SIMULACRO DE CONTROL DE HIDROCARBUROS EN BELIZE
PUERTO DE BIG CREEK, Viernes 6 de febrero 2009

Oil Spill Deployment Drill - Gulf of Honduras - Tier Level 2 - Port of Big Creek
(Belize)
OPC OPERATIONS ORDER No. 1 / 2009

REFERENCES: OPC-URCP Agreement on "Development of Control Drill of Oil Spills and
Hazardous Substances in the Gulf of Honduras"; Work Plan (Project Director);
Methodology Technical Offer OPC

PARTICIPANTS:


• Staff OPC - Personal Port of Big Creek - Petro Fuel Staff – Personal BNE

• 10 Theoretical-practical course students Drills (5th Thursday - 14.00-17.00 hrs.; Hall Meetings Port of Big Creek):

• Ransay Leacock (ESSO)
• John Diego (Belize Coast Guard)
• Ray Good (Belize Coast Guard)
• Harold Johston (Port of Belize)
• Kendrick Richards (Port of Belize)
• Michel Jenkins (BPA)
• Thomas Valerio (BPA)
• Dexter Neal (Petro Fuel)
• Edward Pineda (BNE)
• Gustavo Carrillo (Port of Big Creek)

OBSERVERS:

Listing Coordinator to confirm URCP (Eng. Ana Carolina Sikaffy) and Project Coordinator OPC

- Director Eng. Edas Muñoz URCP - Gulf of Honduras Project
- Mr. Roberto Rivas - URCP Environmental Specialist-
- Mr. Zaid Flores - Director Petrofuel Belize Ltd.
- Antonio Zabaneh - Director Petrofuel Belize Ltd.
- Michael Duncker - Director Petrofuel Belize Ltd.
- Capt. Encarnación Samaniego - Director General INMARBE
- Apt. Demetrio Cortés - INMARBE
- Mr. Abilio Dominguez - INMARBE
- Ms. Sherema Linarez - Petrofuel

ATTENDEES:

Showing confirmed URCP Coordinator - Port Management of Big Creek - OPC Guatemala

OPERATION DEVELOPMENT:

1. - Date and time: Friday February 6 - Start Time: 09.00 hs. - Expected duration: 3 hours.

2 .- Location Drill: Pier and entry of the bay of Big Creek Port

3 .- Location of the Drill monitoring:

Attendees at Pier Port of Big Creek – Observers on Specialized Vessel OPC Enforcer - Participating students in positions allocated in boats OPC.

4 .- Type of exercise: Vocabulary according to IMO / IPIECA is a Level 2 Tier involving medium size spill and local and regional use of resources for control.

5 - Determined Scene: Simulated oil spill from a tanker ship (simulation with the tugboat of the Port of Big Creek) which has completed its loading and manoeuvring mishaps departure is that they do end up colliding with a barge located about 200 m South of the dock manoeuvring. Initial amount estimated 100 m3 (630 barrels) of crude. Apparent reason is a "black out" completely in main engines, with machines back slowly (by ship was moored to the starboard bow band into the dock) and locked rudder to port. The tanker continued to run and the tugboat "Miss Gayle can not avoid the collision in shallow water.

6.- Agreements: It was established that the same will be done with any sea and weather condition. Simulation is not expected.

The supervisors of all personnel involved stakeholders should participate without exception in a theoretical-practical course on Thursday issued a 5 (14.00 - 17.00 hrs.) At the Port of Big Creek (Conference Hall), who also attended 7 invited by the URCP from Belize City (scheduled arrival
12.00 hrs of the day 05.02.09).

7 .- Equipment:

- 1 specializing Vessel in clean up OPC Enforcer with 1000’ feet o f coastal boom
(500 '+ 400’ + 200' + 200’) and its own skimmer. Anchor in a safe area visible and near dock
manoeuvring.

- 1 tugboat "Miss Gayle" in the Port of Big Creek (simulation of tanker)

- 1 specialized medium vessel to clean up OPC II with skimmer type drum and 200 feet of a coastal
boom.

- 1 fibber boat 26' length and 90 HP motor with V hull (Petro Fuel)

- 1 fibber boat 15' length with a flat hull and motor 50 HP (BNE)

- 2 OPC specialist boats of 16 'in length with flat hull motor f / b 40 HP to install, maintain and
remove the booms

- 1 belt type skimmer collector absorber located on the specialized vessel OPC Enforcer

- 1 OPC skimmer with power pack, drum, hydraulic hoses (OPC II)

- 1 drum skimmer BNE type (to be confirmed after testing technical OPC)

- 1500 feet of coastal boom OPC (OPC II and OPC Enforcer )

- 1 OPC diaphragm pump 2"

- 1 OPC hydraulic pump

- 1 pump diesel 4" BNE

- 2 black hoses Global mega VAE 2"

- 2 air hoses 50'

- 1 compressor Sulla 185 CFN

- 5 packets of absorbent tissue

- 5 packages of absorbent boom

- 5 packages of absorbent pads

- 1000 feet of coastal boom stretches of two 300 'and 700' (Dock)

- Petro Fuel Absorbent Material / BNE (Waterfront)

8.- Management Team:

→ Unified Command (OPC Enforcer) comprising:

- Project Director - Capt. Luis Vila
- Coordinator of the National Contingency Plan of Belize - Mr. Lloyd Jones
- Collaborator Company Port of Big Creek – Mr. Gustavo Carrillo (tel. 501 5232003)
- Company Collaborator Petro Fuel - Mr. Dexter Neal
- Company Collaborator BNE - Mr Alan Gobie (to be confirmed)
- Specialized Company OPC - Mr. Mariano Diaz (mobil: 502 54015395)

- Operations Manager: Carlos Sagrera (tel.cel. 66701300) - Addressing OPC II - Boat Petrofuel Assignment: Luis Arteaga (Port of Big Creek) - Mr. Edward Pineda (BNE) - Sergio Dorado (Petrofuel)
- Marine Spill Area Supervisor: Darío Muñoz (OPC boats and II)
Assignment: Mr. Dane Forman (Petrofuel)
- Technical Supervisor: Eng. Davis Osorio (OPC II and OPC Enforcer)
- Specialized Vessel OPC Enforcer: Capt. Melvin Jaramillo (mobil: 66707864)
- Logistics Supervisor: Mr. Modesto Ortega - Onboard OPC Enforcer
- Communications Supervisor: Mr. Modesto Ortega
- Port Security Supervisor: Mr. David Longswarth (Port of Big Creek)


9.- Involved Personnel:

- Specialized Vessel OP Enforcer - Capt. Melvin Jaramillo and crew (Ortega - Benitez) - OPC Technical on board: Mr. D. Castro – External Crew: Ryan Gordon (BNE) - Petrofuel

- Tug "Miss Gayle" - Capt. Elvin Linares and crew

- OPC II – Capt. Mr. L. Vasquez - Crew: R. Castillo – External Crew: Richard Lester (Petrofuel) and Dwight Kerr (BNE - Skimmer)

- Specialized Boat OPC P-1: Mr. F. Prestan - Mr. Joshua Briceno (BNE)

- Specialized Boat OPC P-2: Mr. B. Fonseca - Mr. Josiah Moreno (BNE)

- Boat BNE - Mr. Victor Cardinez (BNE) - 1 OPC Technical Mr. Roberto Romero

- Boat Petrofuel - Paul Linarez (Petrofuel) + Operations Chief

10. - Communications:

OPC will provide 10 portable VHF radio. Petro Fuel will have 5 more. Total: 15. BNE will work with their own internal radios, so that OPC will provide support.

Marine Band connection with maritime stakeholders (channel 10 - Stand by canal 16). Eventually use of cell phones.


11. - Security:

In charge of security personnel of Big Creek Port to be assigned an appropriate security perimeter and to monitor the development of the exercise assistants. It will have to also facilitate the entrance of the invited people and authorities some of which come from the outside.

Coordination must be made with the representative of URCP, Ing Ana Carolina Sikaffy, and the OPC Coordinator Mr. Mariano Diaz.

12.- Operation Principles:

- The Drill is planned in the National Contingency Plan for Belize (in charge BPA - Belize Port
Authority). When it’s activate is the highest authority and active throughout the notification process.
- The Belizean authorities involved supporting all activities for the year
- The management levels of the participating companies support all activities of the exercise.
- We have set clear goals, realistic and measurable.
- The goal of the exercise is to simulate a spill and make a display of equipment at the local level
(Tier 1) and regional level (Tier 2) with the activation of the specialized company OPC.

13.- Operation Objectives:

During the drill is intended to perform a deployment of equipment, which will test the contingency plans, personnel and equipment capabilities in response to oil spill. Therefore an Exercise Notice (other than routine approval required), not a desktop exercise, or an Incident Management Exercise. Exercise Equipment Deployment involves the deployment of spill response equipment for oil in specific locations in response to an alleged case of accidental spillage of hydrocarbons, in the case of a collision tanker to manoeuvre, which causes damage its structure and in particular one of its tanks on the starboard leading to oil spill. This includes containment measures with the installation of booms in the area of the incident and protecting sensitive coastal areas, as well as recovery using skimmers and absorbent material. It is intended to test the ability of local personnel to a spill of this type, interacting with personnel from OPC and providing specialized on local conditions and possible scene of stroke, which is understood and will strengthen confidence in the abilities individual and the critical teamwork that is required. The staff is on site, so it is not an exercise in real-time response.

14.- Operation Development:

- The Project Manager Capt. Luis Vila, with the consent of the URCP Coordinator, Eng. Ana Carolina Sikaffy, informs the Unified Command that will begin the Drill. He orders OPC Chief Operations that can begin previous OK of the Belize Port Authority (Mr. Lloyd Jones) who activate the National Contingency Plan.

- The Pilot onboard the tanker XXX (tugboat "Miss Gayle" in the Port of Big Creek) which is in manoeuvre on leaving the dock at the Port of Big Creek informs Operations of the Port of Big Creek of a collision with a barge located in the access channel about 200 m South of the manoeuvre dock, which causes loss of oil by structural flaws in a starboard tank. The Port of Big creek communicates the situation to the involved company and to the Belize Port Authority, which active the specialized company OPC.


Operations Chief provides initial inspection by the Supervisor of the Marine Spill Area who moves to the site on boat OPC (P-1) with the technician assigned for the Port of Big Creek.

- The spill was confirmed and the Supervisor reported the need of booms to the source of the spill and also skimmers to the recovery. It was also informed the direction of the wind and currents that it is possible that some of the spill has already escaped to the area of mangroves located in the access channel to Plazencia.

Captain of the concerned vessel XXX reports to the company and active its Contingency Plan (Tier 1) with booms and absorbent material). Installation on the spill source of 300 feet of harbour boom (BNE) with containment purposes. Using BNE boat and support of specialized boats of OPC P-1 and P-2.

OPC becomes Operations Chief and coordinates the efforts of joint control from specialized vessel Enforcer. Communications frequencies are confirmed. Project Manager performs explanations to the authorities and students on board.

It has been sent to the scene specialized boats OPC II, P-1 and P-2 with coastal booms. Initially the responsible company has deployed its boom, but Operations Chief observes leaks and understand that it is not efficiency and fails to contain the slick. So a second coastal boom is placed (OPC II with 500 feet) around the affected vessel tanker. Support to small craft specialized OPC.

- The Unified Command receive information from coastal residents that had observed some drift from spots located in the mangrove (West zone). Operations Chief order extends 400 feet of boom to the indicated area of mangroves in two parts of 200 feet each one. OPC boats P-1 and P-2 goes to OPC Enforcer for this boom.

Similar action for the enter of the Plazencia channel (East zone) placing 500 feet of coastal boom. OPC boats P-1 and P-2 goes to OPC Enforcer for this boom. BNE boat help in the mission. Given the distance from deployment of this latest operation will be done in a simulation site visible from the pier to which the deployment can be seen by observers and participants. It is understood that the area of mangrove near the port of Big Creek is the most sensitive sector from an environmental point of view and depending on which valuation studies carried out by OPC (via software Oil map drift) are likely to impact in the event of a real spill. Explanations of the Director of the Project to Authorities and Observers.

- The Supervisor of the Maritime Spill Area reports that have detected a stationary spill near the incidental area. The Chief Operations determines that the OPC II and the BNE boat, after allocation of technical staff of OPC, conducted a sweep maneuver (“booming”). Under the order of the Supervisor of the Marine Spill Area. this will remove the 200 feet of remaining boom on the OPC Enforcer. Its moves to to enter the spill into the dock maneuvering for later retrieval. Delivery of the BNE boat that remains within the basin. This maneuver requires the closure of the dock and this will require to the authorization of the Unified Command that authorizes the Chief Operations to perform this maneuver. Provides for the withdrawal of 700 feet boom remaining on the pier. OPC II is supported by the P-1 and P-2 to perform this maneuver.


- After completing the exercises with the booms, which can eventually include orders of assembly and disarmament of booms sections not originally planned, it´s time to start the recovery maneuver with the OPC belt skimmer of the specialized vessel OPC Enforcer, which has previously been placed in a position of lowering (simulation anchor position as the shallow waters). We also operate a skimmer that is embarked on board the OPC II. For this last operations the boats must expand the boom around the tanker (simulation by the tug). OPC II remain outside. For the purposes of viewing from the pier, the Project Director may require the Operations Chief that approach this maneuver to be adequately observed from the dock. According to preliminary technical report from OPC it will allow the operation of the BNE skimmer.

- After the previous operation the Supervisor of the Maritime Spill Area initiates recovery actions using absorbent material from boat OPC P-1 and P-2. For final disposal the recovers use reinforced bags.

The situation is controlled. Operations Chief consign this to the Authorities and begins the removing of the equipment. Especialized Vessel OPC Enforcer docks at assigned site. Project Manager reports to the URCP Coordinator.

- According to the sequence of the event, the Operations Chief may decide not planned manoeuvres that promote the training of the technical team. The Captain of the OPC Enforcer can test its fire fighting equipment in anticipation fires in rugged vessel.

15. - Previous Activities and pos manoeuvres:

Thursday 05.02.10.00 hrs. will be realised a previous meeting of direct participants. Place: the facilities of Port of Big Creek. This day will count on the presence of the Project Manager and the OPC Operations Chief, which will allow to the final coordination during the accomplishment of the theoretical-practical course (place: Conference hall Port of Big Creek). After the Drill transfer to Conference Hall of Port of Big Creek is anticipated of participant supervisors and students of the course for final evaluative commentaries on the part of the Project Manager Capt. Luis Vila. Person in charge of logistic: Mr. Mariano Diaz Cuevas..


16.- Press

Presence of journalists in wharf has not been anticipated following the Drill.


Capt. Carlos Sagrera
OPC Operations Chief
OPC Coordinador Gulf of Honduras Project

En contaminación…OPC es la solución…