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Summary
Pages 1-10

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From page 1...
... differ sufficiently from other liquid petroleum products to warrant modifications to the spill response plans, spill preparedness, or cleanup regulations and report on those findings to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment."3 USDOT returned to the Academies in 2014 with a request to form an ad hoc committee to help address this concern. Specifically, this committee was taskedi to review the available literature and data to examine the current state of knowledge, and to identify the relevant properties and characteristics of the transport, fate, and effects of diluted bitumen and commonly transported crude oils when spilled in the environment from U.S.
From page 2...
... was the intrinsic complexity of crude oils as mixtures of hydrocarbons with diverse structures and widely varying molecular weights. Mixtures of these compounds combine to make up the bulk properties of any particular crude oil.
From page 3...
... It is the subsequent weathering effects, unique to diluted bitumen, that merit special response strategies and tactics. For example, the time windows during which dispersants and in situ burning can be used effectively are significantly shorter for diluted bitumen than for other commonly transported crudes.
From page 4...
... In light of the aforementioned analysis, comparisons, and review of the regulations, it is clear that the differences in the chemical and physical properties relevant to environmental impact warrant modifications to the regulations governing diluted bitumen spill response plans, preparedness, and cleanup. The concern associated with these differences is summarized in Figure S-1 for both diluted bitumen and weathered diluted bitumen.
From page 5...
... SUMMARY 5 FIGURE S-1  Spill hazards: diluted bitumen relative to commonly transported crude oils. Acronyms: BTEX: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes; HMW: high molecular weight; LMW: low molecular weight.
From page 6...
... RECOMMENDATIONS Diluted bitumen has unique properties, differing from those of commonly transported crude oils, which affect the behavior of diluted bitumen in the environment following a spill. This behavior differs from that of the light and medium crudes typically considered when planning responses to spills.
From page 7...
... Require the plan to identify all of the transported crude oils using industry-standard names, such as Cold Lake Blend, and to include safety data sheets for each of the named crude oils. Both the plan and the associated safety data sheets should include spill-relevant properties and considerations; b.
From page 8...
... Advanced Predictive Modeling Recommendation 5: NOAA should lead an effort to acquire all data that are relevant to advanced predictive modeling for spills of diluted bitumen being transported by pipeline. Improved Coordination Recommendation 6: USEPA, USCG, PHMSA, and state and local governments should increase coordination and share les sons learned to improve the area contingency planning process and to strengthen preparedness for spills of diluted bitumen.
From page 9...
... These research priorities, discussed in Chapter 7, apply broadly to the research community. Major topics for future research include • Transport and fate in the environment, • Ecological and human health risks of weathered diluted bitumen, • Detection and quantification of submerged and sunken oil, • Techniques to intercept and recover submerged oil on the move, and • Alternatives to dredging to recover sunken oil.


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