Slick Policy
Slick Policy

Author: Teresa Sabol Spezio

Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press

Published: 2018-05-11

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 0822983362

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In January 1969, the blowout on an offshore oil platform off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and the resulting oil spill proved to be a transformative event in pollution control and the nascent environmental activism movement. It accelerated the advancement of federal government policies and would change the way the federal government managed environmental pollution. Over the next three years, Congress worked to pass laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act, and revolutionized the way that the United States dealt with environmental pollution. At the same time, scientists developed methods to detect chemical pollution that had been discharged into rivers and streams by industrial facilities. Slick Policy presents an original and in-depth history of the 1969 Santa Barbara spill. Teresa Sabol Spezio provides a background of water pollution control, government oversight of federally-funded projects, and chemical detection methods in place prior to the spill. She then shows how scientists and politicians used public outrage over the spill to implement wide-ranging changes to federal environmental and science policy, and demonstrates the advancements to offshore oil drilling, pollution technology, and water protection law that resulted from these actions.

Oil in the Sea III
Oil in the Sea III

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2003-03-14

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 0309084385

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Since the early 1970s, experts have recognized that petroleum pollutants were being discharged in marine waters worldwide, from oil spills, vessel operations, and land-based sources. Public attention to oil spills has forced improvements. Still, a considerable amount of oil is discharged yearly into sensitive coastal environments. Oil in the Sea provides the best available estimate of oil pollutant discharge into marine waters, including an evaluation of the methods for assessing petroleum load and a discussion about the concerns these loads represent. Featuring close-up looks at the Exxon Valdez spill and other notable events, the book identifies important research questions and makes recommendations for better analysis ofâ€"and more effective measures againstâ€"pollutant discharge. The book discusses: Inputâ€"where the discharges come from, including the role of two-stroke engines used on recreational craft. Behavior or fateâ€"how oil is affected by processes such as evaporation as it moves through the marine environment. Effectsâ€"what we know about the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on marine organisms and ecosystems. Providing a needed update on a problem of international importance, this book will be of interest to energy policy makers, industry officials and managers, engineers and researchers, and advocates for the marine environment.

Handbook of Oil Spill Science and Technology
Handbook of Oil Spill Science and Technology

Author: Merv Fingas

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2015-02-02

Total Pages: 641

ISBN-13: 0470455519

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Provides a scientific basis for the cleanup and for the assessment of oil spills Enables Non-scientific officers to understand the science they use on a daily basis Multi-disciplinary approach covering fields as diverse as biology, microbiology, chemistry, physics, oceanography and toxicology Covers the science of oil spills from risk analysis to cleanup and through the effects on the environment Includes case studies examining and analyzing spills, such as Tasman Spirit oil spill on the Karachi Coast, and provides lessons to prevent these in the future

Spills of Diluted Bitumen from Pipelines
Spills of Diluted Bitumen from Pipelines

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2016-03-22

Total Pages: 167

ISBN-13: 0309380103

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Diluted bitumen has been transported by pipeline in the United States for more than 40 years, with the amount increasing recently as a result of improved extraction technologies and resulting increases in production and exportation of Canadian diluted bitumen. The increased importation of Canadian diluted bitumen to the United States has strained the existing pipeline capacity and contributed to the expansion of pipeline mileage over the past 5 years. Although rising North American crude oil production has resulted in greater transport of crude oil by rail or tanker, oil pipelines continue to deliver the vast majority of crude oil supplies to U.S. refineries. Spills of Diluted Bitumen from Pipelines examines the current state of knowledge and identifies the relevant properties and characteristics of the transport, fate, and effects of diluted bitumen and commonly transported crude oils when spilled in the environment. This report assesses whether the differences between properties of diluted bitumen and those of other commonly transported crude oils warrant modifications to the regulations governing spill response plans and cleanup. Given the nature of pipeline operations, response planning, and the oil industry, the recommendations outlined in this study are broadly applicable to other modes of transportation as well.

Oil Spills and Gas Leaks: Environmental Response, Prevention and Cost Recovery
Oil Spills and Gas Leaks: Environmental Response, Prevention and Cost Recovery

Author: Stephen M. Testa

Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional

Published: 2013-02-01

Total Pages: 593

ISBN-13: 0071772901

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The definitive guide to petroleum hydrocarbon fuel spill and leak causes, prevention, response, and cost recovery Oil Spills and Gas Leaks highlights the complex nature of petroleum hydrocarbon fuel extraction methods, the unintended consequences when disasters occur, spill behavior, and environmental impact mitigation. This practical resource discusses engineering techniques; long-term biological and environmental effects; dealing with insurance claims, litigation, and legislation in overlapping jurisdictions; and much more. Featuring global case studies and best practices, this timely volume provides an in-depth understanding of how oil spills and gas leaks occur and describes the most effective environmental assessment, remediation, and restoration options available to respond to these industrial accidents. Coverage includes: The role of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in society Geology and geochemistry of oil and gas deposits Oil and gas well drilling and production issues Hydraulic fracturing for shale gas and oil Behavior of oil spills in various environments Behavior of gas leaks in various environments Assessment of spills and leaks Toxicity issues and exposure pathways Subsurface investigations Sampling strategies and remedial approaches Sampling methods on land and offshore Prevention, oversight, and mitigation Remediation of oil spills Case histories and cost recovery Oil spills and wildlife Oil spills and safety issues Conclusions and recommendations

Silent Spill
Silent Spill

Author: Thomas D. Beamish

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2002-02-01

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13: 9780262261708

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In the Guadalupe Dunes, 170 miles north of Los Angeles and 250 miles south of San Francisco, an oil spill persisted unattended for 38 years. Over the period 1990-1996, the national press devoted 504 stories to the Exxon Valdez accident and a mere nine to the Guadalupe spill—even though the latter is most likely the nation's largest recorded oil spill. Although it was known to oil workers in the field where it originated, to visiting regulators, and to locals who frequented the beach, the Guadalupe spill became troubling only when those involved could no longer view the sight and smell of petroleum as normal. This book recounts how this change in perception finally took place after nearly four decades and what form the response took. Taking a sociological perspective, Thomas Beamish examines the organizational culture of the Unocal Corporation (whose oil fields produced the leakage), the interorganizational response of regulatory agencies, and local interpretations of the event. He applies notions of social organization, social stability, and social inertia to the kind of environmental degradation represented by the Guadalupe spill. More important, he uses the Guadalupe Dunes case as the basis for a broader study of environmental "blind spots." He argues that many of our most pressing pollution problems go unacknowledged because they do not cause large-scale social disruption or dramatic visible destruction of the sort that triggers responses. Finally, he develops a model of social accommodation that helps explain why human systems seem inclined to do nothing as trouble mounts.

The Use of Dispersants in Marine Oil Spill Response
The Use of Dispersants in Marine Oil Spill Response

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2020-04-24

Total Pages: 341

ISBN-13: 0309478219

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Whether the result of an oil well blowout, vessel collision or grounding, leaking pipeline, or other incident at sea, each marine oil spill will present unique circumstances and challenges. The oil type and properties, location, time of year, duration of spill, water depth, environmental conditions, affected biomes, potential human community impact, and available resources may vary significantly. Also, each spill may be governed by policy guidelines, such as those set forth in the National Response Plan, Regional Response Plans, or Area Contingency Plans. To respond effectively to the specific conditions presented during an oil spill, spill responders have used a variety of response optionsâ€"including mechanical recovery of oil using skimmers and booms, in situ burning of oil, monitored natural attenuation of oil, and dispersion of oil by chemical dispersants. Because each response method has advantages and disadvantages, it is important to understand specific scenarios where a net benefit may be achieved by using a particular tool or combination of tools. This report builds on two previous National Research Council reports on dispersant use to provide a current understanding of the state of science and to inform future marine oil spill response operations. The response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill included an unprecedented use of dispersants via both surface application and subsea injection. The magnitude of the spill stimulated interest and funding for research on oil spill response, and dispersant use in particular. This study assesses the effects and efficacy of dispersants as an oil spill response tool and evaluates trade-offs associated with dispersant use.

Handbook of Pollution Prevention and Cleaner Production Vol. 1: Best Practices in the Petroleum Industry
Handbook of Pollution Prevention and Cleaner Production Vol. 1: Best Practices in the Petroleum Industry

Author: Nicholas P Cheremisinoff

Publisher: William Andrew

Published: 2009-09-22

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 0815520360

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This new Handbook provides a series of reference guides to cleaner production methods, technologies, and practices for key industry sectors. Each volume covers, for each industry sector: * the manufacturing technologies * waste management * pollution * methods for estimating and reporting emissions * treatment and control technologies * worker and community health risk exposures * cost data for pollution management * cleaner production and prevention alternatives Best Practices in The Petroleum Industry provides an overview of refineries and gas plant operations and identifies the key Environmental Aspects, supported by case studies of major incidents that resulted in catastrophic releases of oil and refined products, and a critical assessment of the methodology and calculation procedures that the industry relies on in preparing emissions inventories. The authors offer alternative approaches to providing more accurate emissions estimates, and guidelines on cleaner production and pollution prevention practices for improving overall environmental performance. - Overview of the key Environmental Aspects of gas plant operations and refineries - Case studies of major incidents that resulted in catastrophic releases of oil and refined products, including the Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 and the EXXON Valdez incident - Provides guidelines on cleaner production and pollution prevention practices for improving overall environmental performance