OIL POLLUTION& PREVENTION :OIL POLLUTION& PREVENTION Platform pollution prevention


Declaration :2 Declaration By reading this presentation, it is acknowledged that copyright, and ownership of all methods, equipment and designs are the property of SUPER SUCK INTERNATIONAL (PTY) Ltd, and F.M. Vorster of 106 Doble Road, Bluff, Durban, South Africa. It is also acknowledged that this material is of a confidential nature, and only intended for the person that it was handed, or sent to. Sharing this information with third parties are illegal, unless written consent has been obtained from the originator of this document.


Introduction :3 Introduction The Platform Pollution Prevention proposal was prepared by SUPER SUCK INTERNATIONAL (PTY) Ltd


foreword :4 foreword Oil pollution is a major problem around the globe, and more so in some geographical areas than others. There are a number of reasons for the oil pollution, which includes, but are not limited to, events of nature, maintenance, negligence, and sabotage. As far as nature events, and sabotage are concerned, we don’t have much control over when and where it’s going to occur, or the severity of the actual occurrence. Oil pollution that is caused thru maintenance and or negligence are preventable, and thru having the correct preventative measures in place, a potential environmental disaster can be reduced to a contained spill, and an easy cleanup operation.


:5 Oil pollution is also extremely costly, and in more ways than one. Besides the immense damage and harm that oil pollution causes in the environment, it also has a high social economic cost, and account for a high revenue loss, not just as far as product lost that could have been sold, but also as far as very costly cleanup operations are concerned. There is an old saying that goes as follows: “prevention is much better than cure”, in and nowhere is it more applicable than “OIL POLLUTION AND PREVENTION” Foreword continue


:6 It has been estimated by some international environmental organizations that annually an average of at least 1 500 000 tons of crude oil are spilt in Nigeria alone. If this figure is multiplied by 7 you get to the sum of 10 500 000 barrels that are being spilt every year, and with today’s selling price being (USD) $60 per barrel, it works out to (USD) $168 000 000 per year in lost revenue alone. This figure does not include the damage that was done to the environment and to people’s livelihoods. It also does not include the cost to clean these spills up, and to rehabilitate the affected area. A further cost which is caused by oil spills on land is the loss of revenue due to the fact that the land where the spill took place is rendered useless for years to come. Another big loss that the oil companies suffer, and perhaps the biggest loss they suffer, is to their public image… Foreword continue


:7 If we take all these costs mentioned in the previous page into consideration, we have to come to the conclusion that oil pollution is an extremely costly affair, and one that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency and priority. The proposal that we are about to offer is a two part proposal: One where we safeguard all “hot spots” (areas which oil spills are more prone to occur) such as drilling & refining platforms, SBM’s, berths etc by booming them off, and by investing in the correct equipment to undertake the task of speedy floating boom deployment and retraction, as well as in equipment to clean spills up when it happens, and to transport the recovered spilt oil to collection sites, from where the spilt oil can be recycled. Recycling is always a much better, and more environment friendly option than disposal at an environmentally safe disposal site. By doing this we will drastically reduce the quantity of spilt oil that ends up in the environment, and the extremely costly effects that it has. Foreword continue


Slide 8:8 The second part of the proposal will deal with the clean up of existing oil spills, and oil polluted areas on land, and in the sea, and to rehabilitate the areas where it is necessary. Our reasoning for approaching the oil pollution problem in this manner, is that the existing oil spills, and oil polluted areas are history as such, and history cant be changed. We however do have a destiny in our future, and we can place preventative measures, and systems in place to prevent future oil spill pollution disasters from occurring. We feel that by attacking the oil pollution problem in this manner, the vicious circle can be broken, and the horrific oil pollution will be drastically reduced, and eradicated as far as possible. Foreword continue


:9 The rest of this presentation deals with oil pollution in, and around the platforms that are situated in the sea off the Nigerian coast. We will also deal in detail with ways which we suggest floating booms should be placed around, and underneath the platforms. We will also deal with the daily operations and maintenance, as far as the floating booms and the platforms are concerned. This document also demonstrates, and deals with the equipment, and vessels that we have designed to undertake the above mentioned tasks. Foreword continue


:10 Due to the unique set of problems that a person are faced with when proposing suitable methods of combating, and eradicating oil pollution, in and around the platform areas in the sea, thinking has to be “out of the box” as to speak. At present there is no working solution in place to combat oil pollution, in and around the platform areas, not just in Nigeria, but in the rest of the world. This however doesn’t give us the right to sit, and do nothing about it. Albert Einstein once said: “in the middle of difficulty ,lies opportunity”. The presentation, and subsequent proposal that you are about to see, is how we envisage conquering the oil pollution problem. We will as far as possible substantiate what we suggest with solid reasons and arguments. Foreword continue


platform pollution prevention :11 It is because of all the reasons mentioned in the previous pages that we decided to offer a total solution to the oil pollution problem, in and around the drilling and refining platforms, and not just the sale of a service, or equipment. The photos on the following 4 slides shows refining and drilling platforms off the Nigerian coast. The platforms shown in these 4 slides are not encircled by floating booms, and thus have no protection against oil spills and serious oil pollution. platform pollution prevention


Slide 12:12


Slide 13:13


Slide 14:14


Slide 15:15


platform pollution prevention :16 platform pollution prevention The photos in the next two slides demonstrates a drilling platform in the sea. This platform has no floating booms around it to protect the environment against oil spills, and serious oil pollution. This is unfortunately the case with 99.99% of drilling and refining platforms in the sea. The reason for this being the case is the fact that the conventional types of floating booms are heavy, and difficult to maneuver. The next reason is the fact that the currents and wind will move the floating booms out of position and render it practically useless.


Slide 17:17


Slide 18:18


platform pollution prevention :19 platform pollution prevention The photos in the next 5 slides demonstrates our suggested layout of floating booms around, and underneath a drilling platform. The conventional method is to place a singe floating boom around a structure. The major problem with this method is that there is nothing to centralize it, nor to keep it in place, and the fairy angels definitely are not going to do it, so the end result is that the wind and currents drag the floating boom to one side of the structure, and due to that fact it goes completely out of shape, and is rendered practically useless, having no purpose or meaning to man or beast.


platform pollution prevention :20 platform pollution prevention In light of the above facts, we realized that it was time to think out of the box, and come up with a practical working solution for the oil pollution problem amongst the platforms at hand. What we did was to study the existing problems at hand, and to devise methods, as well as equipment that would be capable of dealing with the present oil pollution problem which is experienced off the Nigerian coast. The first item that we looked at was the existing floating booms and the way in which they were deployed, and we noticed that there was a lot to be desired…


Platform pollution prevention :21 Due to the fact that there are a lot to be desired from the existing floating booms, and their deployment, we decided to present, and propose the following method/s. It is a fact that a floating boom cant centralize itself around a structure in the sea, nor can it keep itself in that centralized position once it has been deployed. In light of all of these facts we decided to not just design our own floating booms, but to also design the necessary components that will facilitate our type of deployed floating booms to remain in position, and to be user friendly as in weight and maneuverability. They were also designed to be cost effective, and inexpensive compared to the other types of floating booms that are available on the market place. Platform pollution prevention


Platform pollution prevention :22 Due to the fact that a deployed floating boom cant maintain it’s own position around a platform, we decided to work on designing “buffer” floating booms that would be capable of ensuring that the “perimeter” floating boom maintains its position, as well as to ensure that the area inside the floating boom is divided into multiple smaller areas which are individually protected by a floating boom, and thus erecting many barriers for spilt oil to escape over. In essence what we did was to design a grid area underneath, and along side the platforms, that would act as multiple obstacles for spilt oil to get over, and also to keep the main “perimeter” floating boom in position. The downside to only having a “perimeter” floating boom, even if it is kept in position. is that if an oil spill occurs in one area, the entire area encircled by the “perimeter” floating boom would be covered by an oil slick. Another fact is that the thicker an oil slick is, the more cost effectively it can be sucked off the surface of the water, and the less water would be present in the spilt oil that has been sucked up. Platform pollution prevention


Platform pollution prevention :23 The thinner a layer of spilt oil on the surface of the water is, the longer its going to take to remove it completely, and the percentage of water that will be sucked up with the spilt oil will be higher. It is because of these facts that our suggested method, of securing the outer, “perimeter” floating boom, with internal “buffer” floating booms to the structure, into a grid pattern which creates a lot of smaller boomed off areas, makes a lot of sense. The photos in the next 5 slides demonstrates the suggested method of deploying the floating booms, with the “perimeter” floating boom being red in colour, and the “buffer” floating booms being yellow in colour. Platform pollution prevention


Slide 24:24


Slide 25:25


Slide 26:26


Slide 27:27


Slide 28:28


platform pollution prevention :29 platform pollution prevention The photos in the following 2 slides shows a supply vessel approaching the platform. The newly erected “perimeter” floating boom prevents the supply vessel from coming alongside the platform in order for the cranes on the platform to reach it. This is due to the fact that the “perimeter” floating boom is a distance away from the edge of the platform in order to prevent any oil spills from reaching open water. The supply vessel will then position itself, with its stern facing one of the “gate” sections of the “perimeter” floating boom, which is highlighted in the magenta colour.


Slide 30:30


Slide 31:31


platform pollution prevention :32 platform pollution prevention The photos in the next 3 slides demonstrates a floating boom deployment vessel deploying a floating boom around the supply vessel. This deployment of the floating boom around the supply vessel by the floating boom deployment vessel is done whilst the “gate” section of the “perimeter” floating boom is still in place. The reason for deploying the floating booms in this manner, is because of the fact that it is an operational platform, and due to that fact there is always the possibility of an oil spill occurring, and an oil spill doesn’t give you prior written notice that it is going to take place, which means the floating boom grid around the platform always has to be secure, and leak proof.


Slide 33:33


Slide 34:34


Slide 35:35


platform pollution prevention :36 platform pollution prevention The photo in the next slide shows the supply vessel enclosed by the newly deployed floating boom, whilst the “gate” section in the “perimeter” floating boom is still closed. The reason for deploying floating booms in this manner is to ensure that there is never a breach in the “perimeter” floating boom, which can lead to spilt oil getting into open, unprotected water.


Slide 37:37


platform pollution prevention :38 platform pollution prevention The photos on the next three slides shows the “gate” section of the “perimeter” floating boom removed whilst the floating boom deployment vessel is on standby. The photos on the second and third slides shows the supply vessel moving astern into a position where the platform’s crane can reach it for offloading purposes. Take note that the supply vessel is in it’s own area which is encircled by floating booms.


Slide 39:39


Slide 40:40


Slide 41:41


platform pollution prevention :42 platform pollution prevention The photos on the next three slides demonstrates the supply vessel being offloaded, whilst it is in a protected area, which is encircled by floating booms. The reason for offloading a supply vessel, or any other vessel for that matter, whilst it is encircled by a floating boom, is to ensure that whatever happens, and an oil spill occurs, no spilt oil will reach open water. By doing it in this manner, of encircling vessels with floating booms, is arguably the best preventative measures that can be put in place, to prevent spilt oil from an oil spill reaching open water, and causing an environmental disaster.


Slide 43:43


Slide 44:44


Slide 45:45


platform pollution prevention :46 platform pollution prevention The photos on the next four slides shows the floating boom around the supply vessel removed, and the supply vessel sailing away. The floating boom deployment vessel then re-deploys the “gate” section of the “perimeter” floating boom. When the re-deployment of the “gate” section of the “perimeter” floating boom is complete, the area around, and underneath the platform is secured against spilt oil from oil spills reaching open water.


Slide 47:47


Slide 48:48


Slide 49:49


Slide 50:50


platform pollution prevention :51 platform pollution prevention The photos in the following three slides shows a major oil spill that has just occurred. Fortunately the area in which it occurred was protected, and isolated from the open water by floating booms. Due to the severity of the oil spill, two sections of the floating boom’s internal grid were flooded with spilt oil. If this grit section, on the inside of the “perimeter” floating booms were not created, the entire area inside the floating booms would have been covered by a layer of spilt oil. Should that have been the case, and the entire area inside the “perimeter” floating booms were covered in split oil, the subsequent cleanup operation would have been at least 15 times bigger.


Slide 52:52


Slide 53:53


Slide 54:54


platform pollution prevention :55 platform pollution prevention Due to the fact that “buffer” floating booms were deployed in conjunction with the “perimeter” floating booms only two compartments of the internal grid were covered with spilt oil. This also bought the critical time that was required for a pollution prevention craft to sail to the spill site and commence sucking the spilt oil off the surface of the water. The photos in the next 6 slides demonstrates the pollution prevention craft sucking spilt oil out of the grit section adjacent to the “perimeter” floating boom, and storing the reclaimed spilt oil in the two 30 000 liter vacuum tanks that it has onboard while it waits for the flow bin piggyback barges to arrive.


Slide 56:56


Slide 57:57


Slide 58:58


Slide 59:59


Slide 60:60


Slide 61:61


platform pollution prevention :62 platform pollution prevention During the time that it took the flow bin piggyback barges to sail to the spill site, the pollution prevention craft had sucked all the spilt oil off the surface of the water, and a “gate” section of “perimeter” floating boom was removed, in order for the pollution prevention craft to gain access to the grit section underneath the structure that was also covered in spilt oil. The first flow bin piggyback barge arriving at the spill site sails straight underneath the pollution prevention craft, and starts to take on reclaimed spilt oil that was stored on the pollution prevention craft. The photos in the following 5 slides shows the flow bin piggyback barges underneath the pollution prevention craft taking on spilt oil.


Slide 63:63


Slide 64:64


Slide 65:65


Slide 66:66


Slide 67:67


platform pollution prevention :68 platform pollution prevention The photos in the next 4 slides shows flow bin piggyback barges sailing with full flow bins to a point where the spilt oil can be offloaded, and empty flow bin piggyback barges sailing back to the pollution prevention craft to remove more of the reclaimed spilt oil for recycling. This process will continue until all the spilt oil that was sucked up by the pollution prevention craft has been transported by the flow bin piggyback barges to a collection point for recycling.


Slide 69:69


Slide 70:70


Slide 71:71


Slide 72:72


platform pollution prevention :73 platform pollution prevention The photos in the next three slides shows the area that is encircled by floating booms underneath the platform, clean of spilt oil. If this floating boom structure were not in place the spilt oil would have covered an area that is square kilometers big, and the wind and currents would have moved it away. That would be the cause of an oil spill disaster, and not a simple cleanup operation.


Slide 74:74


Slide 75:75


Slide 76:76


platform pollution prevention :77 platform pollution prevention The photos in the following three slides demonstrates another oil spill that occurred. This specific oil spill was not that big and only one of the grid sections inside the boomed off area got covered in spilt oil. It can be clearly seen on the photos that the spilt oil has get over various barriers before being able to get into open water.


Slide 78:78


Slide 79:79


Slide 80:80


platform pollution prevention :81 platform pollution prevention We are fully aware of the fact that this is an ambitious plan, but on the other hand, if we don’t take the bull by the horns, and start doing something positive about the horrendous oil pollution problem, then nothing will happen, and the already bad situation will most definitely get worse. We also realize that all the equipment which will enable this operation to go ahead, will have to be purpose built. Each of the different types of platforms, and platform configurations will need their own custom made floating boom setup.


platform pollution prevention :82 platform pollution prevention This proposed plan is however no that far fetched, and the more thought a person gives to it, the more sense it will make. The placing of the “perimeter” floating booms, and the internal “buffer” floating booms has more advantages than what meets the eye. The first and foremost hidden advantage that it will have is the boost that it will give the public image of the oil companies when photos of it are released to the press. The second hidden advantage is that no environmentalist would be able to find flaw in the plan, and that they will be forced to endorse it. The third hidden advantage of the floating boom deployment in that configuration, is that should anybody fall off the platform, there would be an abundance of floatation devices to hold onto until help arrives. The forth hidden advantage is that these deployed floating booms create barriers and obstacles that unwanted guests like pirates have to cross in order to gain entry.


platform pollution prevention :83 platform pollution prevention A number of platforms, and platform configurations can be very effectively serviced by a working unit of the floating boom deployment vessels, pollution prevention crafts and the flow bin piggyback barges. By implementing the use of the pollution prevention craft, and sucking spilt oil off the surface of the water, previously lost revenue can be reclaimed because the spilt oil that was sucked up off the surface of the sea will contain very little water. The sucked up spilt oil will contain very little water and very little, if any recycling will be required to return it to it’s original form.


platform pollution prevention :84 platform pollution prevention By implementing our proposed plan and reclaiming the spilt oil from the sea and other areas, revenue is also reclaimed that was previously lost. The gain for the oil companies doesn’t stop there because the high cost of cleaning up the environment, and rehabilitating it has been averted. It also has the further benefit to the oil companies in that it will boost the public opinion. There is an old saying: “talk is cheap, and money buys the whiskey” As far as we are concerned there has been enough talking, and the time for serious action has arrived. If a small percentage of the annual revenue that is lost due to oil spills are invested in the plan and equipment that we proposed, the whole situation can be turned around to a profitable one for the oil companies, the environment, and the local communities at large. .


closure :85 Let’s learn from our mistakes in the past, and collectively work towards, a Clean, green environment. closure