Oil spill fingerprinting - the practical benefits for the operator
The oil company operates North Sea Oil Production Platforms which have several subsea developments connected by subsea pipelines. A specialist research institute was contracted by the company to obtain reference crude oil fingerprints for each subsea oil pipeline and store this information in a specially constructed computer database and fingerprint matching system. Both crews from the platform`s stand-by vessels were then trained in the correct procedures for sampling small slicks at sea, with laboratory validation of samples collected during the training exercise. Subsequently, during two incidents of leaking subsea pipelines, oil spill samples were taken by stand-by vessel crews. Analysis of the samples onshore, followed by computer comparison of their fingerprints to those of the reference oils in the database, allowed early identification of the leaking pipeline prior to confirmation by ROV inspection. Oil spill fingerprinting proved a highly cost effective tool, ensuring optimum use of expensive DSV/ROV mobilization and use. It also permitted pipelines not implicated in the leak to be rapidly put back into operation.
- OSTI ID:
- 391158
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960623-; TRN: 96:004554-0078
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International conference on health, safety and environment in oil and gas exploration products, New Orleans, LA (United States), 9 Jun - 12 Sep 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of The third international conference on health, safety & environment in oil and gas exploration and production. Proceedings - Volume 1; PB: 941 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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