Mervin F. Fingas

Spinal Cord Injury Alberta

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Carl E. Brown

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Zhendi Wang

China Building Materials Academy

Ben Fieldhouse

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Patrick Lambert

Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement

Joseph V. Mullin

Frederick Community College

L. Sigouin

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Kezhi Li

University College London

Mike Goldthorp

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Mike Landriault

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Bruce P. Hollebone

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Cooperative Institutions

Environment and Climate Change Canada

University of Ottawa

University of Alberta

Environmental Protection Agency

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Research Council Canada

National Institute of Standards

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Chinese Academy of Sciences

University of Calgary

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A predictive method for estimating the heats of formation of positive ions in the gas phase.

Mervin F. Fingas

10.20381/ruor-10045

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Remote Detection of Submerged Orimulsion with a Range-Gated Laser Fluorosensor

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings (2003)

Carl E. Brown Richard Marois Gregory E. Myslicki Mervin F. Fingas Ron C. Mackay

ABSTRACT Bituminous fuels (in the form of water-based emulsions) are increasingly being used as fuel sources in many countries. When spilled in a marine environment, these emulsified fuels initially disperse and then, under certain circumstances, coalesce to become highly adhesive to beaches and shorelines. These fuels may either float or submerge, depending on the salinity of the water into which the spill occurs. Similar situations are known to occur with some conventional heavy fuels, as was the case with the Erika incident off the coast of France. Technologies to detect these neutrally buoyant and/or submerged fuels are urgently needed. The remote detection of submerged oil is a daunting task. The majority of sensors commonly used for the detection of surface oil slicks are of no use for the detection of submerged oil. Environment Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard have recently undertaken a series of bench-scale studies to develop technologies for the real-time remote detection of neutrally buoyant and/or submerged fuels in the marine environment. The unique capabilities of “active sensors” such as laser fluorosensors are being evaluated for the subsurface detection of heavy petroleum products. The detection of submerged Orimulsion by laser-induced fluorescence has been demonstrated at a distance of 81 m (265 feet) in a small test tank. Further experiments are underway to confirm the real-time detection of submerged Orimulsion, initially on the ground, and then through airborne tests.

Racing slick

10.7901/2169-3358-2003-1-779

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Citations (12)

Oil Spill Remote Sensing

Springer eBooks (2013)

Mervin F. Fingas Carl E. Brown

10.1007/978-1-4939-2493-6_732-3

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Citations (8)

Remote controlled helicopters: a tool for air sampling in difficult situations

Journal of Hazardous Materials (1995)

Kezhi Li Eric Dainty Mervin F. Fingas Jacqueline M.R. Bélanger J. R. Jocelyn Paré

10.1016/0304-3894(95)00032-p

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The Newfoundland oil spill burn experiment

Mervin F. Fingas

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Studies of water-in-oil emulsions : stability and oil properties

Mervin F. Fingas Ben Fieldhouse Joe Mullin

The stability of water-in-oil emulsions were studied by examining the asphaltene and resin content of oils. The visco-elastic properties of 82 oils from Environment Canada`s Emergencies Science Division were also examined to determine which factors are responsible for the stability regimes. The stability of emulsions were grouped into three categories: (1) stable, (2) unstable, and (3) meso-stable. It was shown that there is a range of compositions and viscosities in which each type of water-in-oil state exists. It was also shown that the viscosity of a stable emulsion at a shear rate of one reciprocal second is about three times greater than that of the starting oil. An unstable emulsion typically had a viscosity of 20 times greater than that of the starting oil. A stable emulsion had pronounced elasticity, but an unstable emulsion did not. A meso-stable emulsion had properties between stable and unstable, but broke down after a few days of standing. It was concluded that the formation of both stable and meso-stable emulsions is due to the combination of surface-active forces from resins and asphaltenes from viscous forces. Only a small difference was detected between stable and meso-stable emulsions. Stable emulsions were found to have more asphaltenes and less resins and a narrow viscosity window. Instability results when the oil has either a high viscosity or a very low viscosity and when the resins and asphaltenes are less than about 3 per cent. In highly viscous oils, the migration of asphaltenes and resins is too low to permit droplet stabilization, therefore the formation of stable or meso-stable emulsions does not occur in highly viscous oils. 18 refs., 8 tabs., 8 figs.

Asphaltene

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Toxicity of the weathered crude oil used at the Newfoundland offshore burn experiment (NOBE) and the resultant burn residue

Spill Science & Technology Bulletin (1996)

Sandra Blenkinsopp Gary A. Sergy Kenneth G. Doe Gary Wohlgeschaffen K. Li

Residue (chemistry)

10.1016/s1353-2561(97)00028-5

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Studies of Emissions from Oil Fires

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings (1999)

Mervin F. Fingas Patrick Lambert Kezhi Li Zhendi Wang F.J. Ackerman

ABSTRACT Over 35 meso-scale burns were conducted to study various aspects of diesel and crude oil burning in situ. Extensive sampling and monitoring of these burns were conducted at downwind stations, upwind stations, and in the smoke plume. Particulate samples were taken in air and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs were found to be lower in the soot than in the starting oil, although higher concentrations of the larger molecular PAHs were found in the soot and residue, especially for diesel burns. Particulates in the air were measured by several means, and were found to be greater than recommended exposure levels up to 500 meters downwind at ground level, depending on the size and type of fire. Diesel fires emit much more particulate matter and have longer exposure zones. Combustion gases, including carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, were below exposure level maximums. Volatile organic compound (VOCs) emissions were measured, but the levels were less than from an evaporating crude oil spill. Over 140 compounds were identified and quantified. Carbonyls, including aldehydes and ketones, were found to be below human health concern levels. Emission data from over 30 experimental burns were used to develop prediction equations for over 150 specific compounds or emission categories. These were used to calculate safe distances and levels of concern for a standard burn size of 500 square meters, an amount that would typically be contained in a boom. The safe distance for a crude oil burn of this size is about 500 m and for a diesel burn, much farther.

Fuel oil

10.7901/2169-3358-1999-1-541

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A Review of Oil-in-Water Monitoring Techniques: The Concluding Results

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings (2003)

Patrick Lambert Michael Goldthorp Ben Fieldhouse Z. Wang Mervin F. Fingas

ABSTRACT A comprehensive laboratory study of the Turner Instrument flow-through models 10AU and 10 fluorometers was conducted to review their ability to measure real-time oil-in-water concentrations and to further understand the relationship of the fluorescence to the chemical composition of the oils. The oils and dispersant used in the program were Alberta Sweet Mixed Blend (ASMB) crude oil (0% and 26% weathered samples), Prudhoe Bay (PB) crude oil (0% and 27% weathered samples), Bunker C (BC) fuel oil (0% and 8.4% weathered samples), Diesel fuel (0% and 37% weathered samples) and Corexit 9500 respectively. The chemical composition of the oils was determined by gas chromatographic techniques and compared to the signal outputs of the fluorometers. It was found that the fluorometer data could not be directly linked to the concentration of any specific aromatic hydrocarbon such as naphthalene or to the sum of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds. Evidence suggests that the fluorescence signal is generated by a combination of PAH compounds. The relative contribution of each PAH compound is not equal. Finally, the response of the fluorometers may also be influenced by the presence of volatile aromatic compounds such as BTEX and C3- benzenes in combination with the PAH compounds.

Fluoranthene

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

BTEX

10.7901/2169-3358-2003-1-457

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Citations (1)

Specific sensors for special roles in oil spill remote sensing

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE (1997)

Carl E. Brown Mervin F. Fingas

Remote sensing is becoming an increasingly important tool for the effective direction of oil spill countermeasures. Cleanup personnel have recognized that remote sensing can increase spill cleanup efficiency. The general public expects that the government and/or the spiller know the location and the extent of the contamination. The Emergencies Science Division (ESD) of Environment Canada, is responsible for remote sensing during oil spill emergencies along Canada's three coastlines, extensive inland waterways, as well as over the entire land mass. In addition to providing operational remote sensing, ESD conducts research into the development of airborne oil spill remote sensors, including the Scanning Laser Environmental Airborne Fluorosensor (SLEAF) and the Laser Ultrasonic Remote SEnsing of Oil Thickness (LURSOT) sensor. It has long been recognized that there is not one sensor or 'magic bullet' which is capable of detecting oil and related petroleum products in all environments and spill scenarios. There are sensors which possess a wide filed-of-view and can therefore be used to map the overall extent of the spill. These sensors, however lack the specificity required to positively identify oil and related products. This is even more of a problem along complicated beach and shoreline environments where several substrates are present. The specific laser- based sensors under development by Environment Canada are designed to respond to special roles in oil spill response. In particular, the SLEAF is being developed to unambiguously detect and map oil and related petroleum products in complicated marine and shoreline environments where other non-specific sensors experience difficulty. The role of the SLEAF would be to confirm or reject suspected oil contamination sites that have been targeted by the non- specific sensors. This confirmation will release response crews from the time consuming task of physically inspecting each site, and direct crews to sites that require remediation. The LURSOT sensor will provide an absolute measurement of oil thickness form an airborne platform. There are presently no sensors available, either airborne or in the laboratory which can provide an absolute measurement of oil thickness. This information is necessary for the effective direction of spill countermeasures such as dispersant application and in-situ burning. This paper will describe the development of laser-based airborne oil spill remote sensing instrumentation at Environment Canada and identify the anticipated benefits of the use of this technology to the oil spill response community.

10.1117/12.264270

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