Using basic equations in the assessment control of oil spill in Nigeria

Abstract

The large scale (xyz) oil spillage of March 24, 1988 tested spill preparedness and response capabilities of both the industry and government which proved, individually and collectively, to be wholly insufficient to control an oil spill of the magnitude. The assessment of corporate preparedness for an oil spillage has been expressed principally in two ways. An assembly of spill response equipment is identified with or equated to a magnitude of spillage. On the other hand, the manufacturer’s stated performance is equated to response capacity. These publicized levels of preparedness have been proved wrong by many a spill internationally and in Nigeria in particular, making the methods of assessment inadequate and -unacceptable. This paper introduces a new measure, the response capacity factor, THE RESPONSE CAPACITY FACTOR, for preparedness assessment defined as the ratio of a reference time duration T (a function of the sensitivity and vulnerability of the site environment) to the estimated duration T during which a spilled quantity Q (associated with an operation site) would be fully recovered within the resources of or available to the organization. The factor is based on management objective for oil spill response, environmental sensitivity and the need for its protection. It recognizes that response capacity is a function of a series of variables notably geographical location and terrain, equipment and personnel resources. The RCF is expected to be a powerful tool for corporate planning (investment comparison, budgeting, staffing, training, operational control, etc.). The applications of the factor for oil-spill cooperatives and national (or regional) contingency planning are also discussed.