Review of oil spill remote sensing

Remote-sensing for oil spills is reviewed. The use of visible techniques is ubiquitous, however it gives only the same results as visual monitoring. Oil has no particular spectral features that would allow for identification among the many possible background interferences. Cameras are only useful to provide documentation. In daytime oil absorbs light and remits this as thermal energy at temperatures 3–8 K above ambient, this is detectable by infrared (IR) cameras.     

Development of oil hydrocarbon fingerprinting and identification techniques

Oil, refined product, and pyrogenic hydrocarbons are the most frequently discovered contaminants in the environment. To effectively determine the fate of spilled oil in the environment and to successfully identify source(s) of spilled oil and petroleum products is, therefore, extremely important in many oil-related environmental studies and liability cases. This article briefly reviews the recent development of chemical analysis methodologies which are most frequently used in oil spill characterization and identification studies and environmental forensic investigations. The fingerprinting and data interpretation techniques discussed include oil spill identification protocol, tiered analytical approach, generic features and chemical composition of oils, effects of weathering on hydrocarbon fingerprinting, recognition of distribution patterns of petroleum hydrocarbons, oil type screening and differentiation, analysis of “source-specific marker” compounds, determination of diagnostic ratios of specific oil constituents, stable isotopic analysis, application of various statistical and numerical analysis tools, and application of other analytical techniques. The issue of how biogenic and pyrogenic hydrocarbons are distinguished from petrogenic hydrocarbons is also addressed.     

Effects of sheens associated with offshore oil and gas development on the feather microstructure of pelagic seabirds

Operational discharges of hydrocarbons from maritime activities can have major cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems. Small quantities of oil (i.e., 10 ml) results in often lethally reduced thermoregulation in seabirds. Thin sheens of oil and drilling fluids form around offshore petroleum production structures from currently permissible operational discharges of hydrocarbons. Methodology was developed to measure feather microstructure impacts (amalgamation index or AI) associated with sheen exposure. We collected feather samples from two common North Atlantic species of seabirds; Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Dovekies (Alle alle). Impacts were compared after feather exposure to crude oil and synthetic lubricant sheens of varying thicknesses. Feather weight and microstructure changed significantly for both species after exposure to thin sheens of crude oil and synthetic drilling fluids. Thus, seabirds may be impacted by thin sheens forming around offshore petroleum production facilities from discharged produced water containing currently admissible concentrations of hydrocarbons.     

Review of the development of laser fluorosensors for oil spill application

As laser fluorosensors provide their own source of excitation, they are known as active sensors. Being active sensors, laser fluorosensors can be employed around the clock, in daylight or in total darkness. Certain compounds, such as aromatic hydrocarbons, present in petroleum oils absorb ultraviolet laser light and become electronically excited. This excitation is quickly removed by the process of fluorescence emission, primarily in the visible region of the spectrum. By careful choice of the excitation laser wavelength and range-gated detection at selected emission wavelengths, petroleum oils can be detected and classified into three broad categories: light refined, crude or heavy refined.

This paper will review the development of laser fluorosensors for oil spill application, with emphasis on system components such as excitation laser source, and detection schemes that allow these unique sensors to be employed for the detection and classification of petroleum oils. There have been a number of laser fluorosensors developed in recent years, many of which are strictly research and development tools. Certain of these fluorosensors have been ship-borne instruments that have been mounted in aircraft for the occasional airborne mission. Other systems are mounted permanently on aircraft for use in either surveillance or spill response roles.     

Evolution of droplets in subsea oil and gas blowouts: Development and validation of the numerical model VDROP-J

The droplet size distribution of dispersed phase (oil and/or gas) in submerged buoyant jets was addressed in this work using a numerical model, VDROP-J. A brief literature review on jets and plumes allows the development of average equations for the change of jet velocity, dilution, and mixing energy as function of distance from the orifice. The model VDROP-J was then calibrated to jets emanating from orifices ranging in diameter, D, from 0.5 mm to 0.12 m, and in cross-section average jet velocity at the orifice ranging from 1.5 m/s to 27 m/s. The d₅₀/D obtained from the model (where d₅₀ is the volume median diameter of droplets) correlated very well with data, with an R² = 0.99. Finally, the VDROP-J model was used to predict the droplet size distribution from Deepwater Horizon blowouts. The droplet size distribution from the blowout is of great importance to the fate and transport of the spilled oil in marine environment.     

An empirical analysis of IOPCF oil spill cost data

This paper reports on recent analysis of oil spill cost data assembled by the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF). Regression analyses of clean-up costs and total costs have been carried out, after taking care to convert to current prices and remove outliers. In the first place, the results of this analysis have been useful in the context of the ongoing discussion within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on environmental risk evaluation criteria. Furthermore, these results can be useful in estimating the benefit of regulations that deal with the protection of marine environment and oil pollution prevention.     

中低纬电离层F层峰高和厚度的变化特征分析

电离层F层参数对电离层空间天气研究与电波传播应用具有重要意义,以往工作主要针对电离层f₀F₂、TEC等参数.本文利用我国中纬地区的兰州、中低纬过渡区的昆明、低纬地区的海口三个观测站的电离层垂直探测数据,分析了电离层峰高h_mF₂、F层虚高h'F和定性表征的厚度h_mF₂-h'F的周日、季节、太阳活动变化特征.研究表明：（1）兰州h_mF₂在太阳活动高年和低年的数值接近,海口在太阳活动高年白天的h_mF₂比低年白天高20~30 km.（2）在海口和昆明,h_mF₂最大值多出现在中午时段,兰州站的最大值出现在夜间.（3）海口的h_mF₂在01-3LT期间出现很强的“午夜衰落”现象,此后迅速增大.（4）利用h_mF₂-h'F来表征电离层的厚度时,其季节和周日变化特征与常用的B₀存在相似之处,但未出现清晨与午后凹陷等现象.这些结果对于提高我国电离层变化特性的认识和模式化研究水平具有重要的科学意义.

     

Application of ultraviolet fluorometry and excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMS) to fingerprint oil and chemically dispersed oil in seawater

Excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMS) was used to characterize the ultra violet fluorescence fingerprints of eight crude oils (with a 14,470-fold range of dynamic viscosity) in seawater. When the chemical dispersant Corexit 9500 was mixed with the oils prior to their dispersion in seawater, the fingerprints of each oil changed primarily as an increase in fluorescence over an emission band centered on 445 nm. In order to simplify the wealth of information available in the excitation-emission matrix spectra (EEMs), two ratios were calculated. A 66-90% decrease in the slope ratio was observed with the addition of Corexit. When the slope ratios were reduced in complexity to intensity ratios, similar trends were apparent. As a result either of the ratios could be used as a simple and rapid means of identifying and monitoring chemically dispersed oil in the open ocean.     

Development of a unified oil droplet size distribution model with application to surface breaking waves and subsea blowout releases considering dispersant effects

An oil droplet size model was developed for a variety of turbulent conditions based on non-dimensional analysis of disruptive and restorative forces, which is applicable to oil droplet formation under both surface breaking-wave and subsurface-blowout conditions, with or without dispersant application. This new model was calibrated and successfully validated with droplet size data obtained from controlled laboratory studies of dispersant-treated and non-treated oil in subsea dispersant tank tests and field surveys, including the Deep Spill experimental release and the Deepwater Horizon blowout oil spill. This model is an advancement over prior models, as it explicitly addresses the effects of the dispersed phase viscosity, resulting from dispersant application and constrains the maximum stable droplet size based on Rayleigh-Taylor instability that is invoked for a release from a large aperture.     

Performance of some oil dispersants on oil slicks of varying thickness

Laboratory tests have shown that thicker layers (up to 2 cm thick) of (heavy) spilled oils can be successfully treated with currently available oil spill dispersants provided certain criteria relating to soaking time or thorough mixing of oil with dispersant can be met.     

Application of entropy analysis of in situ droplet-size spectra in evaluation of oil chemical dispersion efficacy

In situ droplet-size distributions were measured using a laser in situ scattering and transmissiometry (LISST-100X) particle size analyzer during the evaluation of natural and chemical dispersion efficiency of crude oils under different wave and current conditions. An entropy grouping of the in situ dispersed oil droplet-size spectra has classified the multi-modal droplet-size distributions into different groups based on similar droplet-size spectra characteristics within groups and distinction between groups. A generalized linear logistic regression model was fitted to analyze the effects of a number of factors and their interactions on the grouping of oil droplet-size spectra. The grouped results corresponded to the oil dispersion efficiency at different levels. This new method for droplet-size distribution data analysis can have significant implication in field evaluation of natural and chemical dispersion efficiency of oil.     

Comparison of methods for estimating earth resistivity from airborne electromagnetic measurements

Earth resistivity estimates from frequency domain airborne electromagnetic data can vary over more than two orders of magnitude depending on the half-space estimation method used. Lookup tables are fast methods for estimating half-space resistivities, and can be based on in-phase and quadrature measurements for a specified frequency, or on quadrature and sensor height. Inverse methods are slower, but allow sensor height to be incorporated more directly. Extreme topographic relief can affect estimates from each of the methods, particularly if the portion of the line over the topographic feature is not at a constant height above ground level. Quadrature–sensor height lookup table estimates are generally too low over narrow valleys. The other methods are also affected, but behave less predictably. Over very good conductors, quadrature–sensor height tables can yield resistivity estimates that are too high. In-phase–quadrature tables and inverse methods yield resistivity estimates that are too high when the earth has high magnetic susceptibility, whereas quadrature–sensor height methods are unaffected. However, it is possible to incorporate magnetic susceptibility into the in-phase–quadrature lookup table. In-phase–quadrature lookup tables can give different results according to whether the tables are ordered according to the in-phase component or the quadrature component. The rules for handling negative in-phase measurements are particularly critical. Although resistivity maps produced from the different methods tend to be similar, details can vary considerably, calling into question the ability to make detailed interpretations based on half-space models.     

An investigation into the removal of oil from rock utilising magnetic particle technology

The application of magnetic particle technology to environmental remediation has tended to focus, up to now, upon the removal of oil contamination from plumage and fur. The present research demonstrates the potential of this technology to remove oil contamination from the surface of rock. Specifically, a single treatment has been demonstrated to remove more than 80% by weight of heavy bunker oil from the surface of a common foreshore rock type. A further three treatments have been shown to result in an optimum removal of up to 94% by weight. The results are highly reproducible and offer the possibility of achieving up to 100% removal with the appropriate use of pre-conditioners.     

Removal of DC power-line magnetic-field effects from airborne total magnetic-field measurements

Power lines carrying DC current can strongly affect total magnetic-field measurements. A simple algorithm using Biot–Savart's law was made to remove magnetic-field components due to a DC power line from airborne total magnetic-field measurements in the Gävle area, Sweden. The power-line location was estimated from observed data and then split into short line segments. The magnetic-field components due to each segment were calculated and summed together to give the total magnetic effect due to the power line at each observation point. The corrected total magnetic field was calculated by subtracting the power-line magnetic-field vector, projected on to the direction of the main field, from the measured total field. The results show a successful removal of the power-line magnetic effect from the total magnetic-field measurements. However, an error in the estimation of the power-line location can result in a magnetic-field residual after correction. A non-linear median filtering was used to remove this residual when needed.     

The persistence and character of stranded oil on coarse-sediment beaches

Small amounts of oil that can persist for decades in the intertidal zone of coarse-sediment beaches have been documented in a few well-studied cases. Oil that survives attenuation over the short-term (weeks to months) will persist until there is a change in the environmental conditions, as might occur where there is a seasonal storm-wave climate or as a beach undergoes long-term (erosional) changes. Oil residues can persist on the beach surface as tar mats, asphalt-like pavements, or as veneers on sediment particles or hard surfaces. Subsurface oil residues can persist in similar forms or as fill or partial fill of the pore spaces between coarse-sediment particles. Oil penetrates until it reaches fine-grained sediment, the water table, bedrock, or other penetration-limiting layers. Amounts of persistent oil are very small fractions of the volumes that were originally stranded and these protected residues can continue to biodegrade as they become thinner and more discontinuous.     

机载激光雷达森林叶面积指数反演研究

叶面积指数(LAI)是分析冠层结构最常用的参数之一,它控制着植被的生物物理过程,如光合、呼吸、蒸腾、碳循环和降水截获等,因此快速、可靠和客观地评价LAI非常重要.本文发展了激光穿透指数(LPI)的简化计算方法,首次利用校正后的回波强度计算出LPI,以LPI为变量基于Beer-Lambert定律实现了甘肃大野口研究区森林LAI反演,并且与原始回波强度和回波数反演LAI的精度进行对比,结果发现通过距离和角度校正后的回波强度值能提高LAI反演精度.为了评价模型的可靠性和泛化性能,用留一法交叉验证程序(LOOCV)对最佳反演模型进行了验证,表明该模型没有过度拟合,具有很好的泛化能力.最后,用没有参加建模的16个实测LAI对预测值进行精度验证(R2=0.810,RMSE=0.198),发现校正后的回波强度反演山区森林LAI精度较高.本文还对激光雷达LAI反演结果与传统光学TM影像的反演结果进行了对比分析,结果表明机载激光雷达反演LAI精度(R2=0.825,RMSE=0.165)高于光学TM遥感数据(R2=0.605,RMSE=0.257),因此,可用激光雷达数据实现研究区的高精度LAI反演,为生态环境研究提供可靠的基础数据.     

Effects of oil dispersants on settling of marine sediment particles and particle-facilitated distribution and transport of oil components

This work investigated effects of three model oil dispersants (Corexit EC9527A, Corexit EC9500A and SPC1000) on settling of fine sediment particles and particle-facilitated distribution and transport of oil components in sediment-seawater systems. All three dispersants enhanced settling of sediment particles. The nonionic surfactants (Tween 80 and Tween 85) play key roles in promoting particle aggregation. Yet, the effects varied with environmental factors (pH, salinity, DOM, and temperature). Strongest dispersant effect was observed at neutral or alkaline pH and in salinity range of 0–3.5 wt%. The presence of water accommodated oil and dispersed oil accelerated settling of the particles. Total petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment phase were increased from 6.9% to 90.1% in the presence of Corexit EC9527A, and from 11.4% to 86.7% for PAHs. The information is useful for understanding roles of oil dispersants in formation of oil-sediment aggregates and in sediment-facilitated transport of oil and PAHs in marine eco-systems.     

Heat production data from airborne and laboratory measurements of gamma-ray activity of rocks

Summary The paper discusses the obvious experimental relation between the laboratory determinations of total gamma-ray activity, expressed in equilibrium uranium concentration, and heat production due to radioactive decay. The heat production data were calculated by means of the concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium determined spectrometrically, together with the conversion factors into the rate of heat generation. The obtained relation may help define the typical heat production for characteristic surface rocks and estimate their contribution in heat flow study. Between the gamma-ray activity recorded during aeroradiometric mapping and the laboratory radiometric measurements of surface rock samples, there is also an experimental relation, which can be used further in estimating the value of surface heat production at a chosen locality.     

Acute health problems related to the operation mounted to clean the Hebei Spirit oil spill in Taean, Korea

The authors investigated acute health problems in people engaged in the operation mounted to clear the Hebei Spirit oil spill which occurred in December 2007 in Taean County, South Korea, and identified the risk factors associated with the development of symptoms.Eight hundred forty-six people engaged in the clean up operation for periods between 7 and 14 days were examined. Demographic information and risk factors were obtained using a questionnaire. Symptoms were classified into six categories: back pain, skin lesions, headache, and eye, neurovestibular, and respiratory symptoms.Residents and volunteers engaged in the Hebei Spirit oil spill clean up operation experienced acute health problems. Risk analyses revealed that more frequent and greater exposure was strongly associated with a higher occurrence of symptoms.     

The tidal influence on oil and gas emissions from an abandoned oil well: Nearshore Summerland, California

Oil and gas emissions were quantified for natural and human sources in nearshore waters off Summerland, California through deployment of custom designed collection tents. Seepage was measured at a repeatedly abandoned well, on the seabed from a caisson located along the historical location of the Treadwell Wharf, where the world's first off-shore oil wells were drilled at the end of the 19th century. Seepage rates at the capped T-10 Well, located in approximately 5m water, showed high correlation to tides. Site emissions were 2.4 and 38.7Lday(-1) oil and gas, respectively. Emissions were measured from two areas of seepage at the T-10 Well Site. Oil and gas ratios were inversely correlated between the two seepage areas, demonstrating connectivity. Data were interpreted in terms of an electronic circuit model of seepage with respect to the time lag between local low tide and peak oil emissions.