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Situation Update - 01 Nov 91

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS BASED ON THE MOST CURRENT DATA PROVIDED TO NOAA. - 

SSC Report from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, May 24, 1991  

SHORELINE TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS TESTING 
The IMO (International Maritime Organization of the United Nations) has proposed
testing the effectiveness and potential impacts of various shoreline treatment
methods on a heavily oiled bay at the northern end of the Saudi Arabian impact
zone.  They have hired ALBA International from Scotland to organize and carry
out the tests in consultations with MEPA, King Fahd University of Petroleum and
Minerals, and Bechtel, Inc.  The site is a small section of tidal flat,
approximately 1,100 meters long, north of Dhahran called "Dawhat
Al-Musallamiyah".  The flats were heavily oiled originally.  To date, most of
the free-floating oil has been removed and the remaining product continues to
weather into a thin oil/sand mat, 1 to 5 millimeters thick.  Oil can be found
below the surface to 5 cm.  The site is vegetated with sparse mounds of
salicorniea-type vegetation and algal mats.  Much of the "salicornia" shows
signs of life and, in some cases, new growth, though all is severely stressed
and much is dead.  As mentioned below, the algal mat appears to be dead,
however, we have been unable to corroborate this with an algal mat specialist. 
The original proposal identified six manual treatment methodologies: 
     1.  Flooding with helicopter down-draught to re-suspend the oil. 
     2.  Flooding with an 18 inch deep trench with a collection weir and  
         collection sump. 
     3.  Physical removal of oiled algal mat (much of the site is covered by 
         algae which has been heavily oiled.  This mat has absorbed a large 
         percentage of the oil initially, preventing more severe contamination  
         of the underlying sediments.  The algal mat is assumed to be dead, 
         however, due to the lack of qualified botanists in the area and the 
         limited literature on the subject, this assumption is under some 
         question.). 
     4.  Removal of pooled oil by conventional techniques.  ie:  sorbent pads,  
     oil mops, etc. 
     5.  Brushing and draining the oil into surface channels to be vacuumed. 
     6.  A control site to examine natural weathering/degradation processes.  

These tests have been approved and authorized by MEPA officials and site setup
has begun at Dawhal Al-Musallamiyah.  Application of the proposed techniques
will begin next week.  

In May, NOAA proposed adding a nutrient enhancement component to the test
project.  The aid of two marine biologists from King Fahd University of
Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and enlisted for purposes of test design, sample
analysis and site monitoring.  This additional component requires the approval
of both MEPA and the KFUPM (as technical advisor to MEPA).  Initial efforts to
obtain this approval have been unsuccessful.  Both MEPA officials and the
chairman of the KFUPM Science Committee are concerned that the addition of
nutrients, even at a test site, would cause more damage than benefit.  In order
to allay such fears and further inform MEPA and KFUPM, Dr. Jacqualine Michel
came to Saudi Arabia to survey the impact zone and to present a series of
lectures on remediation of mangroves and salt marshes, including nutrient
enhancement to stimulate bio-degradation of the oil.  She gave separate
presentations to KFUPM, MEPA (and MEPA contractors) and Aramco.  

FUTURE PLANS: 
1.  The mechanical removal test at Dawhul Al-Musallamiyah will continue under
the management of ALBA International and the IMO and the efficacy analysis will
be supervised by KFUPM.  
2.  A nutrient enhancement test proposal will be developed for approval by KFUPM
and MEPA.  Three application techniques will be investigated:  water soluble,
oliophyllic and pelletized.  If possible, the nutrients will be produced and
obtained from fertilizer manufacturing sources inside Saudi Arabia.  
3.  Efforts are underway to have EPA's Bio-Remediation Research Group come to
Saudi Arabia to brief Dr. Tawfiq, vice President of MEPA and Dr. Amin, Chairman
of the KFUPM Science Committee (technical advisory to MEPA).  
4.  A draft nutrient application plan is being developed under the supervision
of Dr. Michel in the event that wide-spread application is approved.  

SHORELINE SURVEY 
The Shoreline survey from Tanajib to Abu Ali Island has been completed.  The
team was headed by US Coast Guard Commander Frank Whipple and included
representatives from MEPA, KFUPM and The European Commonwealth Task Force.  The
collected shoreline and oiling data, along with cleanup recommendations are
being entered into a MEPA database.  

FUTURE PLANS 
1.  MEPA, Bechtel, NOAA and KFUPM will meet to develop a shoreline assessment
report.  From this report, specific methodologies will be identified for cleanup
of designated shorelines or shoreline types.  
2.  The MEPA Planning Committee (MEPA, Contractors, Bechtel, Crowley and TCA,
E.C. Task Force, NOAA and USCG) will meet with Aramco Saturday to discuss
shoreline assessment for the areas currently being worked by Aramco and the
coast north of Tanajib to Kuwait.  

CONTINUING OIL LEAKS IN KUWAIT 
Reports continue that there are several noteworthy sources of leaking oil off
the Kuwait coast.  The three most substantial are the pipe rack at Mina al
Ahmadi, the sunken Iraqi tanker, "Amuriyah", and a storm drain in Shuybah Port.
 In the last two weeks these sources have been observed by C-12 overflights only
and there is disagreement as to whether observers are seeing oil of substantial
quantity or oil fire ash and shoot.  

FUTURE PLANS 
1.  An H-3 helicopter overflight has been scheduled for Sunday. observers
include:  USCG, Australian Gov. Advisory Rep., NOAA and a professional video
photographer supplied by Bechtel.  The objective is to confirm that these
sources exist and record them on video for MEPA, Aramco and the Kuwait government.