A RESPONSE PLAN FOR DEEP SEA BLOWOUTS IN THE NORTH SEA: MONITORING THE SUBSEA PLUME

摘要

The number of deep water drilling projects have increased in the North Sea and in the Gulf of Mexico since 1997, and there exists many uncertainties regarding the fate the of the oil and gas which could be released from a blowout at these great depths (600 – 1500 meters). Present theory suggests that there is a very good chance that the oil will be entrained beneath a thermocline at a shallower depth and then travel a large distance before any of the oil rises to the surface. In addition, it is estimated that it could take up to 90 days to drill a relief well in the North Sea at such depth. These facts have generated concern among the operators and authorities in Norway, and Det Norske Veritas has developed an operational plan for the monitoring and tracking of the subsea oil which could be released from blowouts at these depths. The measuring of the underwater oil concentration levels must be updated daily and it maybe used in conjunction with three dimensional oil drift models. In the event that the model predictions are incorrect, the monitoring program will still be able to provide an overview of the trajectory of the subsea oil and allow response personnel the time to mobilize for possible impacts near a coastal zone.