58
Calvez - Decision making process
Are logistics available and sufficient for dispersant application? (Figure 9.4)
During an actual spill event, the first thing to check regarding logistics is the availability of
dispersant and, moreover, whether quantities are sufficient for the size of the spill. Such up
dated inventory of dispersant stockpile should be included in the NOSCP, along with invento
ries of spraying systems, other ancillary resources, as well as a listing of requirements
(stockpiles location, equipment characteristics, compatibility, availability, operational limit
conditions, mobilization and deployment timeframe, etc.) 5 .
Dispersants may be available, but in insufficient quantity for an application on the entire spill:
in such case it can be decided to target an appropriate selection of oil slicks (e.g. slicks that
may pose a significant risk towards vulnerable areas).
Figure 9.4: Detailed flowchart for Q3 “Is dispersion feasible from a logistical view point?” (Note: Yellow
boxes indicate information which should be, as possible, made available in NOSCP) (adapt, from Merlin,
2015).
The next steps are:
(i) to verify the availability (or not) of dispersant application equipment and ancillary
resources, and that conducting the operations is logistically feasible;
(ii) to ensure that equipment and resources can be mobilized on location in due time
(i.e. within the “window of opportunity for dispersion of the oil”).
Such verifications rely upon inventory of stockpiles/resources, as well as info regarding mobi
lization delays, which should have been included in a NOSCP.
5 Complementary resources include aerial surveillance aircrafts for guiding the operations at sea and check-
Ing/monltorlng dispersion ops efficiency, communication/reporting as well as transfer equipment.