2.2.7 Burning of Oil 



The nation is faced with the problem of deciding whether to use burning 

 agents in the event of a catastrophe such as the Argo Merchant. The useful- 

 ness of having an operational burning system can be envisioned in this situa- 

 tion. For example, had the Avgo Merchant been given permission to dump some 

 oil to extricate itself, the oil may have been rendered harmless if an opera- 

 tional burning system had been available. In lieu of this, two attempts were 

 made to burn off the oil spilled from the tanker. The second of these con- 

 sisted of a planned experiment to test the feasibility of using burning 

 agents and to determine the extent to which such agents would consume oil in 

 actual at-sea conditions. The material used was composed of extremely fine 

 particles of fumed silica, surface treated with a silane coating to render it 

 hydrophobic. Originally, the material was marketed under the trade name CAB- 

 0-SIL ST-2-0. A detailed description of the burning theory is given by Tully 

 (1969). This same material. Identical in all respects, is now marketed under 

 the trade name Tullanox 500, under a licensing agreement with the Cabot 

 Corporation. 



Numerous burning experiments and demonstrations were undertaken before 

 1971. Actual oil spills where burning was attempted include the Torvey 

 Canyon spill in 1967; the Arrow in 1970 (Canada Ministry of Transport 1970a); 

 and the Othello in 1970 (Fribeiger et al., 1971, 1970a). With regard to the 

 Arrow spill in Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia, the following is an excerpt from 

 the report by the Canada Ministry of Transport (1970a) : 



"From a review of the state-of-the-art and from the limited experiments 

 on burning in Chedabucto Bay, it appears feasible to burn fresh Bunker C 

 slicks if certain conditions are met..., but for it to be a practical opera- 

 tion, major advances must be made in the techniques of containment, ignition 

 and maintenance of combustion (wlcking agents)." 



In 1970, the First Naval District conducted sea trials in which two 

 burning agents were used: SEABED, a Pittsburgh Corning product, and CAB-0- 

 SIL. Both products burned an estimated 10,000 of the 15,000 gallons Bunker C 

 oil spilled. The amount each agent burned is not known, but CAB-0-SIL burned 

 for about 16 minutes and SEABED for 4 minutes in swells of 8 to 10 feet and 

 in seawater temperatures of 44°F. The COMDT First Naval District's report on 

 this controlled oil spill (1970) contains the following findings. 



(a) Bunker C oil spilled in its natural state on cold water will not 

 support combustion without a wicking agent. 



(b) The seeding methods demonstrated and the ignition methods attempted 

 are both inadequate for normal at-sea conditions, wind wave and action being 

 the determining factors. 



(c) Subject to satisfactory ignition methods, both products tested will 

 provide a wicking action and support combustion of cold Bunker C oil when 

 adequate coverage is obtained. 



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