TWO-LEVEL OIL RECOVERY PROTECTION SYSTEM USED AT RIVER BASIN

Alexander Kurchenko Emergency Oil Spill Response Team PRIRODA Ltd. , , Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/iosc/article-pdf/1999/1/1229/1751691/2169-3358-1999-1-1229.pdf by guest on 26 September 2021

ABSTRACT: The development of oil production in Timan- Pechora oil and gas basin substantially added to the increase of the environmental pollution risk, especially pollution due to the oil products. The main impact to the environment was caused by Vosei-Golovnye pipeline break (Russia, Komi Republic) in 1994, where large areas were covered with oil. In order to prevent oil spill of Pechora River, a two-level protection system was de- signed and constructed in 1995 by PRIRODA specialists. The first level of protection consists of containment devises at creeks in oil production placed at possible oil penetration on creeks. The second level of protection is situated at River and consists of up to eight specialized vessels, with approximately 1,700 me- ters of booms; the moorage has been constructed with oil pipeline for the recovered oil to the oil treatment facility. The system is operated by qualified specialists. Three years of experience to operate multilevel protection system in Pechora basin showed a high level of efficiency which assists in prevention of negative impact of oil pipeline breaks at the environment.

Introduction

Komi Republic is situated in the northeast of the European Russia. The Arctic Circle divides the Republic into two parts. The area of the Republic equals the area of France. The southern part of the Republic is planted by the coniferous and mixed woods, the northern part by forest-tundra and tundra. Oil and gas produc- tion, wood treatment are the main branches of the industry. The Figure 1. Map of Pechora River Basin. main watercourse—Pechora—drains through the whole of the Komi Republic from southeast to northwest. The climate is conti- used by the KOMINEFT Oil Company. The main components of nental, the frost-free period lasts for 4 months (Figure 1). As a the system are the following (Figure 2): result of the industrial activity of the oil companies in the area, • First level: containment devices at creeks there was an increase in the environment contamination risk. The • Second level: containment devices and technical equip- major environmental impact was caused by the 1994 oil spill, ment at Kolva River which occurred on the Vosei-Golovnye oil pipeline as a result of The two-level system has the following tasks: which the considerable area was covered with oil. The spill cre- • The spill protection system of the oil that entered the wa- ated the threat that it could be transported to the nearby Kolva tercourses as a result of the pipeline ruptures River and then into Pechora River which is the main watercourse • Removal of the oil contained by the containment devices of the northern-eastern part of European Russia and is important • Transportation of the collected oil containing liquid to the for the local population in the region. oil treatment facility • Treatment of the collected oil containing liquid and rein- jection of the oil into the pipeline Main tasks of the two-level system

To prevent the contamination of Pechora River and its tributar- First level of the protection system ies—Kolva and Rivers—the PRIRODA specialists have designed and created a two-level protection system that was The first level includes siphon dams, hydraulic catchers and booms in the mouth of creeks.

1229 1230 1999 INTERNATIONAL OIL SPILL CONFERENCE

Two-row booms are placed in the mouth of creeks that are at potential risk of oil contamination. There are also specially equipped pads with the portable tanks (Fastank type) with the capacity 7 cum and place available for portable skimmer installa- tions (peristaltic and vacuum). Six specialists using three vacuum trucks maintain the first-level equipment. If necessary, additional equipment and booms can be delivered by the truck.

Second level of the protection system

The second level of protection is located at Kolva River and Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/iosc/article-pdf/1999/1/1229/1751691/2169-3358-1999-1-1229.pdf by guest on 26 September 2021 includes eight items of specially equipped vessels and several rows of booms of different modifications 1,700 meters long in total placed at the river (Figure 4). The second-level equipment is placed downstream the river where there are no oil production facilities, which ensures the detection of oil in case of an accident LEGEND at the oil pipelines crossing the river at several places upstream. Road 1 Moorage 8 Support barge Plus, the second level backs up the first level in case of a major

) ' Bridge 2 OH treatment facility 9 Pump barge accident if the latter fails to contain the spilled oil. The arrange-

. |~~) Dams with siphon pipes 3-5 Tugboats ment of the second-level booms ensures that Kolva River is fully

.—— Booms 6 Tank barges covered in case of an accident. »o— Pumping system 7 Oil-gathering vessel

Figure 2. Two-level protection system chart.

Siphon dams are hydraulic engineering devices placed in the position of potential oil spill resulting from the pipeline rupture at small watercourses (creeks) that course through the area of the oil fields. Such constructions, capital and temporary, are used by KOMINEFT Oil Company since the beginning of the oil produc- tion in the region. The main disadvantages of the siphon dams are: • Considerable erection costs • High running costs • Technogenic impact on the banks and river beds in the construction areas of such structures Hydraulic catchers present a simpler but not less effective con- struction designed by PRIRODA specialists in order to reduce the construction costs as well as environmental impact (Figure 3).

Figure 4. The second level of the protection system. Booms Sinking zone The oil-gathering vessel placed at the river by the special tug- boat is the main element of the second-level equipment. Oil-gath- ering vessel was designed and constructed at the shipbuilding Oil contamination yard in Astrakhan (Russia). Oil-gathering vessel is equipped with the diesel power station by the capacity 50 kilowatt, steamer for the heating of the oil Access road containing liquid, tanks for the 60 cum of the oil containing liq- uid, the pump for oil delivery with the discharge 270 cum/hour. The collective tank of the oil-gathering vessel is closed by the ball cock while not at work. In this case the water level in the collective tank checks with the level of river water. As soon as the contaminated water is detected the water is pumped from the Equipment pad tank, the ball cock opens and the contaminated water enters the collective tank. The other second-level equipment includes: Fastank • Two tank barges (170 cum and 120 cum capacity) for the Figure 3. Hydraulic catcher. oil-containing liquid detected by the oil-gathering vessel. RESPONSE AND RECOVERY 1231

• Support barge that has additional emergency diesel power Improvement of the system components station, tanks for fuel and the premises for personnel rec- reation. The two-level protection system was used by KOMINEFT • Response barge containing the equipment for the emer- Company in 1995, and in the following 2 years different compo- gency response. The barge is equipped with four Fastank nents of the system were improved. This increased considerably tanks, Desmi-terminator skimmer, portable pumps and the effectiveness of the system. other backup equipment. The barge has 500 m of booms The major problem consisted in the improving of the reliability of different modification, and there is a domestic facility of the booms near the oil-gathering vessel. As the river water- for personnel. course is rather high some oil percolates through the booms and • Pump barge by the capacity 32 cum/hour for pumping of the complete containment could not be achieved. Optimal boom the oil-containing liquid from the tank barge to the oil construction that allows to prevent penetration of oil through the treatment facility.

booms was determined by experiment. There is the so-called Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/iosc/article-pdf/1999/1/1229/1751691/2169-3358-1999-1-1229.pdf by guest on 26 September 2021 If necessary, the tugboat does the movement of the above "shadow" zone between the first and second row of booms where dumb barges. Besides, there are three more boats—one for anchor the river course is much lower. That is why the oil that penetrates and boom placing and the two others for the transportation of through the first row of the booms because of the quick course is personnel and, if necessary, additional equipment to the site of oil concentrated in the shadow zone and is headed by the slow water containment works. course to the oil-gathering vessel. In order to eliminate the bend- The moorage that allows discharging of the oil-containing liq- ing of the second-row boom skirt by the course wooden booms uid from the tank barge is situated in the vicinity of the oil-gath- 20-25 cm diameter are made from tree trunks and placed close to ering vessel. The oil pipeline and steam pipeline running close to the boom. The trunks are tied together by the chain with 5-10 cm the moorage allow to warm the collected oil in the tank yarn between them. The course presses the second-row boom barge and then pump it to the oil treatment facility that is situated skirt to the wooden booms that are buried under the water up to in 500 m from the moorage. the 3/4 of their height and prevents the boom from bending. The second-level equipment is maintained 24 hours a day to be The second major problem that was solved during the utiliza- prepared for any emergency response. The personnel maintaining tion of the system consisted in the penetration of oil gathered by the second-level equipment includes 20 people—10 on the boat the booms in front of the receiving device of the oil-gathering crews and oil-gathering crew and 10 on the rapid response team. vessel under its bottom. To solve this problem, a special device called hydrodynamic extension was designed. It is fixed into the oil-gathering vessel in front of its receiving device and allows Mechanism of the two-level system operation eliminating the turbulence of the watercourse and reducing the water flow. As a result, the penetration of the oil through the The following emergency response plan is followed in case of bottom of the vessel is eliminated. pipeline break and oil entering the creeks. If the siphon dam was placed at the creek, the response team deploys the equipment at the specially designed pad and collects Conclusion spilled oil gathered by the siphon dam. In case there is no siphon dam at the creek and no booms can Three-year experience in operating of the two-level protection be used for oil spill containment in the vicinity of its entering the system in Pechora basin showed its high effectiveness and al- creek, the response team together with the response barge travels lowed to prevent the impact of the oil spills from the pipelines on to the mouth of the creek where the first-level system booms are the environment of the area. placed. Depending on the volumes of spilled oil it is collected by peristaltic pumps or Desmi-terminator skimmers into the Fas- tanks. If large volumes of oil are contained by the booms the Biography collected oil is pumped into the tank barge which is transported to the mouth of the creek by the tugboat. After the creek cleanup is Alexander Kurchenko has been working in the oil industry of completed the collected oil in the tank barges and Fastanks is the Komi Republic more than 20 years. In 1993 he organised transported to the moorage where it is pumped into the oil treat- Emergency Oil Spill Response Team PRIRODA Ltd. the main ment facility. activity of which consisted of the cleanup of oil contamination. In In case of an accident where the pipeline is crossing Kolva 1995-1996 the company was one of the main contractors for Oil River or as a result of the large oil spill the first-level equipment Spill Recovery and Mitigation Project in Kolva basin (Komi Re- of the protection system cannot ensure the complete containment public, Russia) financed by the World Bank and European Bank of the oil spill. In this case the second-level equipment is acti- for Reconstruction and Development Loan. Alexander Kurchenko vated. Some oil that entered the river is gathered by the boom is a consultmen of Russian Federation Ministry of Emergency traps, which are placed in the most risky areas of the river. The Situations on the matter of oil spill response. skimmers then collect this oil. The remaining oil is contained by booms near the oil-gathering vessel and is directed to its collec- tive tank and then pumped into the oil-gathering vessel tanks. To complete the containment of the oil contamination the response team deploys additional booms in the area of the oil-gathering vessel that cover the whole of the riverbed. The team also ensures the pumping of the oil collected by the oil-gathering vessel into the tank barge. Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/iosc/article-pdf/1999/1/1229/1751691/2169-3358-1999-1-1229.pdf by guest on 26 September 2021