Vessel Response Protocols: Escort tugs critical to oil spill prevention.

• Author: Simonelli, Isaac Stone
• Position: OIL & GAS

Because of the state's fierce weather and remote areas, multilayer systems are integrated into comprehensive vessel response protocols for tankers and non-tankers operating in Alaska's waters, ensuring the health of both the environment and the state's economy.

"There are fifteen elements of a vessel response plan that the Coast Guard (USCG] evaluates. One of those is salvaging... If they ground or drift--drifting without power-they activate this plan and all of these things kind of fall in place," explains Matt Melton, the general manager of oil spill removal organization Alaska Chadux Corporation.

The response resource categories USCG evaluates include qualified individuals (shore-based representatives who can activate or contract response resources among other responsibilities), spill management team, aerial tracking, logistical support, sustainment, on-water recovery AMPD (average most probable discharge), on-water recovery MMPD (maximum most probable discharge), on-water recovery WCD (worst case discharge), shoreline protection, shoreline cleanup, dispersants, salvage assess and survey, salvage stabilization, salvage special ops, and marine firefighting.

Federal response planning standards for oil spill response are designed around two main factors: equipment and time.

However, when National Planning criteria may be inappropriate for where a vessel intends to operate, the owner/operator may request acceptance of alternative planning criteria.

"Chadux has enough equipment, but the problem is that we don't have enough time to meet the planning standards because of the size and remote locations in Western Alaska. For a non-tank vessel, carrying non-persistent product for fuel, they can run aground... and within twenty-four hours we're supposed to have, in most cases, 30,000 feet of boom, 12,500 KDRC (effective daily recovery capacity]--those are your skimmers... and then 25,000 barrel temporary storage.

"The problem in Alaska is you don't have twenty-four hours; sometimes you need more time because of weather and distance. There are areas that are to be avoided, and there all these things that are part of the alternative plan that are risk mitigation measures, prevention measures, vessel tracking--all these things that happen as you're trying to administratively reduce the frequency of responses, because it's going to take us time to get there."

'Prevention Is Primary'

In addition to federal and state regulations, there are also geographic specific appendices. One of those is Western Alaska, in which an operator must have specific endorsement.

In the Pollution Act of 1990, Prince William Sound has its own designation with specific requirements and regulations that go above and beyond other state and federal regulations. The Great Lakes is another area with a special planning standard.

"If we're looking at Prince William Sound and it's a...