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Oil Spill Responders News

29 Mar 2021

Double Hulls and the Oil Spills That Never Happened

Evidence of the success of double-hull tankers: The Norwegian tanker SKS Satilla collided with a submerged oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009 and despite this damage, did not spill any oil. (Photo: Texas General Land Office)

When it comes to marine pollution, often it’s the bad news that makes the headlines. But for every newsworthy incident, there’s another story about the spills and other incidents that didn’t happen thanks to preventative measures and policies, and the responders who think quickly on their feet. In this new blog series, we’re shining a spotlight on the “good news” stories.Looking for a good news story? How about this one: “No spill reported after tug strikes oil tanker in Valdez.” But why is there a story about a spill not happening?We hope…

04 Oct 2018

USCG Conducts Successful Oil Spill Test Burn

In-situ test burn in progress with members of the fire safety team, Mike Hering and MK1 Darrel Boyles, on watch. September 19, 2018, on Little Sand Island (Photo: Coast Guard Auxiliarist Sarah Canatsey)

The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) conducted a successful test burn of oil using the purpose-built burn pan on Little Sand Island in Mobile Bay, Ala. during the week of September 17, 2018.Controlled, pre-planned burns conducted using the Joint Maritime Test Facility allow researchers to gather critical data to help oil spill responders determine best practices for operational use of in-situ burning, develop new equipment with procedures, and to refine training…

16 Jul 2018

New Oil Spill Tech Solutions Put to the Test

A rotocraft equipped with a thermal infrared sensor captured images of emulsified oil to validate the sensor’s capabilities during the NOAA and BSEE funded remote sensing test. Image: Courtesy Ohmsett

No two oil spill response operations are the same. Each can present new and even tougher challenges for spill responders as they detect, contain and recover spilled oil. Diverse aspects affecting oil spill response operations can be the physical environment, spill monitoring, use of chemical dispersants, and the availability of proper technology for the situation.Some challenges have been met through research and technology development of techniques for dealing with spills. However…

30 Jun 2017

It All Flows Downstream

Omni Catamaran cleaning Chicago waterway (Photo: Elastec)

Oil spills, trash, debris, sediment, chemicals: how do we keep our waterways clean? If an oil spill happens on water, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) has very clear rules on who is responsible for paying for cleanup costs. Most oil spills can be traced to the spiller – a pipeline owner, oil tanker, shipper, railroad or trucking company. “Pointing a finger” at the alleged party may be why this type of pollution is referred to as “point source.” If the oil spill is ruled an accident and the polluter is not legally responsible…

22 Jun 2017

Marine News Boat of the Month: June 2017

Image: Elastec

The Elastec Inlander river utility boat (RUB) is a unique concept. But, Elastec already manufactures many other response and utility craft for this market. What prompted the internal effort to create such a craft was that while on oil spill deployments with customers, Elastec personnel began to notice quite a few response organizations using “reconfigured” recreational watercraft (fishing boats) to perform tasks. Those boats, according to Elastec, were not well suited to the tasks they were doing, both in terms of safety and operational utility.

01 Nov 2016

Tech File: BoomVane - A Powerful Boom Deployment System

Photo: Elastec

The BoomVane is one of the most useful and interesting tools available to oil spill responders for shoreline and single vessel boom deployment. Maintaining an effective oil containment boom configuration with two vessels is difficult to coordinate. The Elastec BoomVane solves that problem. BoomVane can also tow heavier booms greater distances than an outrigger arm resulting in wider sweep swaths. Illinois-based Elastec is the manufacturer and owner of the proprietary BoomVane technology. Elastec offers four BoomVane sizes to accommodate various water depths.

28 Aug 2015

Sunken Towboat Lifted from Neches River

USCG photo

A towboat that sank in Texas' Neches River August 21, and caused a temporary closure of the waterway, was lifted out of the water Wednesday Evening. T&T Marine, a contractor hired by the towboat company, refloated and towed the vessel Louise to Bolivar Barge Cleaning Service. The vessel was dry-docked and is awaiting inspection and potential repairs. A small amount of residual oil on the water was removed by oil spill responders using oil spill containment and absorbent booms. According to the U.S.

08 Apr 2015

Marine Salvage & Oil Spill Response Insights

Photo: Global Diving & Salvage

Last month Maritime Reporter had the good fortune to receive insights from a trio of maritime salvage leaders – Paul Hankins, Tim Beaver & Jim Elliott – garnering insights on one of the most challenging and ever-changing sectors of the maritime market. It was recently written “salvors have become more closely tied to Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs).” Why? Hankins The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) defines how all stakeholders will respond to potential or actual oil spill responses.

23 Jul 2014

Ecuador Order Elastec/American Marine Oil Spill Equipment

Elastec/American Marine say that quality and dependability made all the difference when the state oil company of Ecuador decided recently to purchase its oil spill response equipment. PetroEcuador recently acquired two ELASTEC TDS136G grooved drum skimmers, two ELASTEC SeaSkater weir skimmers, a PACS1000-770, two ELASTEC BoomVane™ units, 60 sections of oil containment boom and ten QuickTanks. The oil spill response equipment will be used at PetroEcuador’s Esmeraldas facility, the country’s largest and most important refinery. Elastec skimmers have been in service there for over six years, and that track record, Elastec’s grooved drum…

28 Mar 2014

USCG Lifts Matagorda Safety Zone, Response Ongoing

Boom is put in place to prevent oil from the Texas City collision from affecting environmentally-sensitive areas in Matagorda Bay, March 28, 2014. Approximately 150 response personnel have placed more than 16,000 feet of boom. (Unified response photo)

Oil spill responders from the Matagorda Incident Command Post in Port O’Connor, Texas, continue to implement their aggressive plans, Friday, intended to protect environmentally sensitive areas of the Matagorda Bay area against any impact from a portion of the oil spilled in Saturday’s ship-barge collision near Texas City, Texas. Effective at 10 a.m. today, the U.S. Coast Guard has lifted the safety zone, which had been in effect for the Matagorda Ship Channel from the sea buoy to the intersection of the ship channel with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway…

27 Mar 2014

Texas City Oil Spill Update: Pollution Affects Coast

Oil washing ashore Matagorda Island: USCG photo

The Captain of the Port of Houston/Galveston opened the bay to all traffic Thursday after multiple cleanup assessments and input from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Oil is washing up on Matagorda Island. Coast Guard recruit volunteer 'Sentinels. After storms Wednesday afternoon and evening slowed cleanup efforts somewhat in the Ports of Texas City and Galveston because of safety concerns, responders quickly ramped up their operations during the first hours of daylight to resume cleaning contaminated areas, Thursday.

27 Mar 2014

Texas City "Y" Spill Response Update

Oil spill responders established a Matagorda Bay Forward Branch in Port O’Connor, Texas, to coordinate protection of the environment of the Matagorda Bay area, as a portion of the oil spilled on Saturday in a ship-barge collision near Texas City, Texas, moves south along the Texas Coast. A Unified Command including the U.S Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and Kirby Inland Marine, the owner of the vessel from which the oil was spilled, began their response efforts today implementing aggressive plans intended to protect environmentally sensitive areas against impact from the oil, based on priorities already established in the Area Contingency Plan.

09 Sep 2020

Rena Grounding Response Reviewed

(Credit: Maritime New Zealand)

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) welcomed the release of the independent review of its response to the grounding of the Rena, and the announcement of $2 million of government funding to help improve New Zealand’s maritime response capability.The report, by independent reviewer Simon Murdoch, was released today by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee.MNZ Director Keith Manch said the organization was already implementing a number of the review recommendations and the funding package would help MNZ develop a wider strategic and operational response to maritime incidents.In the review report…

26 Jul 2013

Asia Pacific Spill Response OSRL Increases Capabilities

the new base in Singapore

Last month Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), a global oil spill response cooperative funded by more than 160 companies, opened its new base with enhanced response capabilities at Loyang in Singapore. Maritime Reporter took the opportunity to speak with Robert Limb, OSRL Chief Executive, regarding the significance of OSRL’s expansion. The opening of the base last month in Singapore was touted as a milestone event for the maritime and oil and gas industries in the Asia Pacific region…

29 Sep 2009

Oil Recovery Ops in Houston Ship Channel

The oil spill responders continue clean up efforts today after the 458-ft tank vessel Chemical Supplier allided with a barge and spilled approximately 10,500 gallons of oil in the Houston Ship Channel early on Sept. 25. Responders, as of 5:00 p.m., recovered approximately 4,280 gallons of oil. The source of the leak was secured at approximately 1:25 a.m. Sept. 26. The fuel tank contained an estimated 22,500 gallons of fuel oil. The Houston Ship Channel remains closed to all vessel traffic north of the I-610 bridge. Watchstanders from Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, reporting that the Chemical Supplier allided with Buffalo Barge #251 in the vicinity of Brady's Island near the I-610 bridge.

22 Mar 2002

Oil Spill Experts Address High Density Oil Spills

Leading world experts in oil spill response have agreed a series of recommendations to deal with future spills of high density oil during the International Maritime Organization’s Third R&D Forum on High Density Oil Spill Response, held from 11-13 March in Brest, France, following the generous offer of the French Government to host the Forum. Large quantities of high density oil are carried by ships either as cargo or as fuel (bunkers). This oil’s characteristics, including high viscosity and tendency to sink, present particular challenges for clean-up operations in the event of an accidental spill at sea. The recommendations adopted…