This is a Multi-Phase Joint Industry Project (JIP) whose current fund providers include the MMS, Alaska Clean Seas, Prince William Sound Oil Spill Recovery Institute, BP Exploration, Phillips Alaska, Norsk Hydro and Store Norske Spitzbergen Kulkompani. The MORICE program was initiated in 1995 to develop technologies for more effective recovery of oil spills in ice-infested waters and is a multinational effort involving Norwegian, Canadian, American and German researchers. Phase 1 of the MORICE Program involved an extensive literature review to identify available information from previous efforts to develop oil-in-ice recovery technologies. Information collected included a history of oil spills in cold areas, oil behavior, ice conditions and operational experience attained during recovery of oil in these conditions. Following this, a series of brainstorming sessions and technical discussions was held to evaluate past ideas and generate new ideas for potential solutions to the problem. As a result, ten concepts were suggested and discussed in detail by a Technical Committee. These concepts are described in the MORICE Phase 1 report.
Phase 2 of the Program focused on qualitative laboratory testing of most of the concepts suggested in Phase 1. Laboratory tests in Phase 2 were conducted at SINTEF's Cold Climate Testing Facility in Trondheim, Norway. Ice-infested conditions were simulated. This phase reduced the number of concepts that warrant further evaluation and development. Phase 2 was described in a final report.
Phase 3 took the two most promising concepts (brush drum skimmer and the lifting grated belt) and performed quantitative testing at the Hamburg Ship Modeling Basin (HSVA), Hamburg Germany in June 1998. Ice-infested conditions were simulated. Phase 3 was described in a final report.
Phase 4 developed the two concepts from Phase 3 to a prototype level. Built a harbor-size prototype, designed and built a support vessel, and field tested the prototype skimmer during freeze-up offshore Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in October 1999. Phase 4 was described in a final report.
Phase 5, evaluated four different internal oil recovery units for the lifting grated belt at the HSVA test tank in Hamburg Germany in May 2000. Upon completion of these tests, the prototype skimmer was shipped back to Prudhoe Bay, AK where it received further equipment modifications, installation of more powerful hydraulics and a larger power pack. Selected skimmer manufacturers were invited to participate and provide an internal recovery system for evaluation. The complete prototype skimmer was evaluated for ice processing on the Alaskan Beaufort Sea during October 2000. Phase 5 was described in a final report.
Phase 6, the prototype skimmer was considered ready for oil in ice testing. The unit was shipped to Svalbard, Norway in May 2001 for testing, however due to complications, the unit was not field tested.
Phase 6A, the prototype skimmer was successfully tested and evaluated at Ohmsett - The National Oil Spill response Test Facility, in Leonardo, New Jersey in January 2002. The unit was tested in cold water/broken ice conditions with oil and two different internal recovery. The final report from Phase 6A as well as the entire project is complete. The MORICE Steering Committee has agreed to release results of the project and post the results from all phases of the MORICE project on the Internet in May 2003 following the 2003 International Oil Spill Conference.