Recently, under a BSEE contract, Alion integrated its previously designed ROV-based submersible sled technology with a commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) skimmer technology to develop and test a prototype system. A prototype of this system was successfully tested at Ohmsett. (BSEE Project Number 1053, http://www.bsee.gov/Technology-and-Research/Oil-Spill-Response-Research/Projects/Project1053/). Alion will advance the current ICEHORSE proof-of-concept to improve the design, making it more useful in an operational environment.

The objective of this research is to assess the feasibility of a cold water and Arctic marine oil spill countermeasure strategy based on the stimulation of OMA formation in the presence of a chemical dispersant. Evaluations will be conducted on both laboratory and wave tank systems under controlled conditions to evaluate the potential effectiveness of treatment of oil spills from shipboard and rig operations.

To analyze the behavior of oil spilled during a deep water blowout. The study will focus on three questions: What properties and behavior are expected of the oil on the surface, such as slick thickness, area, and dispersibility?;
what cleanup measures, if any, are available and appropriate to deal with the spill?; and
are there any major differences in oil spill behavior and countermeasures between a blowout.

This is a Joint Industry Project (JIP) between MMS and Environment Canada to study oil behavior and oil properties, particularly those of heavy oils. The study includes: buoyancy behavior, solubility, evaporation, dispersion, photo-oxidation, and emulsification. Several information gaps were identified on the behavior of oils where more experimental work is needed: 1) the kinetics of oil emulsification; 2) the rate of solubilization; and 3) the rate of dispersion.

ARA will develop and test acoustic techniques and sensors mounted in free-swimming platforms for field applications to measure: (a) slick thickness on the surface of the water, and (b) oil droplet size distribution at the wellhead for subsurface releases of crude oil and dispersants in the presence of natural gas.

PNNL will conduct a set of controlled laboratory experiments simulating environments of the US Outer Continental Shelf characterized by high pressure, low temperature, and low mixing to first characterize the performance of dispersants and second, to characterize subsequent biodegradation. Four sets of experiments are detailed that will characterize;

The objective of this project is to advance the understanding of spill responders and the scientific community on how submerged oil plumes and floating slicks are transported in aquatic environments. The goal is to do that without the risk of harming the environment and associated ecosystems. In order to do that, a means to conduct experiments with oil simulants that mimic the behavior of dispersed oil in the natural environment is needed. Experiments using materials that behave like oil but are environmentally benign would enable field testing without requiring rigorous permitting.

The range of oil products transported through, explored for, and produced in U.S. waters has increased dramatically over the last two decades. With these increases, the potential for spills of new materials, in new locations, or in severe climates brings into question the efficacy of traditional cleanup and spill response options.

This project addressed the operational performance of subsurface injection of dispersants into deepwater blowouts by developing methods focused on oil transport after dispersant injection by researching the following:

There has been increasing shift to use BioFuels (bio-diesels, and gasoline/ethanol blends) in the worldwide marketplace. The different physical and chemical properties of these products in comparison to the petroleum products they are replacing leads to the issue of response countermeasure actions in the event of a BioFuel spill.