Presenta(on of the Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel Report on the November 25, 2015, Calgary, AB Welcome Dr. David B. Layzell, FRSC Chair, Commi*ee on Expert Panels, Royal Society of Canada Professor and Director, Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR) Ini(a(ve, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (www.cesarnet.ca) Agenda: q 
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About the Royal Society and its Expert Panel Process Introduce the Panel Chair and Members Panel Chair: Overview of the Panel Report QuesDons and Answers About the Royal Society of Canada •  Founded in 1882 by Royal Charter •  Canada's senior ‘NaDonal Academy’ represenDng: q  Arts and HumaniDes, q  Social Sciences and q  Natural Sciences & Engineering Mandate of the RSC “ To serve Canada and Canadians by recognizing Canada’s leading intellectuals, scholars, researchers and ar(sts and by mobilizing them in open discussion and debate, to advance knowledge, encourage integrated interdisciplinary understandings and address issues that are cri(cal to Canada and Canadians.” RSC Expert Panels To fulfill it’s role In Knowledge TranslaDon, the RSC relies on Sponsors. … However, to access the RSC Expert Panel process, sponsors must agree to analyses that are: q  Independent, q  Balanced, q  Evidence-­‐based, q  ObjecDve The RSC Expert Panel Process: Sponsors Public Release of Final Report Define ‘Terms of Reference’ Appoint Panelists & manage funds RSC Cmtee on Expert Panels IdenDfy Reviewers Expert Panel Consults & Researches Problem Write the Report CriDcal Review of DraZ Report Peer Review CommiAee Thank you to our sponsors ….for their support of the Expert Panel on the “Behaviour and Environmental Impacts of Crude Oil Released into Aqueous Environments” Panelists Chair Dr. Kenneth Lee, Director, Oceans and Atmosphere, Commonwealth ScienDfic & Industrial Res. Org. (CSIRO), Perth, W. Australia Dr. Bing Chen, Leader, Northern Region Persistent Organic PolluDon Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Assoc. Prof, Civil Engineering, Memorial Univ., NL Dr. Julia Foght, Prof. Emeritus (Petroleum Microbiology), Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Dr. Peter V. Hodson, Professor Emeritus (ecotoxicology), Biology and Env. Studies, Queen’s University, ON Dr. Albert Venosa, former Director, Land RemediaDon and PolluDon Control Division (LRPCD), US Env. ProtecDon Agency, USA Dr. Michel Boufadel, Prof. Env. Eng. & Director, Center for Natural Resources Dev’t & ProtecDon, NJ Inst. of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA Dr. Stella Swanson, AquaDc Ecologist and Risk Assessment Specialist, Swanson Environmental Strategies, Calgary, AB Behaviour and Environmental Impacts of Crude Oil Released into Aqueous Environments The Royal Society of Canada La Société royale du Canada November 2015 Kenneth Lee (chair, RSC Expert Panel) Oceans and Atmosphere Commonwealth ScienDfic Industrial OrganisaDon (CSIRO) Australia. Oil Spill Risks
(ITOPF, 2014) Large oil tanker spills (>700 tonnes) occurring worldwide from 1970 to 2014 •  Canada produces some three million barrels of oil every day, impor]ng hundreds of thousands more, and all of it travels somewhere -­‐ accidents happen. •  Growing concerns: spill risks in the Arc]c, pipeline ruptures, rail and roadside accidents. ‘Light’ chemical components Diluted bitumen (e.g., dilbit) Bitumen OIL TYPES Heavy oils Medium oils Light oils Condensates RELATIONSHIP OF OIL COMPOSITION TO OIL
TYPE AND PROPERTIES
‘Heavy’ chemical components VolaDle, Emulsifies Biodegradable, Acute toxicity Persistent, Viscous Poorly biodegradable Chronic toxicity GENERALIZED OIL PROPERTIES • 
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Crude Oils and diluted bitumens are very complex mixtures of thousands of chemicals We do not even know the structures and behaviour of some components Their proporDons dictate oil properDes and therefore environmental fate Very difficult to predict fate based on chemistry alone – need experimentaDon Type of oil •  Differences in toxicity among oils are determined by concentrations of toxic
components, and by environmental fate and behaviour.
•  More research is needed to better understand the chemistry, properties and
spill behaviour of newer, less-familiar oils, such bitumen, diluted bitumen
blends and other unconventional oils.
•  Diluted bitumens (dilbits)
•  There are too few data on dilbit toxicity to conclude that dilbits are more or
less hazardous than conventional oils
•  When spilled, diluted bitumens weather rapidly and may sink in freshwater
•  Thus, dilbits may pose a heightened risk to sediment-dwelling organisms. Onset, duration and magnitude of weathering processes
for a medium conventional oil spilled on water
Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons
Optimum temperatures for hydrocarbon degradation rates in soil, fresh
water and marine environments
•  Temperature may influence oil persistence (i.e., oil biodegradaDon rates) Fate and Behaviour of Oil Spilled in the Aqua]c Environment • 
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Variety and complexity of environmental processes (physical, chemical and biological) Different fates and different Dmescales (immediate to decades or centuries) Depends on type of oil and type of environment and prevailing condiDons Each spill is unique because of these combinaDons of factors Fate and Behaviour of Oil Interacting with Ice in Marine and
Freshwater Environments
Biological, chemical, and physical characteris]cs of the environment alter spilled oil and their subsequent level of impacts on the ecology of the biosphere. •  Environment factors affect and change the behaviour of the spilled oil •  Oil impacts the wide diversity of environmental systems •  The various type of oils differ in their behavior in the various environments 1. To beAer understand the environmental impact of spilled crude oil in high-­‐
risk and poorly understood areas, such as Arc]c waters, the deep-­‐ocean and shores of inland rivers and wetlands, research is needed: • 
To assess the complex interac(ons among physical, chemical and biological factors unique to Arc(c condiDons (e.g., extreme cold temperatures, permafrost ecosystems, snow and ice) and different types of spilled crude oil. • 
To evaluate risks associated with the shipment of fuel oil to communi(es in the Arc(c. • 
To assess the risks of pipelines in Arc(c freshwater environments (e.g., Mackenzie River). • 
To inves(gate the fate of oil spilled in rivers where it can interact with ice, substrates, woody debris, bed sediments, groundwater and engineered structures. • 
To assess the risks of deep sea blowouts, especially in areas that support commercial and subsistence fisheries, including research into subsurface oil plumes, residual oil deposited on deep sea sediments, and the effecDveness of response strategies (e,g., dispersants). 2. To increase the understanding of effects of oil spills on aqua]c organisms, communi]es and ecosystems, research is needed: •  Into the effects of spilled oil on community structure and popula(ons of aquaDc biota. •  To understand the indirect effects of oil spills on ecological processes, such as interacDons within and among the levels in aquaDc food chains. •  To invesDgate the cumula(ve and interac(ve effects of co-­‐exposure to oil and other human induced and natural environmental stressors (e.g., anthropogenic pollutants, extreme temperatures, low oxygen concentraDons and elevated concentraDons of suspended sediments). •  On the resilience of aqua(c ecosystems affected by oil spills, parDcularly at sites of past spills and in ecosystems unique to northern Canada at risk of oil exposure. •  To invesDgate the socioeconomic impacts of oil spills as a first step in implemenDng an ecosystem services approach to oil spill impact assessments Oil toxicity
Immediate effects of oil spills
•  Smothering of shoreline organisms
•  Destruction of thermal insulation and buoyancy of birds and mammals
•  Rapid mortality of algae, invertebrates and fish
–  Caused by the more water soluble and volatile components of oil
–  Acute effects are brief due to weathering
Long-term and delayed effects due to the more persistent components of oil
•  Deformities, slower development, and reduced recruitment - fish and bird
embryos
•  Impacts on ecological services
–  fisheries, recreation (beaches), water supply, and tainting of seafood
Biomagnification of petroleum hydrocarbons in food webs is not an issue
Light oils contain more compounds that are acutely toxic to aquatic
organisms than medium or heavy oils. On the other hand, heavy oils
contain more of the chronically toxic alkyl PAHs.
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Potential risks to Arctic and freshwater
environments •  Under similar test conditions, there is little difference in oil toxicity
between freshwater & marine species and between temperate &
Arctic species
•  Data from temperate species can provide a first approximation of
risks to Arctic species
•  The risks of toxicity depend on the extent of exposure to the toxic
components of oil.
•  The impacts of oil spills in Arctic and freshwater ecosystems are
driven more by factors that control the exposure of organisms to oil
than by differences in sensitivity to oil
Chemical dispersants • 
Chemical dispersants facilitate oil dilution
and microbial degradation
•  Dispersion can reduce the oil exposure
of surface and shoreline species but
increase the exposure of algae,
invertebrates and fish.
•  The potential impacts of deep water oil
dispersion at well blow-outs remain
controversial
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Dispersants are moderately toxic when
dissolved in water
•  Accuracy in dispersant application to oil
slicks is key to minimizing risk
•  Dispersants and oil do not cause
synergistic toxicity.
3. A na]onal, priority-­‐directed program of baseline research and monitoring is needed to develop an understanding of the ecological characteris]cs of areas that may be affected by oil spills in the future. Specifically, research is needed: •  To collect and evaluate baseline informa(on from high-­‐risk, poorly understood areas, such as the ArcDc and other less-­‐studied Canadian environments. •  To understand the natural variability of popula(on and community metrics (e.g., abundance, diversity, producDvity) across physical and chemical gradients as well as across Dme (seasonal and annual). •  To create ecosystem sensi(vity maps, including the iden(fica(on of highly-­‐
valued species and vulnerable habitats, priori(zed according to recent rela(ve risk assessments, the intensity of current and potenDal future human use, the relaDve sensiDvity of ecosystems and geographic gaps (e.g., in large areas of inland Canada). •  To idenDfy other anthropogenic stressors that could influence the effects of oil spills. 4. A program of controlled field research is needed to beAer understand spill behaviour and effects across a spectrum of crude oil types in different ecosystems and condi]ons • 
Controlled field experiments on oil spills (sancDoned by the federal government through a new permihng system) with rigorous sta(s(cal designs are needed at a variety of sites represenDng different coastal marine and freshwater ecosystems and condiDons. • 
Research is needed at the site of previous oil spills in Canada to increase our understanding of the effects of spilled oil over the long-­‐term and of the extent of natural cleanup. Oil Spill Response Options
—  Implementation and effectiveness of oil spill response options are influenced by
a variety of factors
—  Four main sections:
—  Natural processes
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Natural attenuation, Evaporation, Photooxidation, Biodegradation
—  Physical response methods
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Containment and recovery, Sorption, Shoreline types, Vegetation cutting, Removal
and/or reworking of oiled sediment, Physical dispersion (OMA), in situ burning (ISB)
and Debris/detritus removal
—  Biological and chemical methods
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Bioremediation, Phytoremediation, Chemical dispersion, Surface washing,
Solidifiers, Herding agents
—  Factors affecting spill response and cleanup effectiveness
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Oil types and properties, Environmental and ecological factors, Technical and
economic factors impacting effectiveness
24 Case Studies: Understanding the Significance of Site-­‐Specific Factors Arrow Spill: Deposi(on to Cobble Beaches in Black Duck Cove Deepwater Horizon: Surface Slick Approaching Alabama Coastline Exxon Valdez Spill: High-­‐pressure Removal of Oil along Shoreline Pipeline Spill into the Pine River: Stranding in Backwater Areas Wabamun Lake Spill: Tar Balls in Reed Beds Kalamazoo River: Agita(on of Sediment to Flush Submerged Oil Conclusions from Case Studies
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Delayed response was a critical factor affecting the consequences of spills
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It’s always a combination of factors, not just oil type, which determine
consequences - oil type, response time, environmental characteristics, and
clean-up effects.
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The lack of pre-spill baseline data seriously limits the ability to predict or
monitor long-term effects
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We need to conduct controlled field experiments with oil to make major
advances in spill response technologies
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Validation of oil spill response techniques is hampered by inadequate
methods for measuring the effectiveness of response measures
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The presence of long-term stresses from other sources (natural and
human-related) may tax the capacity of ecosystems to be resilient to
shocks of oil spills
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Effects of oil spill cleanup on aquatic ecosystems can be significant.
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Post-spill monitoring must be conducted according to standard,
consistent protocols
5. To inves]gate the efficacy of spill responses and to take full advantage of ‘spills of opportunity’, research is needed: • 
To help develop effec(ve oil spill response measures tailored to the Arc(c, including studies that explore the interacDons of oil with permafrost and ice or that examine the microbial degradaDon of oil at low temperatures. • 
To develop advanced planning and conDngency funds to support research on the fate, behaviour and effects of real-­‐world oil spills as they occur (‘spills of opportunity’) in the short, medium and long-­‐term, including studies of the relaDve effecDveness of response measures. • 
Indigenous peoples from all parts of Canada need to be involved the development of research protocols, in oil spill preparedness, cleanup and remediaDon/restoraDon, including involvement in the invesDgaDons of ‘spills of opportunity’. • 
To address the long-­‐standing remediaDon quesDon “how clean is clean?” • 
On the efficacy and environmental impacts of conven(onal and new oil spill remedia(on op(ons, parDcularly in ArcDc and freshwater ecosystems. • 
To develop and improve methods for remedia(on, reclama(on or restora(on of damaged marine and freshwater habitats following oil spills. Modeling: Evolution from Equations Describing Large-scale
Observations to Models that Rely on Small-scale Information to
Predict Large-scale Behavior.
—  The main challenge is not developing models to match
observations over a given time window (e.g., a week),
rather developing models that predict long term
behavior without being biased (i.e., always undershoot
or overshoot).
—  Many models developed to address response are not
designed to address long term behavior (e.g., NOAA
model ADIOS runs for only 5 days at a time).
—  A challenge is to obtain data sets to calibrate models.
Many data sets provide great science, but cannot be
used to build models on them.
—  Goal is to relate the physical-chemical changes in oil to
oil transport and subsequently to oil fate.
Scientists are constantly adding information and refining models to improve their accuracy for predicting spill consequences and for understanding the best spill responses. 6a To improve spill preven]on and develop/apply response decision support systems to ensure sound response decisions and effec]veness, research is needed: • 
For a naDonal guidance program for post-­‐spill monitoring to collect reliable, adequate, credible and consistent informaDon on the fate and effects of oil in the environment. • 
To develop methods to support early warning and the monitoring of oil-­‐spill impacts and the fate of released oil. • 
To develop methods for the derivaDon of comprehensive mass balances for spilled and recovered oil. • 
To develop modeling methods to simulate and opDmize individual and collecDve cleanup processes (e.g., booming, in situ burning, skimming, dispersion and bioremediaDon) for supporDng response decision-­‐making. • 
To improve the modeling of: •  Dispersion (formaDon of droplets) of oil into the water column due to waves and winds. •  BiodegradaDon of oil droplets in the water column while accounDng for the change of oil composiDon with Dme (due to weathering and biodegradaDon) •  FormaDon of oil parDcle aggregates, especially for high viscosity oils where the droplet sizes conDnue to evolve while the oil is picking up sediments and organic ma*er. 6b To improve spill preven]on and develop/apply response decision support systems to ensure sound response decisions and effec]veness, research is needed: • 
On development and demonstra(on of oil spill response decision support systems, which can dynamically and interacDvely integrate monitoring and early warning, spill modeling, vulnerability/risk analysis, response process simula(on/control, system op(miza(on and visualiza(on. • 
On trial tests and field validation of new prevenDon and decision-­‐making methods to demonstrate feasibility, increase confidence for implementaDon and improve response capabiliDes. • 
To provide special a*enDon of the above research to some emerging issues (e.g., diluted bitumen, aging/subsea pipelines, railcars and the ArcDc) to enhance effecDveness and confidence of prevenDon and response strategies and decisions. 7. Research and work are needed to update, refine and focus risk assessments of oil spills in Canada • 
Follow-­‐up rela(ve risk assessments are needed to build upon the Transport Canada assessments of marine spills, focusing on high-­‐sensiDvity areas. • 
To advance environmental forensics, remote sensing and in-­‐situ measurement, early warning and diagnosis, and biological monitoring to improve spill prevenDon and decision making. • 
On species sensi(vity distribu(ons (SSDs) and acute and chronic aqua(c organism sensi(vi(es for measured concentraDons of total petroleum hydrocarbons and total polycyclic aromaDc hydrocarbons to support risk assessments of oil spills. • 
To extend models of chronic toxicity to a wide array of species and environmental (temperature, salinity, etc.) and life history variables. • 
A comprehensive na(onal database is needed to track the fate, behaviour and effects of various types of oil spilled and the efficacy of current and emerging oil spill countermeasures over a range of environmental condiDons. • 
To develop modeling methods to simulate and op(mize individual and collec(ve cleanup processes • 
To update and refine risk assessment methods to include such things as credible spill scenarios, analyses of seasonal differences in fate, transport and effects of oil (parDcularly for spills in winter) and the predicDon of chronic toxicity. The Panel found crude oil types transported in Canada exist along
a chemical continuum, from light oils to bitumen and heavy fuels,
and the unique properties of each of these oil types (their chemical
‘fingerprints’) determine how readily spilled oil spreads, sinks,
disperses, impacts aquatic organisms and what proportion
ultimately degrades in the environment.
Despite the importance of oil type, the Panel concluded that the
overall impact of an oil spill, including the effectiveness of an oil spill
response, depends mainly on the environmental characteristics and
conditions (weather, waves, etc.) where the spill takes place and
the time lost before remedial operations.