Prince William Sound Dispersants Monitoring Protocol: - - PDF document

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Prince William Sound Dispersants Monitoring Protocol: Implementation and Enhancement of SMART (Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technologies) DRAFT July 2016

The Need for a PWS Dispersants Use Protocol

• PWSRCAC volunteers and staff saw the need for:

* additional biological information, especially pre-spill * additional pre and post-spill monitoring * using lessons learned from BP Deepwater Horizon Spill * enhanced decisions to be made:

• about starting and/or continuing applications
• based on a more complete and accurate understanding of the

~ biological resources and ~ the efficacy of the application

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Developing the PWS Dispersants Monitoring Protocol

• Initial research and work gathering and reviewing existing protocols

* Merv Fingas, Spill Science and SAC Review

• Taking Fingas’ technical review document and using it to build on the

SMART protocol w/a focus on PWS via: * Project Team and Stakeholders * Nuka Research and Planning * SAC Review

What is a Monitoring Protocol?

• Specific process used to collect information and make

decisions about whether to start or stop applications, and to document effectiveness, fate, and effects. * guidance * surveys * testing * checklists * verification

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The Existing Protocol – Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technologies (SMART)

• Developed by federal agencies to inform decision-making during

dispersant applications

• PWSRCAC saw the opportunity and need to include:

* additional biological information (esp. pre-spill), * lessons learned from BP Deepwater Horizon Spill - driven by the widespread and sustained use of dispersants during that spill

PWS Dispersants Monitoring Protocol

• Enhancements:

* Adding to pre- & post-application data collection * Emphasizes adding biological monitoring parameters * Identifying thresholds for dispersant efficacy & effects in Alaska * Incorporating long-term monitoring

• SAC thinks this is an important advancement for the concept of

dispersants monitoring and decision making, both before and after the application process.

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Summarizing the monitoring enhancements to SMART

MONITORING SMART PROTOCOL PWS ENHANCEMENT Pre-application surveys

Not included Survey and data collection on background conditions and ecological sensitivities to inform dispersant use decisions and design

• f enhanced monitoring process

Field efficacy tests

No method specified Recommend use of bottle test to improve accuracy and simplify/expedite process

Tier 1

Visual assessment of efficacy by trained

• bserver based on qualitative evaluation

Establishes thresholds for timing of visual assessment (w/in 30-60 minutes of application) and quantitative threshold for

• min. effectiveness determination at 50%

Tier2

Real-time instrument monitoring using fluorometry, supplemented by sample collection and analysis. No quantitative thresholds. Use of integrated fluorometer/particle size analyzer to evaluate effectiveness against quantitative thresholds for concentrations

Tier 3

Recommends additional data collection to expand evaluation of dispersant effectiveness and explore fate and behavior

• f oil. Biological/toxicological monitoring

Specifies additional monitoring and analytic techniques to evaluate hydrocarbons. Specifies toxicological assessment techniques and equipment, and identifies

Fitting into the into the response and decision-making framework

• Developed for use in PWS, but could be applied in other regions
• Accommodated into the broader response and decision-making

framework when an oil spill occurs by: * adding additional processes coordinated with SMART organization * nesting within established SMART Tier monitoring procedures * using this document as a companion to the SMART Protocol

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Fitting into the response/decision-making framework (contd)

The way forward ~

• Post and distribute
• Share with industry and regulators
• Offered to the VMT C-Plan Coordination Work Group
• Bring to drill planning meetings

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