Description |
This is a
Multi-Phase Joint Industry Project (JIP) whose current fund
providers
include the MMS, Alaska Clean Seas, Prince William Sound Oil Spill
Recovery
Institute, BP Exploration, Phillips Alaska, Norsk Hydro and Store
Norske
Spitzbergen Kulkompani. The MORICE program was initiated in 1995 to
develop
technologies for more effective recovery of oil spills in
ice-infested
waters and is a multinational effort involving Norwegian, Canadian,
American
and German researchers. Phase 1 of the MORICE Program involved an
extensive
literature review to identify available information from previous
efforts to
develop oil-in-ice recovery technologies. Information collected
included a
history of oil spills in cold areas, oil behavior, ice conditions
and
operational experience attained during recovery of oil in these
conditions. Following this, a series of brainstorming sessions and
technical discussions
was held to evaluate past ideas and generate new ideas for potential
solutions to the problem. As a result, ten concepts were suggested
and
discussed in detail by a Technical Committee. These concepts are
described
in the MORICE Phase 1 report. Phase 2 of the Program focused on qualitative
laboratory testing of most of the concepts suggested in Phase 1. Laboratory
tests in Phase 2 were conducted at SINTEF's Cold Climate Testing Facility in
Trondheim, Norway. Ice-infested conditions were simulated. This phase
reduced the number of concepts that warrant further evaluation and
development. Phase 2 was described in a final report.
Phase 3 took the two
most promising concepts (brush drum skimmer and the lifting grated belt) and
performed quantitative testing at the Hamburg Ship Modeling Basin (HSVA),
Hamburg Germany in June 1998. Ice-infested conditions were simulated. Phase
3 was described in a final report.
Phase 4 developed the
two concepts from Phase 3 to a prototype level. Built a harbor-size
prototype, designed and built a support vessel, and field tested the
prototype skimmer during freeze-up offshore Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in October
1999. Phase 4 was described in a final report.
Phase 5, evaluated four
different internal oil recovery units for the lifting grated belt at the
HSVA test tank in Hamburg Germany in May 2000. Upon completion of these
tests, the prototype skimmer was shipped back to Prudhoe Bay, AK where it
received further equipment modifications, installation of more powerful
hydraulics and a larger power pack. Selected skimmer manufacturers were
invited to participate and provide an internal recovery system for
evaluation. The complete prototype skimmer was evaluated for ice processing
on the Alaskan Beaufort Sea during October 2000. Phase 5 was described in a
final report.
Phase 6, the prototype
skimmer was considered ready for oil in ice testing. The unit was shipped to
Svalbard, Norway in May 2001 for testing, however due to complications, the
unit was not field tested.
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