Burning of oil in snow

A series of experiments with burning of oil/snow mixtures have been carried out at Spitsbergen. The objective was to develop practical methods for in situ burning of spilled oil to be implemented in the Reindalen 1 drilling contingency plan. This paper describes the results from the eight field experiments (1000 liters each) with naturally spread oil, and two series of burns in small experimental vessels. The oil types studied were Oseberg crude oil and diesel. Efficiencies between approximately 90% and 99% were obtained in all the burns. It was demonstrated that oil/snow mixtures with oil concentrations above 75% could be ignited with a rag soaked in petroleum, and that concentrations as low as 3 to 4% could be ignited after supply of additional petrol. Burning of oil in snow is recognized to be similar to burning of oil on water, with separation of oil and snow by melting, and formation of an oil layer on a meltwater pool as the step that determines success. Wind herding is found to be an important regulating factor. Implementation of burning of oil/snow mixtures as an oil spill mitigation tool into the Reindalen 1 contingency plan is outlined at the end of the paper. 13 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs