CONTAINMENT ON

WATER IN BP OIL
SPILL
Instructor: Dr. Bui Trong
Vinh
Presente Pham Minh Khanh
Nguyen Binh
r:

CONTENT

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

WHAT IS CONTAINMENT BOOM?

COMPONENTS OF BOOM
TYPES OF BOOM
IMPLEMENTATION OF BOOM
BOOM FAILURES
ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT
BPS WAY OF CONTAINMENT OIL

WHAT IS CONTAINMENT
BOOM?
CONTAINMENT: a
CONTAINMENT
procedure
that prevent
oilBOOM:
from spreading
are theto a
particular
area,
divert it
basic and
most
tofrequently
another area
where it
used
can
be
recovered
or
piece of equipment Figure 1: containment boom.
treated by another
for
containing
an
oil
method.

spill on water

COMPONENTS OF
booms are also fitted
BOOM Most
with one or more tension

Figure 2: basic boom construction.

The skirt is the portion of the

Floats are located along the
boom below the floats, which
center line,that
outboard,
on one
members
along
helps
to contain run
the oil.
It is the
side,
or on outriggers.
Booms
The freeboard
member
is
bottom
of theofboom
andtypes
usually
made
the
same
either
have solid
floats
or the
the
portion
offreeboard
the
boom
of
fabric
asitthe
reinforce
against
the
boom itself is inflatable. Solid
member
andload
the covering
above the
water,
whichof
horizontal
imposed
floats are usually
made of aby
the
floats.
Typical
materials
prevents
oilcurrents.
from
washing
waves
and
plastic foam
such
as
expanded
include
polyvinyl
chloride
over
themembers
top or
of polyethylene
theare
boom.
Tension
polyurethane
(PVC),
polyester, nylon, also
or
The
termfreeboardis
and are
segmented
or flexible
usually
made
of
steel
cables
aramid, sometimes coated with
used
refer
to can
the ride
height
sochains
thattothe
boom
the
but
sometimes
aorspray-on
protector
or another
surface
ofwater
the
waves.
Inflatable
from
theof
line
to
the
consist
nylon
or polyester
covering
such
as PVC,
booms
are boom.
either self-inflating
top of the
ropes.
polyester,
polyurethane, nitrile,
or are inflated using a powered
and polyether urethane to resist
air source.
degradation from oil.

TYPE OF BOOM
The three basic types of booms are fence,
curtain booms, which are most common, and
external tension member booms, which are
relatively rare. Booms are also classified
according to where they are used, that is,
offshore, inshore, harbor, and river booms,
based on their size and ruggedness of
construction.

Figure 3: fence boom.

The fence boom is constructed with a freeboard member above
the float. Although relatively inexpensive, these booms are not
recommended for use in high winds or strong water currents.

Figure 4: curtain boom.

Curtain booms are constructed with a skirt below the
floats and no freeboard member above the float. Curtain
booms are most suitable for use in strong water currents.

Figure 5: external tension boom.

External tension member booms, which are constructed with a
tension member outside the main structure, are used in strong
currents and in water containing ice or debris.

4. IMPLEMENTATION OF
BOOM
Booms are used primarily to contain oil, although they are also
used to deflect oil. When used for containment, booms are often
arranged in a U-, V-, or J-configuration

Figure 6: general implementation of boom.

THE U - CONFIGURATION
The U-configuration
is theU-shape
most common
The
is created by the current pushing
and is achieved by
against
center of the boom. The critical
towing thethe
boom
requirement
behind two vessels,
is that the current in the apex of the
the exceed
boom,
Uanchoring
does not
0.5 m/s or 1 knot, which is
or combining these
referred
to as the critical velocity.
two techniques.
Figure 7: the U - configuration.

If this velocity is
exceeded, first small
amounts of oil and
then as the relative
velocity increases,
massive amounts will
be lost.

Figure 8: A U configuration that is failing.

If used in areas where the currents are likely to

exceed 0.5 m/s or 1 knot, such as in rivers and
estuaries, booms are often used in the
deflection mode. The boom is then deployed at
various angles to the current.

Table 1: deflection angles and critical current velocities.

The U-configuration is also used to keep oil

from spreading into bays or other sensitive
areas, as well as to collect oil so that clean up
measures can be applied.

Figure 9: diagram showing how a deflection boom is used.

THE V - CONFIGURATION
The V-configuration
usually consists of
two booms with a
counterforce such
as a skimmer at the
apex of the two
booms.

THE U - CONFIGURATION
Encirclement is another
way that booms can be
used for containment.
Stricken ships in shallow
waters are often
encircled or surrounded
by booms to prevent
further movement of oil
away from the ship.
Figure 10: Stricken ship is surrounded by
encirclement booms.

5. Boom
Failures
A booms performance and its ability to contain oil are affected
by water currents, waves, and winds. Either alone or in
combination, these forces often lead to boom failure and loss
of oil. There are eight common ways in which booms fail.

5.1 Entrainment
Failure
This type of failure is caused by the speed of the water current
and is more likely to happen with a lighter oil. When oil is being
contained by a boom in moving water, if the current is fast
enough, the boom acts like a dam and the surface water being
held back is diverted downward and accelerates in an attempt
to keep up with the water flowing directly under the boom.

Figure 11: Configurations for boom

deployment.
The resulting
turbulence causes
droplets to break away
from the oil that has
built up in front of the
boom, pass under the
boom, and resurface
behind it.

Figure 12: Boom failure mode.

For most booms riding

perpendicular to the current, this
critical velocity is about 0.5 m/s
(about 1 knot). At current speeds
greater than the critical velocity,
this type of boom failure can be
overcome by placing the boom at
an angle to the current or in the
deflection mode. Since currents
in most rivers and many
estuaries exceed the critical
velocity of 0.5 m/s (1 knot), this is
the only way the oil can be
contained.

5.1 Drainage Failure

Similar to entrainment, this type of failure is related to the
speed of the water current, except that it affects the oil directly
at the boom. After critical velocity is reached, large amounts of
the oil contained directly at the boom can be swept under the
boom by the current. Both entrainment and drainage failure
are more likely to occur with lighter oils. One or both of these
two types of failure can occur, depending on the currents and
the design of the boom.

5.2 Critical
Accumulation
This type of failure usually occurs when heavier oils,
which are not likely to become entrained in water, are being
contained. Heavier oils tend to accumulate close to the leading
edge of the boom and are swept underneath the boom when a
certain critical accumulation point occurs.

5.3 Flashover
This failure occurs in rough or high seas when the waves are
higher than the booms freeboard and oil splashes over the
booms float or freeboard member. It can also occur as a result
of extensive oil accumulation in the boom compared with the
freeboard.

5.4 Submergence
Failure
This type of failure occurs when water goes over the
boom. Often the boom is not buoyant enough to follow the
wave motion and some of the boom sinks below the water line
and oil passes over it. Submergence failure is usually the result
of poor heave response, which is measured by both the reserve
buoyancy and the flexibility of the boom. Failure due to
submergence is not that common, as other forms of failure,
such as entrainment, usually occur first.

Planing occurs when the

boom moves from its designed
vertical position to almost a
horizontal position on the
water. Oil passes over or
under a planing boom. Planing
occurs if the tension members
are poorly designed and do
not hold the boom in a vertical
position or if the boom is
towed in currents far
exceeding the critical velocity.

5.5 Planing

Figure 13: high current caused

this boom to roll over or plane.

Failure
This occurs when any of the booms components fail
and the boom lets oil escape. Sometimes structural failure is so
serious that the boom is carried away by the current. This does
not happen often in normal currents and conditions. Floating
debris, such as logs and ice, can contribute to structural failure.

Failure
This occurs when any of the booms components fail
and the boom lets oil escape. Sometimes structural failure is so
serious that the boom is carried away by the current. This does
not happen often in normal currents and conditions. Floating
debris, such as logs and ice, can contribute to structural failure.

blockage
This type of failure occurs when rapid currents
form under a boom when it is used in shallow waters. With the
boom acting like a dam, the flow of water under it increases
and oil is lost in several of the ways already described. Shallow
water is probably the only situation in which a smaller boom
might work better than a larger one. It should be noted,
however, that booms are not often used in shallow water.

6. ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

1
2
3
4
5

HAND-HOLDS
LIFTING POINT
END CONNECTOR
TOWING BRIDGES
REEL

Hand-holds are often installed on smaller booms that can be

lifted by hand and lifting pointsare installed on larger booms for
lifting by crane. Without such provision for lifting, booms must
often be lifted using ropes or cables placed around the boom,
which can cause damage.

All booms have some form of end connector for joining them to
other booms or to other pieces of hardware for towing or
anchoring. While there are some standard connectors, they also
vary among different manufacturers of booms, which can
complicate the hookup.
Figure 14:
end
connector
of boom.

Towing bridlesand towing paravanesare pieces of equipment that

are designed to be attached to the boom so that it can be towed
without being submerged or stressed. Booms are usually towed to
the site of a spill in a straight line and must withstand stresses
associated with this mode of transport. Anchors, anchor
attachments, and lines are also available for use with booms.
Figure 15: towing bridles of
boom.

Booms are often stored

on reels or in special
containers designed for
fast and
efficient deployment.
This is particularly
important with heavier
fire-resistant booms
as a 50-m section of
such a boom could
weigh hundreds of
kilograms.

Figure 16: Reels are often used to

deploy and store inflatable booms.

7. BPS WAY OF
CONTAINMENT IN GULF
Controlled Burn
Boom and Skimmer

CONTROLLED BURN
using fire-resistant boom to
corral leaked oil into
smaller,dense pocket.

BOOM AND SKIMMER

Booms are used to collect oil in
concentrated areas, while
skimmers separate the crude
from the water

Thanks!

ANY QUESTION?