The purpose of this project is to improve the industry's ability to respond to oil spills. Specifically, the project will develop a software-based tool that can be used to guide in the selection and assessment of response countermeasures during spill events and exercises.
The objectives of this project are to standardize the existing software packages; to enhance their utility, user-interface and output; and, to integrate all three response options (mechanical, burning & dispersants) using improved algorithms for their efficient use under a variety of spill scenarios. The project will standardize and unify the three NOAA Spill Tools and combine them with weathering algorithms to better estimate oil recovery/treatment during exercises and actual oil spill events. The STAR Calculator will be in the public domain; all of the algorithms used will be documented and will be freely available with the software.
This project will be conducted as a Joint Industry Project (JIP) with Shell International Exploration and Production, Inc. and the American Petroleum Institute. NOAA is providing services in kind and will administer the program on their database.
Project scoping, database research and the detailed specification development is complete. The oil weathering algorithms are complete and in for peer review. Algorithms are being developed for Burn Efficiency and Dispersant Efficiency. The final design for the Spill Training and Response (STAR) calculator is complete. The STAR calculator is designed to be used as an oil spill training tool and in emergency response situations. A scientific paper on the project entitled Development of Spreading Algorithms for the STAR Calculator was presented by Genwest, Inc., at the upcoming 32nd AMOP Technical Seminar, June 9-11, 2009 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The name of the program has been changed from the Spill Training and Response (STAR) calculator to the Response Option Calculator (ROC). The ROC is currently undergoing Beta testing. Results from this project were presented at the Clean Pacific conference September 14-17, 2009 in Portland, OR.
The name of the computer program was changed from the Spill Training and Response (STAR) calculator to the Response Option Calculator (ROC). Results from this project were presented at the Clean Pacific conference September 14-17, 2009 in Portland, OR. ROC is freely available on the Genwest website either on-line or as a downloadable stand alone at http://www.genwest.com. NOAA's office of Response and Restoration will also be hosting ROC on their website.