Enhancing Oil Spill Response

A map of tracking oil spill

Sustained observations must be in place prior to emergencies so responders understand ocean conditions before, during, and after an event. Deepwater Horizon proved the IOOS community can rapidly deploy cost effective sampling platforms to quickly support and adapt to changing needs. These technologies also have the built-in safety advantage of limiting human exposure to potentially hazardous materials and dangerous ocean conditions.

Oil spills can devastate ecosystems, harm the economy, and jeopardize the safety of the cleanup crews or others exposed to toxic fumes.  But the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) can quickly mobilize new and existing technologies to quicken response efforts and help minimize negative consequences. Two technologies of primary significance are high frequency radar systems and unmanned, underwater robotic vehicles such as gliders.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil spill is one example of how the existence of the Federal and non-Federal partnership comprising the U.S. IOOS system can quickly mobilize to aid a massive response effort.  The BP-owned platform explosion 40 miles southeast of Louisiana killed 11 workers and injured 17 more on April 20, 2010.  The tragedy also unleashed the largest oil spill in U.S. history as the well continued to gush oil into Gulf Waters for 85 days before crews could cap it off, devastating a fragile ecosystem critically linked to lives and livelihoods across the nation. IOOS regions quickly deployed tools to the Gulf to monitor and track oil at various levels within the water column and on the surface. 

IOOS members in the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast, Southern California, and Southeast regions deployed a fleet of seven gliders equipped with sensors to help detect oil in the water column. Though scientists still used water sampling to confirm oil presence and source, gliders narrowed the search zone for subsurface oil, and helped answer key questions about potential movement of oil.

Glider technology is also unique in that it collects data throughout the water column at low cost and no risk to human life. Deepwater Horizon is the first U.S. oil spill response to apply this technology. In addition to sensing oil, gliders can also measure additional variables to inform ocean models used by emergency response teams.

IOOS also utilized high frequency radar technology to measure surface current speed and direction in near real time throughout the duration of the oil spill response.  IOOS regions in the Gulf Coast and Southeast mobilized these systems along the Northern Gulf and West Coast of Florida to monitor the spill’s surface travels.  NOAA immediately used these data to provide scientific maps showing where the oil would travel.  Because IOOS members in Southern California previously worked with NOAA on a five-year effort to develop usable formats for high frequency radar data, this effort proved seamless when needed most.
Quicker detection of oil helps environmental responders clean up the mess earlier.  This not only reaps environmental rewards, but minimizes negative economic impacts to industries such as fisheries and tourism.  These technologies not only saved resources, but they also improved safety by reducing the number of people sampling from surface vessels.

 


IOOS in Action