Category Archives: Oil Spill Risk

The Gainford Study: Done at 15 degrees C??

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One of the most infamous reports used by Trans Mountain Pipelines comes from the Gainford study : A Study of Fate and Behaviour of Diluted Bitumen Oils on Marine Waters: See the PDF: http-_www.transmountain.com_uploads_papers_1391734754-astudyoffateandbehaviourofdilutedbitumenoilsonmarinewater

15degreesThe fact that it was done under very artificial conditions has been widely criticized. For me, the fact that they used 15 degrees C was enough to make me very dubious given the fact that Strait of Juan de Fuca waters as measured at Race Rocks now for 90 years has rarely in August risen to 13 degrees C.

 

Ship Noise and its Effect on Killer Whales

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In April, 2014 I attended the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in Seattle. One of the presentations  which surprized me showed  the risk to the Southern resident Killer Whale populations from Noise Imapcts in the Salish Sra under Commercial shipping growth Scenarios. Following is a reference to Beam Reach which carries a summary presentation of this. — Scott Veirs, Beam Reach Marine Science & Sustainability; Val Veirs, Colorado College; Jason Wood, Sea Mammal Research Unit

soundimpacticonEmazing talk on fossil fuel ship noise & killer whales

This afternoon I’m giving a talk at the 2014 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in which I present our estimates of sound pressure levels from commercial ships in Haro Strait, the core of the summertime critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whales. I also take a first look at noise impacts of the current tanker and bulk carrier fleets and ask how those impacts may change if a suite of proposed fossil fuel export facilities are added to the Salish Sea.

– See more at: http://www.beamreach.org/2014/04/30/emaze-talk-fossil-fuel-ship-noise-killer-whales

Reference#2: Puget Sound Partnership Oil Spill Issues in Washington

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This organization has assisted in the production of several studies on Oil Spill Issues which affect Juan de Fuca Strait and the Salish Sea.

http://www.psp.wa.gov/oilspills.php

What is the Puget Sound Partnership doing in 2014 to address oil spill issues in Washington?

The 2009 Washington State Legislature directed the Puget Sound Partnership to provide independent advice and assessment of Washington State’s oil spill programs and make recommendations for any necessary improvements. In late summer 2010 the Partnership assembled a Cross-Partnership Oil Spill Work Group to help assist the Leadership Council carry out this responsibility.

The 2012 Action Agenda outlines the priorities identified by the Work Group in May 2011. Since then the Partnership has promoted activites that concentrate on:

  • vessel traffic risk assessments,
  • reduction of abandoned and derelict vessels, and
  • involvement of locals in oil spill practice drills and assessments of natural resources

USA Reference #1: Vessel Traffic Risk Assessment Synopsis. GWU

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This is the first in a series of Risk Assessment publications from US  sources that I will be highlighting here as they have great implications for the risk of oil spills on Metchosin shores:
VTRA 2010–SYNOPSIS OF RMM SCENARIO COMPARISON APPLIED TO CASE T: GW–KM-DP by George Washington University.  Dec 2013

http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~dorpjr/VTRA/PSP/CASES/VTRA%202010%20Master%20Comparison%20-%20T%20-%20RMM.pdf

Dr. J.Rene van Doop and Dr. Jason R.W. Merrick developed a vessel traffic movement baseline based on 2010 data and used that to model predictions for the future given the following projected inceases per year in Tanker Traffic:

487 gateway Bulk Carriers
348 Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (Kinder Morgan)
348 Delta Port Carriers
67 Delta Port Container Ships +Bunkering Barges
1250= Total projected increase per year

VTRA

Material Safety Data Sheet for Diluted Bitumin (Dilbit)

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From the National Energy Board we can find out what is in Dilbit and what precautions we need when it lands on the shores of Metchosin.
You can see the original in this link : or as copied in the images below:

https://docs.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/llisapi.dll/fetch/2000/90464/90552/548311/956726/2392873/2450810/2478758/2522888/Material_Safety_Data_Sheet_-_Diluted_Bitumen_-_A4A9D1.pdf?nodeid=2508614&vernum=-2

ALSO: The following link gives the Occupational and Health Guidelines for Benzene, a Potential Human Carcinogen

https://docs.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/llisapi.dll/fetch/2000/90464/90552/548311/956726/2392873/2450810/2478758/2522888/Occupational_Safety_and_Health_Guideline_for_Benzene_-_A4A9D2.pdf?nodeid=2504533&vernum=-2

dilbit1 dilbit2 dilbit3 dilbit4

The Shoreline of Metchosin: What do we have to lose with tanker traffic

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Along the shoreline of Metchosin and underwater we have ecosystems which are at risk of being heavily impacted in the event of an impending oil spill catastrophe given all the proposed projects which will increase ship traffic to unacceptable levels in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The presentation by Garry Fletcher linked here was done on the evening of October 23rd, 2014 at the Metchosin Community Hall organized by Karyn Woodland and the local Dogwood Initiative Group. ( NOTE: comments are included under the images and all images are copyright of the photographers who took them, John Harper(GeoBC); the ecoguardians at Race Rocks: Ryan Murphy, Raisa Mirza, Alex Fletcher, Anne Stewart, Adam Harding, Mike Robinson and Courtenay Edwards, and myself. The graphics from the first part on Oil Spill Risk are from  posts of Nov.4 on Oil Spill Risks
Link to a description of the three presentations to the Town hall meeting by Kai Nagata of the Dogwood Initiative, Andrew Weaver, Green Party MLA for Oak Bay and Intervenor in the Kinder Morgan hearings, and Garry Fletcher, Intervenor for the Board of Friends of Ecological Reserves in the Kinder-Morgan / Trans Mountain Expansion project hearings. gfpresent