Update: Costa Concordia Salvage Plan Presented
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| Henry Kissinger, Doc Sloan, former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing |
Dr. Sloan has initiated projects for the Center that have ranged from steel plant pollution remediation to helicopter tours. His expertise has been a great asset to the Center over the past 15-years. The Special Projects he brings to the Center range from local projects to international programs.
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| Rudy Giuliani, Dr. George W. Sloan |
Dr. Sloan's background ranges from advising presidents, governors, mayors and corporate America to civic and environmental groups. "Doc," as he is called, is the power behind numerous projects, but he is not an attention seeker. He promotes equity in energy projects and respects the balance between job creation and environmental protection.
One particular project included arranging pollution remediation services for Avesta Sheffield steel plant just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. The remediation was coupled with a proposed shipbreaking project that was to have included 'Welfare-To-Work' employees. Doc also arranged for negotiations with the Steelworkers Union on the porject(s). Unfortunately, the steel plant closed without notice. The photo below shows a tour of the plant for youth that Doc arranged.
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| Center youth tour of Avesta Sheffield Steel Plant outsite of Baltimore, Maryland |
Dr. Sloan is currently formulating methologies to adequately monitor hydraulic fracturing sites, nuclear power plant sites and pipelines.
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Salvage of Costa Concordia
A Proposal For
Monitoring & Environmental Controls
Overview
The Cruise Ship Costa Concordia grounded and breached its hull on 13 January 2012 and is listed at a 65 degree angle to starboard. All compartments below water are flooded. At the time of this proposal, the fuels and lubricants are being removed to lessen the potential impact to the surrounding area.
Although all marine casualties are unfortunate, this particular casualty occurred in a marine sanctuary and in front of a summer resort island – Giglio Island, Italy – making the removal even more urgent and challenging.
Technology Capability
Global Monitoring, LLC brings two of its suite of technology capabilities to the project via Monitor Instruments Company, LLC www.monitorinstruments.com and Gunderboom, Inc. www.gunderboom.com
Monitor Instruments designs and manufactures a variety of highly specialized instrumentation systems and, for this project, the Sea Monitor is proposed.
The Sea Monitor is a Cycloidal Mass Spectrometer that provides real-time hydrocarbon identification in and under the water.
In the Costa Concordia salvage project, the important uses of the Sea Monitor are:
o The ability to provide constant and real-time analysis and data reporting/logging of the waters surrounding the casualty providing immediate indications of even the slightest level of pollutants that may escape from the hull.
o In conjunction with an ROV, the unit can be used to "explore" submerged areas to check for harmful and/or toxic substances prior to, as an example, engaging divers to go into confined spaces.
o From a Health & Safety standpoint, the unit can be used in the proximity of workers to confirm that the surrounding waters are free of any harmful substances and provide a log of that information.
o Having the Sea Monitor on the project means that there will always be a Mass Spectrometer on site. This is a unique situation and has only become a viable option with the advent of the Cycloidal Mass Spec, which is highly portable. Having this unit on site will allow the technicians to run any questionable or unknown liquid substance through it to make an identification - Real-time and immediate.
Detailed information regarding the Sea Monitor can be found in Exhibit A attached herewith.
Gunderboom provides Engineered Aquatic Filter Barriers (AFB) for a number of differing applications. Common to most applications are two key aspects of the systems. The AFB is typically a very robust, floating boom system that has a vertical curtain that extends to the sea floor and seals at that point. The AFB’s are design so that water can pass through them, but hydrocarbons, sediments, debris and, if applicable, bacteria are contained or excluded from passing.
Gunderboom systems have been used on many projects that present similar challenges as may be seen with the Costa Concordia salvage effort. Most notably, but not most recently, was the Exxon Valdez disaster where over 5 miles of Gunderboom systems were deployed. The majority of these full water depth curtains were placed at the mouth of bays that have fish hatcheries at the head. These systems blocked, or filtered, neutrally
buoyant crude and allowed the hatcheries to continue circulating water.
For the Costa Concordia project, Gunderboom proposes to design and fabricate a full water depth AFB that completely surrounds the causality. What this will do is:
o Provide a complete physical barrier from the waters surface to the sea floor such that nothing can get in or out. Alternatively, the boom system can be installed with the curtain "reefed" up and only dropped if there is an "event".
o This will be accomplished with curtain system that will still allow water to pass so the area inside does not become stagnant.
o The AFB design proposed will have a 600mm dia. floatation hood, be capable of operating in up to 2 meter seas and 3 knots of current
o This system can be utilized as a platform of sorts by providing an attachment point for sorbent materials, instrumentation, hazard lighting and so on.
o The full water depth AFB provides a solid line of environmental defense during a challenging refloating effort that will most likely require dewatering of compartments containing various debris and a matrix of whatever was in the ship originally.
The utilization of Gunderboom technologies also allows the system to be designed in a manner that will attenuate harmful noise from machinery or overpressures from blasting that may be transmitted into the ocean. Equipment and activities that generate 80 dB above water, as an example, will create a sound level that is 62 dB higher than that underwater, or 142 dB.
The system can also be designed to filter out harmful bacteria and pathogens as well. These technology can be applied either at the system surrounding the casualty or it can be deployed as a stand alone system surrounding beaches or intakes – special areas that may need a higher level of protective systems as a second line of defense.
Technology Pricing
Monitor Instruments
We recommend that at least two units and associated spare parts be on the project full time.
One consultant is required for each operating unit. However, if one unit is stationery, as an example, the moving unit on an ROV or being towed can be tended to by one consultant and that same consultant can occasionally check on the stationery one.
The SEA MONITOR USAGE rate can be discounted by 20% for a monthly rate and 40% for anything over 4 months.
Gunderboom
On a preliminary basis, we have outlined an AFB that is 1,000 meters in length that will surround the casualty with a full water depth curtain. This AFB would stand approximately 16 meters off the hull, but can be adjusted or moved as necessary.
Design assumption provides for 18.5 meter water depth on average. Shallower on shore side of casualty, deeper on sea side.
The boom system is manufactured in 30 meter sections and has anchoring attachment points every 15 meters, inside and out.
The system is contemplated as having several entry points where the boom system can be separated for ingress and egress of marine equipment and/or a section of the floatation can be arranged such that is submerges to accomplish the same thing.
The anchoring system is typically a specially designed concrete anchor with poly line and chain mooring rigging to hold it in place and allow for adjustments over time.
The design, fabrication, delivery and installation of these systems is typically undertaken in Phases or in progressive Tasks
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