Oil spill identification. Waterborne petroleum and petroleum products

Abstract Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is an effective, all-weather oil spill identification method that has been widely applied for oil spill monitoring. However, the distinguishability on oil types is seldom considered while selecting excitation wavelength. This study is intended to find the optimal excitation wavelength for fine-grained classification of refined oil pollutants using LIF by comparing the distinguishability of fluorometric spectra under various excitation wavelengths on some typical types of refined-oil samples. The results show that the fluorometric spectra of oil samples significantly vary under different excitation wavelengths, and the four types of oil applied in this study are most likely to be distinguished under the excitation wavelengths of 395 nm and 420 nm. This study is expected to improve the ability of oil types identification using LIF method without increasing time or other cost, and also provides theoretical basis for the development of portable LIF devices for oil spill identification.

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OIL SPILL INCIDENTS AND DISPERSANT APPLICATIONS IN KUWAIT

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1987-1-247 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 1987 (1) ◽

pp. 247-253

Author(s):

Salah M. Al-Mazidi ◽

Omar Samhan

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Marine Environment ◽

Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽

Petroleum Hydrocarbon ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Petroleum Products ◽

Coastal Environment ◽

Industrial Activities ◽

Oil Refineries ◽

North And South

ABSTRACT Since the discovery of oil in Kuwait, most oil-related activities have been located along the coastline 50 km south of Kuwait City. Other related industrial activities have been developed in this area apart from oil and petroleum products export in order to diversify the national sources of income. For these reasons, the potential for large oil spills in Kuwait's marine environment is highest along the south coast, where oil refineries and exporting facilities are located. An average of 219 barrels of oil were spilled annually between 1979 and 1985, and 2,100 gallons of dispersants were used in cleanup operations. The majority of incidents involved less than 5 barrels of oil and 500 gallons of dispersants. Incidents involving more than 100 barrels of oil and 5,000 gallons of dispersants were confined to the Sea Island and Mina Al-Ahmadi North and South Piers. This distribution undoubtedly affects the concentration of petroleum residues in various components of the marine environment, resulting in an increase in tar ball density along this coast, reaching a maximum at Ras Az-Zor, and significantly higher levels of vanadium and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments and oysters collected south of Mina Al-Ahmadi. The objective of this paper is to report on the number, volume, and frequency distribution of oil spill incidents in Kuwait and the usage of dispersants in cleanup operations. Vanadium and petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations also are described as is the sensitivity of the southern coastal environment to oil spills. Recommendations have been made on how to conduct cleanup operations for any future oil spill incidents along the southern shoreline of Kuwait.

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