They were part of the Deep Spill Joint Industry Project (JIP) involving the MMS and, 23 oil companies with holdings in deep water, a US government agency and the Norwegian Government.

It is already known through laboratory experiments that oil and gas behave differently under the high pressures and low temperatures of deep water than at shallower depths. The results obtained from the experiments will provide baseline data to help establish new and validate existing spill management computer models that would be used to guide clean-up efforts in the unlikely event of an accidental release during actual drilling and production operations.

The Norwegian experiment was conducted on the Helland Hansen ridge,region about 2100 km from land, at 800 meterres depth where the seabed temperature is -11ºC and the pressure 80 times normal atmospheric pressure.

A total of 120 cubic meterres of crude oil (750 barrels) – and 18 cubic meterres of liquefied natural gas (equivalent to 10,000 cubic metres of gas at atmospheric pressure) were released under strict safety conditions.

"The experiments all went successfully and according to our careful planning, in spite of losing a day or so to bad weather," said Chevron’s Senior Staff Scientist Cortis Cooper, leader of the Joint Industry Project. "All the oil released dispersed naturally and evaporated and there was no any risk to the environment from the experimentsand although we had clean-up vessels on-scene, the Norwegian regulator, SFT, determined that no clean-up was called for."

Results will be thoroughly analyzedanalysed this fall and be used to provide verification for verify a deep-water spill model developed at the SintefSINTEF research institute in Norway as well as a separate model being developed at Clarkson University in the US through joint US government and oil industry funding.

"Norway was chosen for the experiment due to the government’s proactive attitude towards progressive environmental protection technologies and SintefSINTEF’s established record at developing a shallow-water oil spill model that has become an industry standard," said Chevron’s Bob Watson, engineering manager for the JIP.

A large supply vessel was used to make the releases. It was be accompanied by two oceanographic vessels undertaking monitoring. The two vessels will deployed a current profiler, water sampling equipment and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROVs). The ROV tracked the spill using sonar and video and took samples of hydrocarbon concentrations, and droplet and bubble sizes. Airborne imaging techniques were also used to survey the oil once at the surface. A large supply vessel was used to make the releases. It was accompanied by two oceanographic vessels from the Marine Research Institute in Norway which deployed a current profiler, collected water samples for analysis of oil content, and surveyed biological impacts of the release. A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was used to track the oil plume on the sea floor with video and sonar. Airborne imaging techniques were also used to survey the oil once at the surface.

For more information please contact:

Robert LaBelle (703) 787-1656