Water Quality - Oil Spill Assessment
Approach
The location of the proposed wind farm is not in a major navigation channel and the potential risk of
vessel collision is expected to be low.
For the worst situation where vessel collision with the wind turbines occurs and fuel oil releases
from the vessel, tidal currents and winds will spread the spill away from the incident site. The fuel
oil is less dense than the seawater and will float on the water surface. There will be no mixing of
the fuel oil with the seawater. The coral communities (set away from the site) and amphioxus living
at the sea bottom would not be directly affected by the floating fuel oil on the water surface.
To examine the areas that are potentially affected by any oil spill events, drogue-tracking was
included in the hydrodynamic simulations of flow pattern in the study area. It is assumed that oil
spill occurs at the wind farm site and the duration of oil spill lasts for 4 hours (being the time it
would take to control the oil spill).
Approach
The location of the proposed wind farm is not in a major navigation channel and the potential risk of
vessel collision is expected to be low.
For the worst situation where vessel collision with the wind turbines occurs and fuel oil releases
from the vessel, tidal currents and winds will spread the spill away from the incident site. The fuel
oil is less dense than the seawater and will float on the water surface. There will be no mixing of
the fuel oil with the seawater. The coral communities (set away from the site) and amphioxus living
at the sea bottom would not be directly affected by the floating fuel oil on the water surface.
To examine the areas that are potentially affected by any oil spill events, drogue-tracking was
included in the hydrodynamic simulations of flow pattern in the study area. It is assumed that oil
spill occurs at the wind farm site and the duration of oil spill lasts for 4 hours (being the time it
would take to control the oil spill).
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Results
As can be seen from the figures below within the 4-hour period, the spill still stayed in the open
waters and did not strand on the coastlines.
Dry Season Oil Spill Track After 4 Hours Wet Season Oil Spill Track After 4 Hours
As can be seen from the figures below within the 4-hour period, the spill still stayed in the open
waters and did not strand on the coastlines.
Dry Season Oil Spill Track After 4 Hours Wet Season Oil Spill Track After 4 Hours
An emergency plan would be developed for the wind farm to deal with all eventualities at the wind
farm, including construction and operational related oil releases. Plans would be activated once an
oil spill event due to vessel collision occurs at the wind farm was identified. An Emergency
Response Team would be convened to address the incident and call upon all appropriate and
available resources. These would include (1) the operator’s multi-role wind farm operational
support vessel, that would double as an Emergency Response & Rescue Vessel (ERRV); and (2)
Marine Department patrol vessels directed under the Maritime Oil Spill Response Plan (MOSRP).
The operator’s ERRV is intended to have a near permanent presence at the site and would be in a
position to provide immediate casualty support and oil spill containment and cleanup.
The HKSAR Marine Department would be informed of any oil spill event and take immediate action
to deploy maritime oil spill control vessels to reach the scene of the incident. Depending on the
sea conditions, the travel time from the Marine Department base to the Ninepins is about 3.5 to 4.5
hours. It is expected that control and containment of oil spill from reaching Ninepins would be
undertaken before the oil spill moves further towards the islands. Methods to control and contain
the spill may include the use of spill containment booms, absorbents, etc. Depending on the
situation, oil transfer operations may be carried out to remove the floating fuel oil from the sea
surface.
Given the development of an extensive operational and emergency plan for the wind farm and
support from the Marine Department to deal with accidents, any oil spill events during Project
operation are not anticipated to cause adverse impacts upon nearby water sensitive receivers.
farm, including construction and operational related oil releases. Plans would be activated once an
oil spill event due to vessel collision occurs at the wind farm was identified. An Emergency
Response Team would be convened to address the incident and call upon all appropriate and
available resources. These would include (1) the operator’s multi-role wind farm operational
support vessel, that would double as an Emergency Response & Rescue Vessel (ERRV); and (2)
Marine Department patrol vessels directed under the Maritime Oil Spill Response Plan (MOSRP).
The operator’s ERRV is intended to have a near permanent presence at the site and would be in a
position to provide immediate casualty support and oil spill containment and cleanup.
The HKSAR Marine Department would be informed of any oil spill event and take immediate action
to deploy maritime oil spill control vessels to reach the scene of the incident. Depending on the
sea conditions, the travel time from the Marine Department base to the Ninepins is about 3.5 to 4.5
hours. It is expected that control and containment of oil spill from reaching Ninepins would be
undertaken before the oil spill moves further towards the islands. Methods to control and contain
the spill may include the use of spill containment booms, absorbents, etc. Depending on the
situation, oil transfer operations may be carried out to remove the floating fuel oil from the sea
surface.
Given the development of an extensive operational and emergency plan for the wind farm and
support from the Marine Department to deal with accidents, any oil spill events during Project
operation are not anticipated to cause adverse impacts upon nearby water sensitive receivers.
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