Containment and Recovery Field Guide

A guide to containment and recovery operations at sea

VERSION NUMBER: 1
DATE RELEASED: December 2011
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Foreword Contents

This short field guide is intended to be used by Safety

anyone undertaking containment and recovery Hazards and mitigations
operations to combat oil spills at sea. Included are
safety considerations for the operations, a brief Key steps
description of the variables involved in this type
Plan and train
of response and advice on how to ensure the most
successful outcome. Preparation:
Organise operations
Offshore containment and recovery can be a useful Offshore containment and recovery systems
response strategy and will be most successful when:
Contain the oil:
T he most suitable recovery device for the oil type Types of offshore containment boom
and weather conditions is selected. Boom handling & boom deployment methods
The boom used is well-maintained and deployed Boom configurations
by trained operators. Potential causes of boom failures
Communications are effective amongst all
Recover the oil
parties.
Suitable storage is available. Store the recovered oil

Tools:
Operations assessment for oil recovery operations
Safety

If the containment and recovery equipment is used These risks can be minimised by: Minimum PPE standards:
correctly by following good operational procedures
and using the correct Personal Protective Identifying the risks through a comprehensive Overalls
Equipment (PPE), offshore operations should pose risk assessment process and implementing
Hard hat
minimum risk to health. However, there are, as with mitigations to reduce them where applicable.
other such activities, potential risks to responders Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) or lifejackets
and crew. ommunicating the risks and mitigations
C
Gloves
in place through a safety brief prior to any
operations being carried out. E ar defenders whilst machinery is running

Steel toe cap boots

Jewellery and loose clothing should not be

worn
HAZARDS IMPACTS MITIGATION MEASURES
Man overboard. Due to Potentially leading to hypothermia, drowning. When working on the back deck, personal flotation devices to be worn. Any open access to be secure
entanglement in boom tow lines unless boom deployment occurring. Boom deployments should only be carried out in suitable
or unexpected ship movements. weather conditions.
Unsecured load. Lashing/welding Potential crush injuries from unsecure loads. Welding to be carried out by a competent and trained person. Equipment to be secured to the deck
equipment to the deck. properly and checked by person nominated Deck In Command (IC) prior to vessel steaming.
Hydraulic hose failure. Potential injury to eyes, skin penetration of hydraulic oil. Ensure that equipment deployed has an adequate maintenance schedule which has been adhered to.

Noise (85-90dBA). Danger of damage to hearing if exposed to loud machinery Ear defenders to be provided and worn.
for prolonged periods of time.
Exposure to Volatile Organic Could cause nausea and if H2S is present, death in extreme Enforce a site entry protocol. Provide gas monitoring devices and appropriate respiratory PPE.
compounds (VOCs) and cases. Presence of hydrocarbon vapours may also present an
potentially Hydrogen Sulphide explosion risk.
(H2S) from the oil being
recovered.
Manual handling. Potential for back injuries. Before any deployment commences, manual handling training should be given to anyone involved.
Ensure that weights are clearly marked on the packages. Make sure that lifting equipment is available
as appropriate.
Rotating machinery. Potential for fractures and possible amputations. Dangers should be highlighted in the safety brief given prior to equipment deployment. Only trained
and competent personnel to use the equipment. No loose clothing or jewellery to be worn.

Slips, trips and falls. Potential for minor injuries such as cuts, bruises or minor Appropriate footwear to be worn. Handrails to be used. There should be an awareness of the sea
fractures. conditions. Good housekeeping will also minimise the incidences of slips, trips and falls.
Use of crane for loading Potentially leading to loss of consciousness in the worst case. Hard hats to be worn when lifting operations are ongoing. Banksman to be used.
equipment/deploying recovery
device.
Vessel collision/grounding. Potential for hypothermia, drowning or impact injuries. Vessel crew should be trained and the vessel’s navigational equipment should be in a good state of
repair.
Fire onboard vessel. Potential for minor burns, leading to death in the worst case Alarm systems should be fitted and checked as should fire fighting equipment. Fire procedures
should be included into the safety brief.
Skin contact with recovered oil. Can lead to dermatitis. Wear gloves/barrier cream and PPE to cover the skin.

While this table lists some of the common hazards that are likely to be present when conducting offshore containment and recovery operations,
it does not constitute a risk assessment. A full site-specific risk assessment should always be conducted prior to operations commencing.
Key Steps

1 ! 2 3 4 5
Spill Contain Recover Store the
Plan and Preparation the Oil the Oil Recovered
Train
Oil
Plan and Train If you plan to use containment and recovery as a response strategy, key assets and personnel should be
identified and/or trained prior to any incident occurring.

Oil Spill Equipment Operator Vessel Crew

Minimum of one appointed Deck Lead required per deployment vessel during deployment.

Roles and Responsibilities: Roles and Responsibilities:

Ensure the successful Ensure the health and safety  essel’s Captain maintains
V Ensure the effective and safe
deployment of oil recovery of those involved in the absolute authority for safety of running of the vessel.
boom. containment and recovery the vessel and the passengers.
operations.
Ensure the successful
Training Required:
deployment, setup and  dvise vessel crew on
A
operation of the recovery appropriate speed and course
In the health and safety aspects of containment and recovery operations.
device. to maximise the oil collected.

Report to Incident Command May be required to maintain

the amount of oil collected. communications with the aerial
surveillance platform (this
One or more of the vessel’s crew could be designated to assist with
could also be conducted by the
the equipment deployments as long as they have undergone the
Captain).
appropriate training.
Training Required:
In the health and safety aspects of containment and recovery operations.
In the deployment of containment boom and recovery devices.
In the potential causes of boom failure.
 the most effective way of carrying out containment and recovery
In
operations.

A basic operator’s induction course could be run covering the roles and responsibilities of the operator (designated Deck Lead) and the booming vessel.
Preparation: Organise Operations
Establishing effective methods of communication for containment and recovery operations can greatly enhance the success of the operation.

Communications Plan Organisation Vessel Tracking

In order to ensure effective communications If there are a number of vessels tasked with It is useful to have an Automatic Identification
it is important to produce a communications conducting containment and recovery System (AIS) fitted on the vessels in order
plan which will document: operations the use of ‘mother ships’ may be to track the containment and recovery
considered to ensure that there are clear lines operations from Incident Command and
W
 ho to call in the event of an emergency.
of communication. ensure the safety of the personnel on board.
N
 ames of resources deployed, call signs The mother ship may also be useful in being
and frequencies they are operating on. able to provide additional resources to vessels
conducting response operations.
Poor Communications
Ineffective communication between the
command post and the vessels, the aerial
AERIAL SURVEILLANCE SUPPORT surveillance support and the vessels, or
between the bridge and the deck, may
INCIDENT COMMAND Via UHF (If the vessel is fitted with a UHF base
lead at best to the unsuccessful recovery
station communications can be maintained of oil, or at worst to unsafe situations and
with the aircraft over a much wider area)
accidents.
Generally via satellite
communications

Via VHF

VESSEL TASKED WITH

“MOTHER SHIP” CONTAINMENT AND
RECOVERY OPERATIONS
Preparation: Offshore Containment and Recovery Systems
The following will be required:
Offshore Boom T o increase the length of the boom and therefore the encounter, you may consider joining two (or
more) booms together.

Recovery Device There are many types of skimmers available. For more information, see ‘Recover the Oil’.

Deployment Vessel A deployment vessel should have:

• Adequate deck space to load, secure and deploy the containment and recovery equipment.
• A means of communicating to the tow vessel and the ‘mother ship’ and/or the aerial surveillance support.
• Adequate berthing for crews and operations teams on board.
• An open stern capable of deploying boom safely.
• A crane to lift heavy equipment, such as offshore skimmers.

Tow Vessel A tow vessel should have:

• A suitable means of securing the tow line in a safe manner.
• A means of communicating to the deployment vessel.
• Adequate berthing for crews and operations teams on board.

Suitable Storage S torage requirements can be estimated from the pumping capacity of your recovery device(s) and the
length of time that the vessels are anticipated to be at sea.
• Employing an independent vessel to shuttle supplies and storage devices to the area of operation will ensure
the maximum efficiency of your recovery operations as the containment and recovery vessels are then able to
stay on station. A method of separating the oil from the water on board would also be advantageous.

Aerial Surveillance Support • To direct vessels onto the oil.

Contain the Oil: Types of Offshore Containment Boom

PASSIVE BOOM ACTIVE BOOM OTHER BOOMING SYSTEMS

Inflation boom is generally used for offshore Active boom systems incorporate a pump The ‘buster’ booms developed by NOFI have
activities as it has better wave-following within the boom structure at the apex of the advantage of being able to be towed
characteristics than rigid boom. There are the boom thus are both a containment and more quickly than traditional passive inflation
many different makes of offshore boom recovery device. booms (4-5 knots as opposed to <1 knot).
however the principles are the same.
T he recovery device is incorporated into Can be towed quicker therefore has a

 assive boom is relatively easy to deploy
P the apex of the boom so it is relatively higher encounter rate. Incorporates a
and maintain, ideally suited to spills easy to ensure the recovery device is separator reducing the amount of water
where it may be necessary to deploy and kept in the optimum position. Active and maximising the amount of oil that is
recover the boom relatively frequently as booms are generally designed with high recovered.
the vessels ‘chase the oil’. recovery rates. They are best suited to
A vessel dedicated to recovering from

situations such as well blowouts and
T o complete the system you still need to the boom is generally required as the
pipeline failures which enable vessels
source a suitable recovery system. apex is a considerable distance from the
to stay on station in the same area for
tow vessels. Buster booms are prone to
prolonged periods of time with the boom
collecting debris which can interfere with
permanently deployed.
the ability to recover oil.
Active boom is more complicated to

deploy, maintain and repair than passive
boom.

• AIR TUBE
• WEIR GAP
• OIL
• WATER
• GALLERY
• BOUYANCY TUBE
• HYDRAULIC HOSES & MANIFOLD
• RECOVERED OIL DISCHARGE TUBE
• VANE PUMP
• WATER BALLAST TUBE
Contain the Oil: Common Terms
Boom Handling 1. Encounter: 2. Apex of the Boom:
The distance between the two The part of the boom where the
1
vessels which determines the oil will collect. A recovery device
DO amount of oil which can be should be deployed into the
2
encountered and therefore apex in order to recover the most
 ominate one person to be in charge of
N contained and recovered by amount of oil.
the deployment on the deck. offshore operations. The larger the
Ensure that equipment is correctly
 encounter, potentially the more
connected, check oil and fuel levels if oil recovered.
relevant prior to leaving dockside.

Signal to other vessels that you are


towing, ensure that the boom and tow Boom Deployment Methods
lines are visible in the water.
Straight Lay:
Maintain a slow speed (~0.75 knot). The boom with a buoy attached to the towing line is deployed
straight from boom reel. Once all of the boom is deployed the tow
Ensure vessel selected is able to maintain
vessel recovers the buoy and attaches the tow line.
manoeuvrability at such speeds.
This is the quickest, most straightforward method of boom
deployment. However, the deployment vessel has less control of the
boom.
DON’T
Proceed with deployment until certain

that all equipment is secured to the deck. Loop Lay:
The tow line on the end of the boom is secured to the vessel. As the
Let ropes get near to propellers! boom continues to be deployed it forms a ‘loop’ around the stern of
Step over the stopper line whilst under the deployment vessel.
tension. Although a slightly more complicated method this ensures that the
deployment vessel has more control over the boom.
Contain the Oil: Boom Configurations
Different boom configurations can be utilised dependent upon the resources that are available for the containment and recovery operations.

J FORMATION U FORMATION V FORMATION SIDE SWEEP

Simultaneous containment Provides a wide encounter Wide encounter with oil. L ess demand on logistics as
and recovery is possible. with oil. only one vessel is required.
Narrow apex, assists in
 rovides a smaller
P  ifficult to coordinate
D maximising the amount of  uick to deploy (if side
Q
encounter. vessels. oil recovered. sweep system is avaliable).

Wide boom apex, making Difficult to coordinate E asy to maintain

it more difficult to position vessels. configuration when
the recovery device for manoeuvring.
 ide boom encounter,
W
optimum oil and minimum
making it more difficult Small encounter.
water recovery.
to position the recovery
More demand on resources device for optimum oil and
and logistics. minimum water recovery.

More demand on resources

and logistics.
Contain the Oil: Potential Causes of Boom Failures
Weather Boom Saturation
If the boom fills with oil
WIND WAVES CURRENT BOOM PERFORMANCE
and a recovery device is not
0-10 knots Calm, 0-0.5 knots deployed the oil collected
GOOD
(0-20 km/hr) swells (0.25 m/s) may overwhelm the boom
and escape.
<20 knots <3-4 ft >1 knot
(<1 m) (>0.5 m/s)
BAD

Undercutting Boom Damage

If the boom is towed at DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT In the event of a chamber
excessive speed or the being damaged during
current is running quickly deployment or operations
then oil may undercut the the remainder of the
boom and escape. boom is able to stay afloat.
There is the potential for
oil to escape through
the resultant gap, so the
damaged chamber should
be repaired as soon as
practicably possible.
Recover the Oil
OLEOPHILIC SKIMMER WEIR SKIMMER MECHANICAL SKIMMER
An oleophilic skimmer uses discs, drums or A weir skimmer sits on the oil/water interface, A mechanical skimmer physically removes oil
brushes which have oleophilic (“oil loving”) the oil flows into the hopper to be pumped from the water’s surface i.e. by the use of nets,
properties. The oleophilic surface picks up into storage. drums or crane-operated buckets.
the oil which is later removed by scrapers and
Skimmer is effective on oil of a higher Skimmer is effective on oils of a higher
pumped into storage.
viscosity than the oleophilic skimmer. viscosity or weathered, emulsified oil.
T he amount of water collected is reduced
 eir skimmers are sensitive to weather
W T here is the potential for a high percentage
compared to other types of skimmers.
conditions and tend to recover a relatively of water to be recovered and a thick layer
T he skimmers are generally ineffective on high proportion of water due to wave of oil is required to be effective.
oil that is heavily emulsified (as the high action. Their operation can also be
percentage of water in oil will inhibit the negatively affected by the presence of
ability of the oil to adhere to the oleophilic debris in the water which may block the
surface). hopper and the pump.

If dispersant has been used oil will not

adhere to the oleophilic surface.

Skimmers will have a pump rating that is based on test tank conditions and does not reflect the reality of offshore recovery operations.
The rated pumping volume will seldom be achieved in field conditions.
Store the Recovered Oil
Suitable types and quantities of temporary storage will be required when conducting containment and recovery operations.

Suitable storage may either be temporary in the form of: Storage could well prove to be a limiting factor for offshore containment and
Inflated barges which can be towed. recovery operations if these logistics are not in place.

Tanks loaded onto the vessel’s deck. Ensure that local regulations are taken into consideration with respect to the
discharge of oily water whilst conducting recovery operations. Some authorities
Using the vessel’s internal tanks or a storage barge.
will allow oily water that has settled in tanks to be discharged back into the apex
It is important that a realistic volume of storage is provided prior to commencing of the boom to reduce the storage need and the amount of liquid that will have
recovery operations. It is likely that a quantity of oily water will be recovered to be treated on return to shore.
(not purely oil). This will increase the amount of storage that will be required.
 Tools
The following page contains information and tools to assist in conducting Containment
and Recovery operations.
 OPERATIONS ASSESSMENT FOR OIL RECOVERY OPERATIONS
VESSEL ARRANGEMENTS YES NO NOTES
1. Is the vessel suited to the sea conditions in which it is to operate?
2. Can the vessel safely accommodate the crew and response team on board? a
- Accommodation facilities
- Catering facilities
- Toilet and washing facilities
3. Does the vessel have appropriate LSA arrangements for the personnel on board?
- Life jacket
- Life boat/raft
- Rescue boat
- Fire fighting equipment
4. Are there sufficient personnel to safely handle the vessel and the response equipment?
5. Does the vessel have appropriate layout and adequate deck space to operate the b
response equipment?
6. Does the vessel have adequate power to operate the boom systems? c
7. Are deck fixings suitable for operations?
8. Is the vessel capable of low speed manoeuvring to handle booms? d
9. Does the vessel have suitable towing arrangements to handle boom systems?
10. Does the vessel have a crane to operate skimmers over the side?
What is the capacity of the crane?
- Lifting capacity (tonnes)
- Reach (m)
11. Does the vessel have suitable storage capacity for recovered oil? e
- Capacity (m3)
- Heating arrangements
- Temperature control
- Temperature measurement
- Tank venting arrangements
- Tank filling arrangements
- Tank emptying arrangements
- Tank cleaning access
- Can tanks be decanted?
12. Does the vessel have adequate communications facilities? f
- Vessel to vessel/shore
- Bridge to deck
- Potentially to spotter aircraft
Notes:
a. Particularly important for remote, prolonged operations.
b. Related to the type and nature of the response operation. Open stern preferred for boom operations.
c. Towing power for boom systems particularly important. Compatibility of vessels needs to be considered
when pairing vessels for boom towing operations.
d. Boom towing speeds less than one knot, need to be able to maintain steerage at low speed.
Bowthruster can be valuable in this situation.
e. Particularly important with viscous oils
f. Vessel will need to be able to communicate vessel to vessel, vessel to shore and intra vessel.
May need to be able to communicate with aircraft for direction.
 Metric
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140

Other Titles in the Field Guide Series

Aerial Surveillance Field Guide

Dispersant Application Field Guide
Dispersant Application Monitoring Tier I Field Guide
Dispersant Application Monitoring Tier II & III Field Guide
Incident Management Handbook
Offshore In-Situ Burn Operations Field Guide
Oil Spill Response Field Guide
Shoreline Operations Field Guide
Vessel Dispersant Application Field Guide
Waste Management Field Guide

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