The Ohmsett dispersant test tank is a 2.6-million-gallon open-air saltwater test tank on the Atlantic seacoast and operated by the U.S. Minerals Management Service. It was created to test mechanical oil spill recovery equipment. Crude oil can be put on ocean water in the Ohmsett tank and sprayed with dispersants with little risk of release to the natural environment.
In the early and mid-2000s, the Council sent representatives to observe Ohmsett cold-water dispersant tests. The Council had disagreed with many of the test parameters, and was concerned that tests like these have the potential for determining policies for dispersant use. PWSRCAC working with industry and regulators to help develop improved methods and procedures for dispersant testing.
| View additional details | Author | Date | Description | View Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observers’ Report: MMS Cold Water Dispersant Tests, Ohmsett Testing Facility | Elise DeCola, Environment Canada, Environmental Technology Centre, Merv Fingas, Nuka Research Planning Group LLC | June 3, 2006 | This report, which was prepared for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens? Advisory Council (PWSRCAC), contains the authors? observations from four days of cold water dispersant testing at the Ohmsett … | |
| Oil Spill Dispersant Effectiveness Testing in OHMSETT February to March 2006 | Elise DeCola, Environment Canada, Environmental Technology Centre, Merv Fingas, Nuka Research Planning Group LLC | May 1, 2006 | This paper is a review of dispersant testing at OHMSETT. These tests were designed to measure the effectiveness of dispersant on Alaskan oils at low temperatures. The oil and water … | |
| A Survey Of Tank Facilities For Testing Oil Spill Dispersants | Environmental Technology Centre, Merv Fingas | May 1, 2005 | This report is a survey of tank facilities that could be used for testing oil spill dispersants. The report begins with considerations for tank testing, followed by a list of … | |
| Heated Oil and Under-reported Dispersants Volumes Mar MMS/Exxon Cold Water Dispersant Tests at Ohmsett | PWSRCAC | July 14, 2004 | The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (PWSRCAC) discovered that the ANS crude oil used in most of the 2002 Dispersant Effectiveness Tests in Cold Water conducted at Ohmsett … | |
| Field Notes and Critical Observations from the OHMSETT Heavy Oil Dispersant Trials | James R. Payne, Payne Environmental Consultants | October 1, 2003 | This report contains the transcriptions of tape-recorded notes and observations completed by Dr. James Payne during a PWSRCAC-sponsored field audit of the 13-16 October 2003 heavy fuel oil dispersant tests … | |
| A White Paper on Oil Spill Dispersant Effectiveness Testing in Large Tanks | Merv Fingas, Spill Science | November 1, 2002 | This white paper is a perspective on testing the effectiveness of oil spill dispersants in large tanks. Literature that relates to testing methodology is reviewed. | |
| Report on Visit to OHMSETT to Observe Exxon/MMS Cold-Water Dispersant Tests | PWSRCAC, Stan Jones | March 1, 2002 | This report gives an account of Cold-Water Dispersant tests that took place at the Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank in Leonardo, New Jersey in March of 2002. |