Emergency Response Management of Offshore Oil Spills: Guidelines for Emergency Responders

The Deepwater Horizon catastrophe is shaping up to be the largest offshore oil spill in history and an ecological nightmare of epic proportions. Emergency Response Management of Offshore Oil Spills is intended to aid in the response of this tragic disaster by providing, in one volume, information to rapidly orient response workers. It outlines the toxic nature of crude oil, covering properties of crude oil, chemical composition, toxicity to humans and marine life, and investigates the impact of oil spills from historical case studies. The current arsenals available to address oil spills, such as dispersants, absorbing booms, skinning, and other methods are also discussed. Technologies which are rapidly being developed to address the Gulf Oil Spill are considered, alongside with extensive information on chemical protective clothing, air monitoring, respiratory protection, management of waste, and much more. The book concludes with a chapter discussing responsible care and takes a critical look at the reasons why the Deepwater Horizon Rig catastrophe happened and the failure of British Petroleum to act in a responsible manner.