Oil Spills: First Principles Prevention and Best Response

About this book

Focuses on the recent cultural shift in the oil industry from an "evasion culture" to a "safety culture". Looks at changes in safety regulations and advances in understanding of the science and engineering of oil spills. Outlines the first principles of oil spills. They are Prevention, based upon adoption of the safety culture, and Best Response, utilizing scientific, technical and environmental data and information.

Contents

The problem - oil spills: Freedom of the seas - developing law; Major oil spill rates; Environmental damage - the debate; Reoccurrence of spills - root causes/risk factors; Available oil spill response technologies: limiting factors; Other limiting factors - lack of integration of science and engineering, coordination in planning and training. The need and the solution: Prevention through people - the human element; Oil spill response - "Best Response"; Best response - the US model for oil spill response; Best response - the international oil spill response model - OPRC Convention; Efficient and effective response - gaps in delivery, enforcement, funding and perception; Scientific challenges. The motivators for change related to oil spills: Reducing response costs; Reducing environmental damage; True cost accounting; Protection of the environment is good for business; Adherence to laws - ISM Code/Right to Trade; The consumer and the political system - public voice. Legislation and regulation: The safety nets; Regulation of oil spills - control by international conventions; US and international regulations and the courts. Regulatory model - Australia. The marriage between science and technology: Failures of present oil spill contingency planning, response, education and training strategies; The need for a scientifically-based decision-making tool; Best response. The technology windows-of-opportunity oil spill response strategy: Technology windows-of-opportunity; Examples of technology windows-of-opportunity; Universality of application; Required databases; Oil spill detection and monitoring by remote sensing advanced technologies; Integration of the databases and information into an oil spill response decision-making tool. Sustainable shipping.

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