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Narrow escape for North Sea gas rigs
Marine Pollution Bulletin
debris. Information should be sent to: George H. Balazs, Southwest Fisheries Center Honolulu Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, PO Box 3830, Honolulu, Hawaii 96812, USA.
More Rapid Response to Oil Spills A computerized oil spill contingency planning system, known as Spil-Com, has been introduced by Globe International. It is the oil pollution control industry's first computerized system which rapidly sorts through and selects specific information from a mass of data using a computerized questionnaire that selectively asks a series of questions. Based on the answers, the programme selects entities that must be notified, provides information to be given, and presents instructions and data for a response to the described spill.
Renewed Interest in Drilling off Southwest England Since the surge in interest in offshore oil prospecting off SW England a decade ago, there has been a decline in activity in the area owing to the lack of success. This resulted in the downgrading of the Falmouth base. It seems now that both Murphy and BP are again interested in exploratory drilling in the area. According to a recent report in Lloyd's List Murphy are definitely intending a one hole programme in the early part of the summer, probably working out from Falmouth. BP's commitment is less certain but it is possible that both companies may be drilling in May/June. The last exploratory drilling programme in the area was completed by ARCO in 1983.
VLCCs May be Used to Build Barrage A barrage that would enclose the UK port of Liverpool is being planned by Merseyside County Council. The scheme involves a mile long barrage extending from New Brighton to Seaforth which will be used to harness the water of the Mersey and power about 30 turbines. A normal system of constructing the barrage is being considered. The idea is to use two large tankers (VLCCs) to form the basis of a moveable coffer dam. The VLCCs will be sunk parallel to one another and along the line of the barrage. The gap between the bow and stern ends then sealed so that construction can take place inside. This would essentially consist of filling the intervening space with concrete. When the section is completed the tankers are refloated to form the next section. EEC funding for a major feasibility study of £500 000 is being sought by Merseyside County Council and commercial companies interested in the project. The main objectives of the study, which is expected to take 14 months, would be to examine objections to the scheme that might arise from inner traffic movements, siltation and disruption of the environment.
Intensive EIA Training Course
The Centre for Environmental Management and Planning Ltd. (CEMP) at Aberdeen University is one of the few European Centres working full-time on environmental impact assessment (ELA). It has been undertaking research and training in the UK and abroad for 14 years. This year CEMP is running a 3 month intensive training course on environmental impact assessment. The course will coincide with the 7th Annual International Seminar on EIA, sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment ProThe collision in January of this year between the gramme. Participants in the course are expected to take 155 000 t Greek tanker Orleans and the 295 t Dutch part in the seminar as it will form an integral part of trawler, Jan Van Toon narrowly escaped being a major their training. disaster when fire broke out after the collision. The The course, which is intended to provide participants trawler holed one of the tanker's side tanks containing with an understanding of the main principles, procearound 10 000 t of oil from the Brent oilfield. The dures and methods of EIA, begins with a review of EIA spilled oil was of a light variety and was expected to procedures in selected countries. This is followed by a break up in the prevailing rough water and was likely to comprehensive analysis of the principle EIA methods disperse before being beached. using documented studies. Twenty-eight of the tankers 31 crew took to the life Considerable emphasis will be placed on practical boats and were later airlifted to safety by helicopter. exercises which will include individual assignments and The ships master and two officers stayed on board to group studies. Further information can be obtained assist in extinguishing the fire and securing a tow. from Sandra Ralston, CEMP, Department of GeoThe incident took a serious turn when the burning graphy, University of Aberdeen, Old Aberdeen, AB9 ship began to drift towards the jack-up accommodation 2UF, Scotland, UK. rig Dyri Gamma in the Shell/Esso operated Sean gas field. At one stage 55 of the 63 men on board the Dyri Gamma were evacuated returning only after the 10 000 bhp tug Smit-Lloyd 123 got a line on to the tanker. This subsequently parted in a Force 9 gale and was only re, established with the help of a second tug, the 7000 bhp Ijsland. The tanker was taken to Rotterdam. A major International Technical Conference on Envi-
Narrow Escape for North Sea Gas Rigs
International Technical Conference on Environmental Protection of the North Sea
84
debris. Information should be sent to: George H. Balazs, Southwest Fisheries Center Honolulu Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, PO Box 3830, Honolulu, Hawaii 96812, USA.
More Rapid Response to Oil Spills A computerized oil spill contingency planning system, known as Spil-Com, has been introduced by Globe International. It is the oil pollution control industry's first computerized system which rapidly sorts through and selects specific information from a mass of data using a computerized questionnaire that selectively asks a series of questions. Based on the answers, the programme selects entities that must be notified, provides information to be given, and presents instructions and data for a response to the described spill.
Renewed Interest in Drilling off Southwest England Since the surge in interest in offshore oil prospecting off SW England a decade ago, there has been a decline in activity in the area owing to the lack of success. This resulted in the downgrading of the Falmouth base. It seems now that both Murphy and BP are again interested in exploratory drilling in the area. According to a recent report in Lloyd's List Murphy are definitely intending a one hole programme in the early part of the summer, probably working out from Falmouth. BP's commitment is less certain but it is possible that both companies may be drilling in May/June. The last exploratory drilling programme in the area was completed by ARCO in 1983.
VLCCs May be Used to Build Barrage A barrage that would enclose the UK port of Liverpool is being planned by Merseyside County Council. The scheme involves a mile long barrage extending from New Brighton to Seaforth which will be used to harness the water of the Mersey and power about 30 turbines. A normal system of constructing the barrage is being considered. The idea is to use two large tankers (VLCCs) to form the basis of a moveable coffer dam. The VLCCs will be sunk parallel to one another and along the line of the barrage. The gap between the bow and stern ends then sealed so that construction can take place inside. This would essentially consist of filling the intervening space with concrete. When the section is completed the tankers are refloated to form the next section. EEC funding for a major feasibility study of £500 000 is being sought by Merseyside County Council and commercial companies interested in the project. The main objectives of the study, which is expected to take 14 months, would be to examine objections to the scheme that might arise from inner traffic movements, siltation and disruption of the environment.
Intensive EIA Training Course
The Centre for Environmental Management and Planning Ltd. (CEMP) at Aberdeen University is one of the few European Centres working full-time on environmental impact assessment (ELA). It has been undertaking research and training in the UK and abroad for 14 years. This year CEMP is running a 3 month intensive training course on environmental impact assessment. The course will coincide with the 7th Annual International Seminar on EIA, sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment ProThe collision in January of this year between the gramme. Participants in the course are expected to take 155 000 t Greek tanker Orleans and the 295 t Dutch part in the seminar as it will form an integral part of trawler, Jan Van Toon narrowly escaped being a major their training. disaster when fire broke out after the collision. The The course, which is intended to provide participants trawler holed one of the tanker's side tanks containing with an understanding of the main principles, procearound 10 000 t of oil from the Brent oilfield. The dures and methods of EIA, begins with a review of EIA spilled oil was of a light variety and was expected to procedures in selected countries. This is followed by a break up in the prevailing rough water and was likely to comprehensive analysis of the principle EIA methods disperse before being beached. using documented studies. Twenty-eight of the tankers 31 crew took to the life Considerable emphasis will be placed on practical boats and were later airlifted to safety by helicopter. exercises which will include individual assignments and The ships master and two officers stayed on board to group studies. Further information can be obtained assist in extinguishing the fire and securing a tow. from Sandra Ralston, CEMP, Department of GeoThe incident took a serious turn when the burning graphy, University of Aberdeen, Old Aberdeen, AB9 ship began to drift towards the jack-up accommodation 2UF, Scotland, UK. rig Dyri Gamma in the Shell/Esso operated Sean gas field. At one stage 55 of the 63 men on board the Dyri Gamma were evacuated returning only after the 10 000 bhp tug Smit-Lloyd 123 got a line on to the tanker. This subsequently parted in a Force 9 gale and was only re, established with the help of a second tug, the 7000 bhp Ijsland. The tanker was taken to Rotterdam. A major International Technical Conference on Envi-
Narrow Escape for North Sea Gas Rigs
International Technical Conference on Environmental Protection of the North Sea
84