Publications

Historically, most medium and large spills (over 50 bbl or seven tonnes) have come from shipping activities. Nevertheless, we have seen a recent shift to offshore drilling related oil spills which includes the Australian Montara Incident in 2009 and the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill in 2010. Learning from the two incidents, it has to be recognised that a blow-out scenario, whilst improbable, still has to be planned for. These recent events have highlighted that their related Oil Spill Contingency Plans (OSCPs) have become an area of scrutiny for government and media with regards to oil spill response preparedness for blowout scenarios.While the initial indications show that the environmental impacts were relatively minor for both spills compared with the amount of oil spilled, the strategies employed were not necessarily reflected in their respective OSCPs. This paper looks at solutions on developing a practical OSCP for deepwater spill scenarios.While there are many variables inherent in every spill response, the elements outlined below if clearly stated in the OSCP, will enhance the operators preparedness in responding to deepwater spill scenarios: Oil Spill Modeling The logistical challenges of working at the deepwater spill site Access to drill rigs for relief well drilling, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and well control equipment. Deepwater dispersant approval process Deepwater benthic environmental sensitivity assessment Stakeholders management and integration (i.e. Regulatory and Industry)Finally, it is crucial to ensure that the management and response teams roles and responsibilities including specific actions are clearly defined in the plan, they are familiar with the plan, and they go through regular training and exercises.