Oceans and Oil Spills

History of the Gulf Oil Spill Explosion kills 11 men on rig on April 22, 2010 The Entire rig sinks on April 23, 2010 A customized containment cap was fitted to the well in early June, –Oil was piped to the Discover Enterprise vessel. A second containment system was installed in mid-June, using a manifold and hoses to carry oil and gas to the Q4000 vessel on the surface. On July 12, a new sealing cap was installed On July 15, a well integrity test began in which the cap’s three ram capping stack was closed, effectively shutting in the well and all sub-sea containment systems. On August 5, BP completed cementing operations at the MC252 well, as part of the static kill procedure. The relief well drilled by the DDIII drilling rig intercepted the annulus of the MC252 well on September 15 Pumping of cement into the annulus on September 17, permanently sealed the well.

This Spill in Context (6 largest previous Spills) June 3, 1979, million gal November 1, 1979, ~2.6 million gal spilled, 7.8 million gal burned June 8, 1990, 5.1 million gal. July 30, 1984, 2.7 million gal August 10, 1993, 336,000 gal August 8, 2005, >8 million gal in 250 reported spills

Active Oil Platforms in Gulf

Oil Pollution in our Oceans 3.25 million metric tons of petroleum annually Human Sources –Leaks at marine terminals –Disposal of drilling muds from offshore operations –Municipal and industrial wastes –Urban runoff into rivers –Atmospheric fallout from the incomplete combustion of oil in motor vehicles

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Exxon Valdez –11.6 million Gal Spilled Horizon Spill –210,000–4,200,000 gal/day

How Much Oil was spilled? Used optical plume velocimetry to estimate the velocity of fluids escaping the damaged well, Average flow rate from 22 April to 3 June –5.6 x 10 4 ±21% barrels/day After the riser was removed –6.8 x 10 4 ±19% barrels/day Taking into account the oil collected at the seafloor –4.4 x 10 6 ±20% barrels of oil was released into the ocean –~1.8 billion gal. Crone, TJ & Tolstoy, M, 2010 Science

What happens in typical oil spill?

Mousse

Clean-up process Use Dispersants Collect with boom and scoop out of ocean Burn it

Gulf Oil Spill Escaping oil sprayed with dispersant at well head –Produced tiny droplets of oil in deep ocean Surface oil –Collected with booms –Burned

The “Loop Current” Initial concerns that the surface oil would enter the loop current Winds helped to contain the oil

Gulf Stream from Satellite

Hurricane Impacts on Oil Spill Hurricanes are likely to disperse remaining oil further Potentially oil can be driven onshore through the storm surge BP States that deep water oil is in ppm and should not be significant

Hurricane effects on oil spill Position and approach of hurricane will effect potential damage Right side of hurricane can bring significant oil ashore

Gulf Oil Spill Clean-up Escaping oil sprayed with dispersant at well head –Produced tiny droplets of oil in deep ocean Surface oil –Collected with booms –Burned

Shore Clean-up Methods Can Spray water on shore –Drives oil into sediment –Hot water kills micro- organisms

Meiofauna in Beach Environments Microscopic invertebrates that live in beach sands Base of the food chain Meiofauna

Pelagic Organisms Nekton may be able to avoid oily areas Plankton are unable to move away –Plankton-floaters –Nekton-swimmers

Benthic Organisms Organisms that live on the ocean bottom Typically in shallow water –2 types Sessile-Cannot move to avoid oil Vagile-may be able to crawl or swim short distances to escape oil residue

Turtle Strandings on Gulf Coast Green is confirmed Red are new strandings Too soon to tell how many are from oil Numbers may be inflated

Sea Turtles Collected since Spill Dead (5% oiled)Live (85% oiled)

Sea Turtles Collected by State

Marine Mammal Strandings

Mammals Collected Dead (4% Oiled)Live (22% Oiled)

Mammals Collected Since Oil Spill

Volunteer Groups Capture Oiled Birds Brown pelicans are particularly susceptible Dive into water Feathers become coated with sticky mousse Too heavy to fly May die of –exposure –starvation –drowning –exhaustion Gulf Coast oiled bird

Birds Collected since Spill Dead (37% oiled)Live Note: Only live birds that were in distress were collected.

Number of Birds Collected

Fishing Closures October 5, 2010October 22, 2010

Oil in the Water Column Dispersant caused oil to remain at depth Natural bacteria eats oil Oxygen is depleted at depth

Normal Oxygen Levels in the Ocean

BP’s Response Amount Spent –Over $8 billion spent to date –$20 billion claims escrow fund –$100 million unemployed rig workers' fund –$500 million establishing Gulf Coast Research Initiative Containment –827,926 barrels of oily liquid skimmed –265,450 barrels in controlled surface burns