Real World Spill Response Optimisation

摘要

There is significant value in understanding the detail around potential events, which could occur as a result of a pipeline release. Modelling of spills can provide opportunity to optimize response, improve response time and effectiveness and reduce environmental impact. Such work provides real cost benefits. Oil spill modelling tools have been developed to help companies storing hazardous materials to better evaluate where the liquids might go and to assess their interactions within the environment. Predictive simulations on these processes can provide operators with the means to more effectively respond to an incident. Different tools exist to make predictions for overland migration, movement of liquids in surface waters or its fate and transport through the vadose and saturated zones of underlying soils. The question is will these plans actually assist in a response or will the responders always need to think on their feet and make calls in the field based on limited observations and under challenging conditions? This paper will outline the principles of the modelling approaches and sets out why the availability of high quality input data is now able to support detailed models of the fate of these liquids. To highlight why model outputs used in response plans can be trusted the paper will then present two real world examples from the same operator. In one instance, an attempted theft led to the contamination of an area of ground, which required remediation. Modelling was used to identify the plausible extent of contamination so that an appropriate investigation could be undertaken and the correct area of contaminated soils removed. In the second example, a third party impact on the same buried pipeline led to a release of kerosene into a nearby stream. In this example, responders were equipped with maps presenting model simulations, which illustrated the potential extent of the oil in the stream. The responders were able to station recovery systems rapidly and in the right locations. Without the simulation plans the extent and environmental impact of the spill would have been much more significant. The operator's response plans have stood up to two very different incidents and in both cases were supported by output from a range of modelling simulations. The response has undoubtedly saved significant costs by enabling the operator to respond quickly and appropriately to both events. To help in the use of the data generated through the modelling the client also has access to the model outputs via a web-GIS system. This technology allows the office, responders, emergency services and regulators to access all of the relevant information at a location to effectively manage the response. This is now being enhanced further with addition of thermal radiation modelling to account for risks should the released product be ignited.