:39-41
- Kirk, D. 2007. Sopping up South Korea's worst oil spill. The Christian Science Monitor:6
- Wiens, J.A., Day, R.H., Murphy, S.M., Parker, K.R. 2001. On drawing conclusions nine years after Exxon Valdez oil spill. The Condor : 103:886-892
- Browne, M.W. 1997. Cleaning Birds After Oil Spill Often Proves Futile. New York Times (Late edition(east coast)): 3
- Mitchell, J.G. 1999. In the wake of the spill. Natioanl Geographic: 195:96-117
- 2008. Hebei Spirit Spill Costs Tabulated. Oil spill Intelligence report: 31:3
- Peavy, H.S., Rowe, D.R., and Tchobanoglous, G., 1985. Environmental Engineering. McGraw-Hill, New York.
- Weiner, R.F., and Matthews, R.A., 2003. Environmental Engineering. Butterworth Heinemann, Amsterdam.
- Waddell, J. 2008, Rapid Environmental Assessment 'Hebei Spirit' Oil Spill-Republic of Korea December 2007.Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit,Switzerland
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