Presentation Abstract
Risk of oil spill within the Salish Sea has recently been highlighted by the construction of Canada’s Kinder Morgan Trans-Mountain Expansion Project, which is expected to increase oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Juan de Fuca by over 400 tankers per year. Complex circulation patterns in this high-energy fjord complicates the tracking of spills to aid both prevention and response. PNNL’s Salish Sea Model has been refined for over a decade and represents the leading hydrodynamic model for the region. In a recent project, the Salish Sea Model was paired with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s General NOAA Operational Modeling Environment (GNOME) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Blowout and Spill Occurrence Model (BLOSOM) to recreate the 2003 Point Wells oil spill near Seattle, Washington. This was the first time that GNOME and BLOSOM were directly compared, highlighting differences in methodology and practice. Yet this was also an opportunity to optimize the Salish Sea Model for surface oil spills, understanding the specific challenges associated with the Salish Sea region. The challenges have been overcome and the Pt. Wells spill trajectory has been successfully reproduced. This project showcased the importance of correct hydrodynamics in a high-energy, enclosed estuary. Building on this experience equips the Salish Sea Model to inform planning and response activities that can protect vulnerable animals and habitat in this pristine environment.
Session Title
Posters: Vessel Traffic: Risk & Impacts
Keywords
oil spill, trajectory, Puget Sound, Pt. Wells, Gnome, BLOSOM
Conference Track
SSE18: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE18-130
Start Date
5-4-2018 11:30 AM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events); posters
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Tankers--Juan de Fuca, Strait of ; Oil spills--Risk assessment; Oil spills--Prevention; Oil spills--Cleanup--Washington (State)--Puget Sound--Simulation methods
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Energy Technology Laboratory (U.S.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Challenges with accurate tracking of oil spill trajectories within Puget Sound
Risk of oil spill within the Salish Sea has recently been highlighted by the construction of Canada’s Kinder Morgan Trans-Mountain Expansion Project, which is expected to increase oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Juan de Fuca by over 400 tankers per year. Complex circulation patterns in this high-energy fjord complicates the tracking of spills to aid both prevention and response. PNNL’s Salish Sea Model has been refined for over a decade and represents the leading hydrodynamic model for the region. In a recent project, the Salish Sea Model was paired with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s General NOAA Operational Modeling Environment (GNOME) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Blowout and Spill Occurrence Model (BLOSOM) to recreate the 2003 Point Wells oil spill near Seattle, Washington. This was the first time that GNOME and BLOSOM were directly compared, highlighting differences in methodology and practice. Yet this was also an opportunity to optimize the Salish Sea Model for surface oil spills, understanding the specific challenges associated with the Salish Sea region. The challenges have been overcome and the Pt. Wells spill trajectory has been successfully reproduced. This project showcased the importance of correct hydrodynamics in a high-energy, enclosed estuary. Building on this experience equips the Salish Sea Model to inform planning and response activities that can protect vulnerable animals and habitat in this pristine environment.
