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Pre-booming requirements now in place As of Oct. 26, 2007,
all vessels delivering oil and the state's 18 major land-based, large-volume oil
handling facilities must deploy containment boom equipment before starting oil
transfers over water at rates of 500 gallons per minute or more when it is safe
and effective to do so.
Ecology has determined that high-rate oil transfers over water presents the highest risk of a sizeable oil spill. The rule gave high-rate deliverers a year to craft plans showing how they will comply with the new measure. The new "pre-booming" requirements are part of Ecology's oil transfer rule that went into effect in phases beginning October 2006. The pre-booming requirements covers a wide variety of petroleum and plant-based fuel products such as crude oil, diesel and bio-diesel fuel and heavy fuel oils. The rules do not apply to highly volatile products, like gasoline, and aviation fuels where containing the product could create an explosive atmosphere that would endanger human life. Oil transfers present high spill risk The risk of oil spills during transfers over water was highlighted on Dec. 30, 2003, when a 4,700-gallon oil spill occurred during an oil transfer near Edmonds, Washington. In that incident, a Foss Maritime tank barge overflowed its cargo tanks while taking on a cargo of heavy fuel oil at Point Wells in Puget Sound. Human and equipment failures on the vessel contributed to the spill. The spill’s impact was compounded by a series of response equipment failures such that much of the oil slick was not effectively contained before impacting sensitive marine resources and wetland areas, including a Suquamish Tribe shellfish bed. As a result, the 2004 Washington Legislature gave Ecology the authority and funding to write a new rule to regulate oil transfers, require pre-booming prior to high-rate transfers, and establish other spill prevention measures. Ecology went through a formal rule-making process and adopted its new oil transfer rule, including the pre-booming requirements, in October 2006. Pre-booming first line of defense While Ecology’s first priority is preventing spills from occurring, pre-booming oil transfers is the state’s first line of defense should a spill happen. Pre-booming helps prevent damage to state natural resources which are especially important in an already threatened Puget Sound where the bulk of oil transfers are occurring. Pre-booming can:
To ensure a level playing field, companies must notify Ecology up to 24 hours before they transfer oil so the agency can monitor the activity. Ecology hired five full-time field inspectors to make sure the appropriate prevention and pre-booming requirements are met. Ecology will conduct aircraft surveys to determine if all regulated transfers are being pre-boomed. Mobile tank truck companies covered for first time In addition to the high-rate deliverers, there are 22 land-based, mobile tank truck companies that typically transfer oil at less than 500 gallons per minute. These firms are required to provide plans to Ecology showing how they will ensure that oil transfers and any spill responses are done in a way that doesn't put employees or the environment at risk. As of November 2006, vessels and facilities - including for the first time, mobile tank trucks - that deliver more than 100 gallons of oil over water must give Ecology up to 24-hour advance notice before transferring oil. Billions of gallons of oil transferred over state waters annually Ecology estimates more than 41 million gallons of oil are delivered over Washington waters every day. From November 2006 through September 2007, there were nearly 14,000 regulated oil transfers reported:
The department has determined that about 15.3 billion gallons are transferred over state waters every year. Sometimes a facility can't pre-boom transfers due to high winds, poor weather or fast-moving currents or some safety-related conditions. To comply with the new rule, companies must have additional equipment on hand for a rapid spill response in case of a spill under those adverse conditions. On Oct. 23, 2007, Ecology issued an Administrative Order to the BP Cherry Point refinery near Ferndale because the company indicated it would not have its planned pre-booming system in place by Oct. 26. BP was well on their way to meeting the deadline but suffered significant delays after a construction accident. The incident investigation is now complete. BP is proceeding with construction with an interim compliance plan that includes enhanced spill response capabilities until their project is done. Regulated land-based oil handling (delivering) facilities that must pre-boom
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SectionsBillions of gallons of oil transferred List of regulated land-based oil handling facilities List of other regulated land-based oil handling (receiving) facilities |
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
