Crude oil losses and pollution, tanker inerting and cleaning, human safety, and fluoro-solvents

Abstract

On 1 February 1972, 39 crewmen were lost along with a U.S. tanker, the V. A. Fogg, 50 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico in 90 feet of water. A similar disaster occurred as recently as the 22nd of January 1975 when the Lucky Era exploded killing two crewmemhers. Circumstances surrounding these accidental explosions indicate the need for a safe, universal yet economical technique with which to effectively inert and clean tanks. This research investigates a human factors oriented concept combining material, equipment, facilities, personnel and procedures as a cost-effective system to meet this need. No new equipment designs or discoveries are required. The system uses a single waterless, fluorinated hydrocarbon inerting/cleaning agent in a continuous-stream, closed-loop (non-ozone deteriorating) activity in a modular, integrated, single-point-mooring configuration. In addition to reducing hazard levels from toxicity, explosion, fire and asphyxiation, the system should reduce the costly tanker downtime experienced when ships are forced to go miles offshore to dump and flush oily waste. Under present conditions, at best, these ships use separate inerting and cleaning materials with a costly intermediate period for ventilation. This system is keyed toward zero discharge with anticipated recovery of the common inerting/ cleaning agent, crude-oil residuals and tank-bottom clingage. Land-based (portside) applications are explored, with attention to the annual seaward loss of approximately 12 million tons of oily waste along the Texas Gulf coast alone. A significant safety feature of the proposed system relates to transferring the human component from in-tank manual functions to remote monitoring activities and system maintenance. ...