SINTEF Marine laboratories (SeaLab) at Trondheim harbour (Sept. 2005) |
New technologies for oil and gas exploration and production are continuously emerging to meet new and demanding challenges presented by exploration and production near-shore, in ice-infested and deep waters, and in other sensitive areas. Environmental considerations and requirements will be of major importance in the process of decision-making regarding activities in these areas. Important factors for these considerations are related to the fate and behaviour of the relevant oils if spilled, and to the potential impact to the specific environment (at sea, in water column, sea-bed, in ice, on shore etc.) and relevant marine organisms.
The coming years will be challenging with respect to the need for R&D studies related to many aspects of oil releases to the marine environment. This is connected to increased interest for exploration & production in coastal and sensitive areas (e.g. Lofoten / Barents Sea), in deep waters and in ice-infested waters.
Additionally, there is a significant increase in the transportation of oil along the Norwegian coastline.
In order to meet these future demands for related R&D studies, improvement in basic capabilities and extension of the flexibility of meso-scale basin facilities are essential. SINTEF has therefore relocated its marine activities (i.e the Fisheries and Aquaculture and Marine Environmental Technology activities) to a building at the water-front at Trondheim harbour (see figure on the last page) The laboratories and meso-scale facilities have been re-built in this new location. A high flexibility of operation is important for the new facility, since we want to carry out experiments associated with development of under-water production of oil, as well as problems related to oil spills for ice-infested and coastal waters with complex current patterns.
 SINTEF Marine laboratories (SeaLab) at Trondheim harbour (Sept. 2005) |
The new laboratory (SINTEF SeaLab) is intended to be a “national” laboratory as well as an international
platform for oil spill R&D and related topics. SINTEF SeaLab includes the following facilities:
- Upgraded meso-scale oil /ice basin
- Upgraded meso-scale flume basin for studying oil spill weathering and behaviour
- Upgraded meso-scale shoreline basins
- Bench-scale laboratories for oil spill weathering studies
- Ecotoxicological facilities for bio-assay / toxicity testing
- Microbiological laboratories for biodegradation studies
- Oil spill and analytical laboratory facilities for:
- Oil spill characterisation and testing of oil spill agents (dispersants, emulsion breakers etc.)
- Oil spill identification / fingerprinting
- Film thickness / “oil spill appearance” and spreading studies
- Organic and inorganic analyses of chemical compounds in crude oils, produced water and drilling discharges
The new “oil/ice” basin will be the “back-bone” in the SINTEF laboratories, and is suitable for performing a wide range of meso-scale R&D studies. Itwill be possible to carry out temperature controlled experiments, both with
different types of ice and with open water conditions.
Additionally a new and sophisticated flume basin will be installed in the premises enabling simultaneous simulation of all relevant weathering processes (e.g. evaporation, natural dispersion, dissolution, emulsification, photo-exidation etc.) and the behaviour of different oils under various environmental conditions.
SINTEF wishes to thank Statoil for a considerable financial contribution to the instrumentation and completion of the facilities.
For more information, contact:
Tore Aunaas, phone: +47 92400847, e-mail:
