equipment in modules that are self-contained and quickly installed would 

 allow local governments to specify sites for consolidated processing and 

 storage plants. The site -would remain the same over the 20 to 50 years 

 that oil fields in the area would be developed but the equipment may be 

 changed as needed. 



4. Tanker Vapor Recovery Systems . A major source of reactive hydro- 

 carbons is the venting of vapors from tankers during the loading process, 

 and to some degree during unloading and tank washdown. Present attempts 

 to recover the vapors from loading tankers have failed to reduce the 

 danger of explosion of the collected vapors, and operators are not will- 

 ing to risk lives and equipment on untested systems. Development of safe 

 and effective vapor recovery equipment will reduce serious air pollution 

 problems and eliminate one argument of local and state agencies in favor 

 of pipelines as an alternative of tankers. However, the problem of the 

 greater spill hazard from tankers will remain unsolved. 



5. Oil Spill Containment and Cleanup Equipment . Oil diverting 

 booms or other devices that can effectively contain or remove oil from 

 seas with waves 6 to 8 feet high have not yet been developed nor are they 

 certain to be. For better performance and technological advancement for 

 surface oil film control, the OCS Task Force has recommended that oil 

 spill cleanup operations be transferred to a state agency and that fund- 

 ing for research and development of more effective equipment and techniques 

 be provided by the Federal government. 



SPECIAL FEATURES 



Special features of the Southern California OCS oil and gas develop- 

 ment include the subject of air pollution and tanker traffic (described 



46 



