News Release
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July 24, 2015
U.S. Coast Guard Eighth District External Affairs
Contact: U.S. Coast Guard Heartland
Email: 8district-external@uscg.mil
Office: (618) 225-9008
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Unified Command to conduct in-situ burn
MORGAN CITY, La. –
The East Wax Lake Spill Unified Command will be conducting an in-situ burn on a section of marsh affected by 1,050 gallons of oil near Belle Isle, St. Mary’s Parish, July 25.
In-situ burning is the process of burning oil on the water. Any burn operation includes careful air monitoring to ensure smoke or residue resulting from the burn does not adversely impact people or wildlife.
The spill originated from a submerged pipeline, owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Company, and discharged a 1,050-gallon mixture of crude oil and produced water into a privately owned floating marsh, July 14, 2015.
A unified command comprised of the Coast Guard, Texas Petroleum Investment Company, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was formed to respond to the spill.
Initial cleanup efforts focused on cutting and raking dead vegetation and using sorbent materials. While some oil and oiled vegetation has been recovered, the methods have not proven to be effective.
In-situ burning was discussed by the Unified Command and was determined to be the most effective method of removal. T&T Salvage, a recognized marine fire-fighting company, will be brought in to plan, manage, and conduct the burn. Technical advice will be provided by Mr. Chris LeRouge, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Fire Ecologist.
The Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team will be on-hand to conduct air monitoring.
For additional information or concerns, contact Paige Doelling with NOAA at (206) 549-7819 or Margulies Communications at (214) 368-0909.
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The East Wax Lake Spill Unified Command will be conducting an in-situ burn on a section of marsh affected by 1,050 gallons of oil near Belle Isle, St. Mary’s Parish, July 25.
In-situ burning is the process of burning oil on the water. Any burn operation includes careful air monitoring to ensure smoke or residue resulting from the burn does not adversely impact people or wildlife.
The spill originated from a submerged pipeline, owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Company, and discharged a 1,050-gallon mixture of crude oil and produced water into a privately owned floating marsh, July 14, 2015.
A unified command comprised of the Coast Guard, Texas Petroleum Investment Company, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was formed to respond to the spill.
Initial cleanup efforts focused on cutting and raking dead vegetation and using sorbent materials. While some oil and oiled vegetation has been recovered, the methods have not proven to be effective.
In-situ burning was discussed by the Unified Command and was determined to be the most effective method of removal. T&T Salvage, a recognized marine fire-fighting company, will be brought in to plan, manage, and conduct the burn. Technical advice will be provided by Mr. Chris LeRouge, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Fire Ecologist.
The Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team will be on-hand to conduct air monitoring.
For additional information or concerns, contact Paige Doelling with NOAA at (206) 549-7819 or Margulies Communications at (214) 368-0909.
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In a Louisiana Marsh, an Uncommon Opportunity to Learn about Burning Oil
NOAA and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality supervise the marsh in situ burn from a safe distance. (NOAA)
The marsh with roseau cane (phragmites) after the burn, with residual oil still visible on the water surface. (NOAA)
JULY 1, 2014 -- "Every day is a new adventure." LTJG Kyle
Jellison came to believe this phrase while sailing on the high seas, but
it has proven true in his role as a NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator
as well.
There have been many adventures in his time working in the Gulf of Mexico doing emergency response for oil spills and hazardous materials releases.
The most recent oil spill—a pipeline leak in a Louisiana marsh—didn't seem out of the ordinary, that is, until the Unified Command in charge of the response turned to alternative approaches to quicken and improve the effectiveness of the cleanup.
This sparked further investigation and the discovery of 100 barrels (4,200 gallons) of crude oil, which had leaked out of a breach in their pipeline passing through the Delta National Wildlife Refuge, outside of Venice, Louisiana. Pipelines like this one are routinely inspected, but as they age the potential for corrosion and spills increases.
Roseau cane is a tall, woody plant, similar to bamboo, reaching heights of up to 20 feet. The stalks grow very close together and in water depths between two and 30 inches. This creates a complex situation which is very hard to clean oil out from.
The least invasive method for oil cleanup is to flush out the oil with high volumes of water at low pressure, but this is a long process with low amounts of oil recovered each day. Another common practice is to flush with water while cutting lanes into the vegetation, creating pathways for the oil to migrate along for recovery. Though more aggressive and with higher amounts of oil recovered each day, it still would likely take many weeks or months to clean up this particular oil spill using this method.
In situ burning, Latin for burning in place, is considered an "alternative" response technology, rather than part of the regular suite of cleanup options, and is only employed under the right set of circumstances. More information about this can be found in the NOAA report "Oil Spills in Marshes," which details research and guidelines for in situ burning in chapter 3, Response.
To help determine if burning was appropriate in this case, the Unified Command brought in the NOAA Scientific Support Team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management Team, U.S. Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team, and T&T Marine Firefighting and Salvage. After considering the situation, gaining consensus, developing a burn plan, and earning the support of Regional Response Team 6, it was time to light it up!
The fire remained contained to the area where enough oil was present to support the burn, extinguishing once it reached the edge of the oiled marsh.
We have an ongoing study to evaluate the impacts of the burn, and preliminary results indicate that there was minimal collateral damage. More than 70 percent of the oil was burned over the two-day period. We considered this to be a very successful controlled burn. The much less remaining oil will be recovered by mechanical methods within a few weeks, instead of months.
Texas Petroleum Investment Company, as the responsible party in this case, will be responsible for all costs incurred for this incident, including cleanup and monitoring (and restoration, if necessary).
To help ensure we learn something from this incident, an assessment
team entered the impacted marsh before the burns to collect oil, water,
and sediment samples. The team also collected samples after each day of
burning and returned a week after the burn to assess the condition of
the vegetation and collect samples.
This multi-agency team will return to the site in August for more sampling and monitoring.
The long-term monitoring and sampling project is being managed by NOAA, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Texas Petroleum Investment Company.
We are conducting the study under the umbrella of the Response Science and Technology Subcommittee of the New Orleans Area Committee, a standing body of response scientists. Jeff Dauzat of Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and LTJG Jellison co-chair this subcommittee and are looking forward to the results of this ongoing scientific project.
Was burning the right move? The science will speak for itself in time.
For more information:
There have been many adventures in his time working in the Gulf of Mexico doing emergency response for oil spills and hazardous materials releases.
The most recent oil spill—a pipeline leak in a Louisiana marsh—didn't seem out of the ordinary, that is, until the Unified Command in charge of the response turned to alternative approaches to quicken and improve the effectiveness of the cleanup.
The Spill and Our Options
On May 28, 2014 a plane hired by Texas Petroleum Investment Company was performing a routine aerial survey of their inland oilfield and noticed a slight oil sheen and a dead clump of roseau cane (phragmites).This sparked further investigation and the discovery of 100 barrels (4,200 gallons) of crude oil, which had leaked out of a breach in their pipeline passing through the Delta National Wildlife Refuge, outside of Venice, Louisiana. Pipelines like this one are routinely inspected, but as they age the potential for corrosion and spills increases.
Roseau cane is a tall, woody plant, similar to bamboo, reaching heights of up to 20 feet. The stalks grow very close together and in water depths between two and 30 inches. This creates a complex situation which is very hard to clean oil out from.
The least invasive method for oil cleanup is to flush out the oil with high volumes of water at low pressure, but this is a long process with low amounts of oil recovered each day. Another common practice is to flush with water while cutting lanes into the vegetation, creating pathways for the oil to migrate along for recovery. Though more aggressive and with higher amounts of oil recovered each day, it still would likely take many weeks or months to clean up this particular oil spill using this method.
An Unconventional Solution
What about doing a controlled burn of the oil where it is, a strategy known as in situ burning? It removes a large amount of oil in a matter of days, and when performed properly, in situ burning can help marsh vegetation recover in five years or less for more than 75 percent of cases in one study.In situ burning, Latin for burning in place, is considered an "alternative" response technology, rather than part of the regular suite of cleanup options, and is only employed under the right set of circumstances. More information about this can be found in the NOAA report "Oil Spills in Marshes," which details research and guidelines for in situ burning in chapter 3, Response.
The
in situ burn assessment team seven days after the burn, the first of
several planned site visits. The team is comprised of NOAA, Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Louisiana State University, and contractor Research Planning, Inc.
(NOAA)
To help determine if burning was appropriate in this case, the Unified Command brought in the NOAA Scientific Support Team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management Team, U.S. Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team, and T&T Marine Firefighting and Salvage. After considering the situation, gaining consensus, developing a burn plan, and earning the support of Regional Response Team 6, it was time to light it up!
Where There's Smoke ...
On June 3, 2014, we burned the oil for two hours, with flames reaching 40 feet. The next day, we burned for another six hours. There was a lot of oil to be burned, with pockets of oil spread throughout three acres of impacted marsh.The fire remained contained to the area where enough oil was present to support the burn, extinguishing once it reached the edge of the oiled marsh.
We have an ongoing study to evaluate the impacts of the burn, and preliminary results indicate that there was minimal collateral damage. More than 70 percent of the oil was burned over the two-day period. We considered this to be a very successful controlled burn. The much less remaining oil will be recovered by mechanical methods within a few weeks, instead of months.
Texas Petroleum Investment Company, as the responsible party in this case, will be responsible for all costs incurred for this incident, including cleanup and monitoring (and restoration, if necessary).
Some elephant ear (taro) plants began to regrow within seven days of burning, growing up to 18 inches. (NOAA)
This multi-agency team will return to the site in August for more sampling and monitoring.
The long-term monitoring and sampling project is being managed by NOAA, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Texas Petroleum Investment Company.
We are conducting the study under the umbrella of the Response Science and Technology Subcommittee of the New Orleans Area Committee, a standing body of response scientists. Jeff Dauzat of Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and LTJG Jellison co-chair this subcommittee and are looking forward to the results of this ongoing scientific project.
Was burning the right move? The science will speak for itself in time.
For more information:
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Coast Guard, and Responsible Party Responds to 50-Barrel Oil Spill on Delta National Wildlife Refuge with Controlled Burn
- When Setting Fire to an Oil Spill in a Flooded Louisiana Swamp is a Good Thing | February 2013
- In Situ Burning | NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration