Chemical dispersants within an environment plan and oil pollution emergency plan: practically applying a risk-based approach
Mandy Dearden A and Namek Jivan BA Social Resources Pty Ltd
B Vermilion Oil and Gas Australia
The APPEA Journal 55(1) 265-276 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ14020
Published: 2015
Abstract
Chemical dispersant use can be a valid response strategy for marine oil pollution events. This peer-reviewed paper describes how a risk-based approach to planning can be applied practically using the core concepts of risk assessment.
Comprehensive and systematic analysis is required in the environment plan to ensure that spill response strategies are in line with risk management requirements in the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environmental) Regulations. In 2013, an APPEA working group identified the need for work to be undertaken that described this analysis for confirming the viability of chemical dispersant as a response strategy to support the mitigation of a marine oil pollution hazard.
A literature review and interviews with oil and gas operators, regulatory agencies and industry service providers provided the basis for the process development.
The result of this work is a process that is described in three parts: establish the context and risks; evaluate, demonstrate and define; and, implementation. Two flowcharts, and a description of each step, have been developed to assist planners in providing sufficient information to regulatory agencies assessing and accepting the use of dispersant operations.
The information collected during the planning phase in Figure 1 is the basis for the net environmental benefit analysis that is undertaken in the activation phase of a response (Fig. 2).
An outcome of this work is a process flow that oil spill planners can use to assess and plan spill response strategies that align with regulatory requirements.
Mandy Dearden is an emergency management professional specialising in marine oil spill response planning. Through her business, Social Resources, she provides training, exercise facilitation, coaching, and oil spill contingency planning services to the oil and gas industry. Mandy gained oil spill incident control experience while working in the shipping industry and as the leader of the WA Department of Transport oil spill response co-ordination team. With a science and MBA (marine management) background, coupled alongside a graduate diploma in coaching, Mandy is well-suited to managing the functions of the environment and planning units within an incident command team structure. She is a qualified emergency incident management trainer and has completed the Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management). |
Namek Jivan began his engineering career with a strong interest in process safety and risk engineering. Prior to joining Vermilion Oil and Gas Australia (VOGA) in 2006 as a Health, Safety and Environment Advisor, Namek worked in roles with an onshore regulator and a risk and safety consultancy. During the past three years Namek has been focused on improving VOGA’s approach to spill assessment and response by applying risk and safety engineering principles. |
