Napocor completes Semirara oil spill clean-up

by: Donnabelle L. GatdulaThe Philippine Star 07/03/2006

In accordance with the Philippine National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, Napocor and FRMSI implemented a scientifically-driven and ecosystem-based response using high level of expertise with technically-proficient personnel and consultants.

What happens to oil when it spills into the seas

Management optionsManagement options

A schematic representation of the fate of a crude oil spill showing changes in A schematic representation of the fate of a crude oil spill showing changes in the relative importance of weathering processes with time – the width of each the relative importance of weathering processes with time – the width of each band indicates the importance of the process.band indicates the importance of the process.

Evaporation

Dispersion

Dissolution

Oxidation

Emulsification

Spreading

Biodegradation

Hour Day Week Month Year

Sedimentation

Spatio-temporal dimensions

Phytoplankton (microscopic plants)

zooplankton(microscopic animals)

Fish, crustaceans, molluscs,

Whales, whale sharks

Before oil spill

Phytoplankton (microscopic plants)

zooplankton (microscopic animals)

Fish, crustaceans, molluscs,

Whales, whale sharks

O i l s p i l l

After oil spill

Emulsified “chocolate mousse”

Emulsified “chocolate mousse”

International Charter Space and Major Disasters

Product ID: 772 - 29 Aug, 2006GLIDE: AC-2006-999999-PHLProduct FOOTPRINT (LAT x LONG, WSG84 Geographic, decimal degrees)TopLeft: 11 x 122.23BottomRight: 10 x 123

Map produced: 24 August 2006 (version 1.1)

Source(s):Situation information: Republic of the

Philippines NDCC Satellite image: ENVISAT ASAR

Copyright: European Space Agency (ESA) 2006

Population data: Landscan 2002 GIS data: GIST, ReliefWeb, USGS

Credit: International Charter Space and Major Disasters

Image processing and map production: UNOSAT

Bioremediation

• Bioaugmentation– Add new species of oil-eating bacteria

that will speed up the breakdown of hydrocarbons

• Bioenhancement– Add nutrients to the environment that

will promote the growth of naturally occurring oil eating bacteria

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

• March 24, 1989, Prince William Sound, Alaska

• Exxon Valdez had dumped 11 million gallons (41.8m litres) of crude oil and contaminated about 1,300 miles (2,080 km) of coastline.

• In 2004, a federal judge in Alaska ordered Exxon to pay $4.5bn (£2.5bn) in damages for the Valdez oil spill, the largest in US history.