ARKTOS Amphibious Oil Spill Response Craft for Mixed Ice/Water Conditions

Abstract

A major area of concern for any offshore oil development in the Arctic is oil spill response not only due to the extreme environmental conditions, but most importantly because of the current lack of ability to efficiently clean-up an oil spill in this marine environment. This concern has obviously been exacerbated by the ongoing crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. To carry out oil spill operations in the Arctic can be equally as challenging as it is to operate a mile below the water surface as is the case in the Gulf of Mexico. This paper describes ways in which the ARKTOS Amphibious Craft could be employed to assist in oil spill clean-up in the Arctic.