Project no. TST4-CT EU-MOP Elimination Units for Marine Oil Pollution. Deliverable D.9.4: Validation of Oil Processing Scheme

Transcription

1 Project no. TST4-CT EU-MOP Elimination Units for Marine Oil Pollution Deliverable D.9.4: Validation of Oil Processing Scheme

2 Project no. TST4-CT EU-MOP Elimination Units for Marine Oil Pollution Instrument: Thematic Priority: STREP SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, GLOBAL CHANGE AND ECOSYSTEMS Validation of Oil Processing Scheme Deliverable D9.4 Due date of Deliverable: 31 January 2008 Actual submission date: 18 January 2008 Start date of project: 01/02/2005 Duration: 36 months Organisation name of lead contractor for this Deliverable: BMT Document ID code: RD Revisions: Index Date Authors Reviewers Subject BMT, OXF, Creation IPA OXF,NTUA Corrections following review

3 EU-MOP: D9.4 Validation of Oil Processing Scheme Page 3 of 52 AUTHORS: Name Date Signature Tony Morrall (BMT) Nikolaos Kakalis (OXF) Dennis Fritsch (IPA) REVIEWERS: Name Date Signature Nikolaos Kakalis (OXF) Name Date Signature Nikolaos P. Ventikos (NTUA) APPROVAL: DISCLAIMER Use of any knowledge, information or data contained in this document shall be at the user's sole risk. Neither the EU-MOP Consortium nor any of its members, their officers, employees or agents accept shall be liable or responsible, in negligence or otherwise, for any loss, damage or expense whatever sustained by any person as a result of the use, in any manner or form, of any knowledge, information or data contained in this document, or due to any inaccuracy, omission or error therein contained. The European Commission shall not in any way be liable or responsible for the use of any such knowledge, information or data, or of the consequences thereof.

4 EU-MOP: D9.4 Validation of Oil Processing Scheme Page 4 of 52 TABLE OF CONTENTS 0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVE OF TASK SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY SIMULATION EXERCISE INTRODUCTION SIMULATION ASSUMPTIONS Oil quantities and types Response times L Catamaran Type EU-MOP units M Catamaran Type EU-MOP units Swarm sizes Energy requirements for L and M Catamaran Type of EU-MOP units Manoeuvring characteristics of L and M Catamaran Types of EU-MOP units RESULTS OF THE SIMULATIONS FOR THE OIL SPILL SCENARIOS Nordland scenario Sierra Nava Scenario Tenby Harbour scenario DISCUSSION OF RESULTS NORDLAND SCENARIO SIERRA NAVA SCENARIO TENBY HARBOUR SCENARIO CONCLUSIONS INTRODUCTION MAIN CONCLUSIONS Nordland scenario Sierra Nava scenario Tenby Harbour scenario GENERAL CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES...31 ANNEX 1: NORDLAND OIL SPILL DETAILS...32 ANNEX 2: SIERRA NAVA SPILL DETAILS...36 ANNEX 3: TENBY HARBOUR OIL SPILL DETAILS...40 ANNEX 4: PARAMETER LIST FOR NORDLAND SCENARIO...43 ANNEX 5: XML PARAMETER FILE FOR NORDLAND SCENARIO...47 ANNEX 6: XML PARAMETER FILE FOR SIERRA NAVA SCENARIO...49 ANNEX 7: XML PARAMETER FILE FOR TENBY HARBOUR SCENARIO...51 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Spill volume and thickness for the Nordland spill scenario - continuous release Figure 2: Spill volume and thickness for the Sierra Nava scenario - continuous release Figure 3: Nordland scenario - Spill volume remaining: Swarms of 8 M and 8 L size EU-MOP units - Continuous release Figure 4: Sierra Nava scenario Spill volume remaining: Swarms of 10 M, 16 M and 20 M size EU-MOP units - Continuous release Figure 5: Tenby Harbour scenario spill volume remaining: Swarms of 20 L and 30 L EU-MOP units - Harbour pre-filled with oil Figure 6: Nordland - Visualisation of oil spill for swarm simulation Figure 7: Sierra Nava scenario -Visualisation of oil spill for swarm simulation Figure 8: Tenby Harbour scenario - Visualisation of oil spill for swarm simulation Figure 9: Map of various facilities in relation to the Nordland oil spill site Figure 10: Sierra Nava - Geographical location of spill Figure 11: Sierra Nava - Oil arriving on the beach... 38

5 EU-MOP: D9.4 Validation of Oil Processing Scheme Page 5 of 52 Figure 12: Sierra Nava - Aerial view showing location of stranding Figure 13: Tenby Harbour - Chart showing oil within the harbour Figure 14: Tenby Harbour - EGMOPAL barge collecting oil LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Oil quantities and oil type for the three oil spill scenarios Table 2: Swarm sizes for the three oil spill scenarios Table 3: Energy requirements for the L size catamaran Type EU-MOP units Table 4: Energy requirements for M size catamaran Type of EU-MOP units Table 5: Manoeuvring characteristics for the M and L size EU-MOP units Table 6: Nordland scenario: Recovered oil statistics for swarms of 8 M and 8 L size catamaran EU-MOP units - (continuous release) Table 7: Nordland scenario: Effectiveness criteria for swarms of 8 M and 8 L catamaran EU-MOP units Table 8: Sierra Nava scenario: Recovered oil statistics for swarms of 10, 16 and 20 M catamaran EU- MOP units - (Continuous release) Table 9: Sierra Nava scenario: Effectiveness criteria for swarms of 10, 16 and 20 M catamaran EU-MOP units Table 10: Tenby Harbour scenario: Recovered oil statistics for swarms of 20 L and 30 L catamaran EU- MOP units - (harbour pre-filled with oil) Table 11: Tenby Harbour scenario: Effectiveness criteria for swarms of 20 and 30 L catamaran EU-MOP units Table 12: Nordland Oil Spill scenario - Summary of Oil collection statistics Table 13: Sierra Nava Oil Spill scenario - Summary of Oil collection statistics Table 14: Tenby Harbour Oil Spill scenario - Summary of Oil collection statistics... 29

6 EU-MOP: D9.4 Validation of Oil Processing Scheme Page 6 of 52 0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report provides validation and proof of concept for the oil processing units, in a virtual, cost-effective and consistent manner, by using the mathematical simulation tools and criteria developed within the EU-MOP project. This report assesses the effectiveness and performance of the final EU-MOP processing units, together with the developed concept of operations for the Nordland, Sierra Nava and Tenby Harbour Scenarios. These assessments were based on simulation results, using mathematical models developed within the EU-MOP project. The mathematical models included an oil fate model, simulating the weathering process of an oil spill, developed for Task 5.3 and reported in D5.3: Effectiveness of EU-MOP Oil Processing [1]. This model was integrated with the robot simulation model of the EU-MOP oil processing units, developed in Task 4.3 and reported in D4.3 Model Building and Simulation [2]. A visualisation suite was then used to illustrate the movement of the oil slick and the operation of a swarm of EU-MOP units combating the oil spill. The EU-MOP oil spill fate model, developed in Task 5.3, takes account of the main physicochemical process involved. It provides information on the physicochemical change of the spilt oil, but not the movement of the slick. The oil spill behaviour model is based on the classical physicochemical principles for advection-diffusion, spreading, evaporation and emulsification. The oil slick characteristics include: viscosity, density, thickness, volume, area and water content; whereas the oil slick dynamics include: drift characteristics, spreading rate and extent. The EU-MOP oil fate model provided the output required for the robot simulation, using the initial input conditions for the various scenarios. The output produced for the robot simulation module consists of: time t (s), volume V (m 3 ), slick area A (m 2 ), and thickness h (m). The robot simulation makes use of the oil fate model output and simulates the robot operation of the EU-MOP units for collecting the oil. In this simulation the oil slick spreads according to the input file of the oil fate model and in a random way; it will also drift with the vector of the current and a small percentage of the wind speed. The robot simulation model will produce txt files that can be used to monitor the performance of the oil processing operation. Furthermore, the simulation provides an on-line visualisation A small number of subjective criteria were selected for assessing the effectiveness of the EU- MOP oil processing units. These were developed in D5.3 and based on the criteria used for the initial oil processor selection (D5.1). The effectiveness of the EU-MOP units is assessed using these criteria, using the results of the robot simulations. Based on the results of simulations for the Nordland, Sierra Nava and Tenby Harbour oil spill scenarios, in comparison with the outcomes of the actual oil spill, the effectiveness of the swarms of medium and large size catamaran EU-MOP units was found to satisfy all the effectiveness criteria. These assessments have confirmed the effectiveness of the medium and large size catamaran EU-MOP units in combating a specific oil spill. They have also indicated that for the assumptions made, a swarm of EU-MOP units can be more effective than the mechanical oil recovery equipment. This conclusion is based on an assessment of the multi-criteria in comparison with the actual values of attainment for the real oil spills. Even greater effectiveness

7 EU-MOP: D9.4 Validation of Oil Processing Scheme Page 7 of 52 of the EU-MOP units can be expected from optimising the oil combating operation, and by making use of booms in the recovery operation, if considered appropriate. The results also suggest that the EU-MOP units will be equally effective in shallow water areas, in flooded tanks, vessels holds and man-made structures such as piers, docks and marinas. Furthermore, the ability of these autonomous units to operate in shallow waters, causing minimum disturbance to sensitive environmental areas, also offer considerable advantages over other mechanical methods. The results of the simulations for the three oil spill scenarios: Nordland, Sierra Nava and Tenby Harbour, indicated that medium and large size catamaran EU-MOP oil processing units were found to be more effective in collecting oil at sea than the mechanical means of recovery used for the actual oil spills. The three oil spill scenarios used in the simulations to assess the effectiveness of the EU-MOP oil processing units were considered to be a severe challenge. Although these scenarios were based on actual oil spill they were not necessarily the most ideal situations for the deployment of EU-MOP units. However, despite these reservations, the results of the various simulations indicated that the swarms of units performed remarkably well in comparison with more conventional skimmers. EU-MOP is the acronym for Elimination Units for Marine Oil Pollution project, supported by the European Commission under the Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems thematic area, Sustainable Surface Transport Programme of the 6th Framework Programme. The support is given under the vehicle of STREP, Contract No. TST4-CT