v
NOAA/EPA Special Report
The AMOCO CADIZ Oil Spill
A Preliminary Scientific Report
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Environmental Research Laboratory

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NOAA/EPA Special Report
The AMOCO CADIZ Oil Spill
A Preliminary Scientific Report
Edited by Wilmot N. Hess
NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories
Major Contributors:
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA
Texas A. & M. University
University of New Orleans
University of South Carolina
April 1978

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Juanita Kreps, Secretary
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Richard A. Frank, Administrator

Environmental Research Laboratories
Wilmot N. Hess, Director
Boulder, Colorado
wEPA
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Douglas M. Costle, Administrator
Environmental Research Laboratory
Eric D. Schneider, Director
Narragansett, Rhode Island
For sale by tba Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Ofllce, Washington, D.C. 20402

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NOTICE
The Environmental Research Laboratories do not approve,
recommend, or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary
material mentioned in this publication. No reference shall
be made to the Environmental Research Laboratories or to this
publication furnished by the Environmental Research Labora-
tories in any advertising or sales promotion which would in-
dicate or imply that the Environmental Research Laboratories
approve, recommend, or endorse any proprietary product or
proprietary material mentioned herein, or which has as its
purpose an intent to cause directly or indirectly the adver-
tised product to be used or purchased because of this Envi-
ronmental Research Laboratories publication.
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CONTENTS
Page
Preface	v
Acknowledgments	vi
1.	Executive Summary	1
2.	Investigations of Physical Processes	7
J. A. Gait (NOAA-PMEL)
3.	Chemical Composition of Selected Environmental and
Petroleum Samples From the Amoco Cadiz Oil	Spill 21
John Calder (NOAA-OCSEAP)
James Lake (EPA)
John Laseter (U. of New Orleans)
4.	Investigations of Beach Processes	85
Erich Gundlach (U. of South Carolina)
Miles Hayes (U. of South Carolina)
5.	Biological Observations	197
F.	A.	Cross (NOAA-NMFS)
W.	P.	Davis (EPA)
D.	E.	Hoss (NOAA-NMFS)
D.	A.	Wolfe (NOAA-OCSEAP)
Appendix, Ch. 5	216
J. L. Hyland (EPA)
6. Oil Spill Cleanup Activities	229
Roy W. Hann, Jr. (Texas A&M University)
Les Rice (Texas A&M University)
Marie-Claire Trujillo (Texas A&M University)
Harry N. Young, Jr. (Texas A&M University)
Appendix A: Chronology	277
Appendix B: Colored Plates	283
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PREFACE
The grounding of the supertanker Amoco Cadiz near the coast of
Brittany on March 16, 1978, resulted in the greatest single discharge
of petroleum in maritime history, with tragic consequences for the
people of France. Strong onshore winds and unusually high spring
tides (quite unlike the conditions encountered in the Argo Merchant
spill in late 1976) forced the 220,000 ton cargo of the vessel high
on the beaches and well into estuaries and marshes along 210 kilometers
of the Brittany coast. The effects of the spill, although not totally
evaluated to date, were nonetheless devastating in a region heavily
dependent on the quality of its coastline and nearshore waters for
the maintenance of an active maritime economy and way of life.
Few coastal regions of the world are immune from incidents of
this nature; lessons learned from the French experience must be immedi-
ately translated into effective national and international regulations
governing the safe shipment of petroleum and other hazardous substances
by sea. In addition, we must establish the means to deal more effec-
tively with incidents of this magnitude when they do occur. The French
experience, as regrettable as it was, will yield a wealth of information
on the effectiveness of various means of containment and cleanup dnd
improve the capability of scientists and engineers around the world to
mitigate and assess the environmental consequences of such events in
the future.
The United States was fortunate to have in place a team of
Federal, state and academic scientists trained and equipped to respond
on short notice to marine pollutant incidents of this nature. Through
the cooperation of the French government, members of the team were
able to work closely with their French counterparts to assist in
mitigating the effects of the spill, assess the extent of environmental
damage, and compile information vital to future United States efforts
in this area.
This report is a preliminary U.S. contribution to the study of
the Amoco Cadiz disaster. A longer-term, international effort is
clearly warranted to explore the long-range environmental consequences
of the incident, as well as to understand the nature and effectiveness
of natural recovery processes. Certainly the United States will
continue to support this endeavor.
Richard A. Frank,"Administrator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The United States' scientific team is deeply indebted to Dr. Lucien
Laubier, Director of the Centre Oceanologique de Bretagne of the Centre
National pour 1'Exploration des Oceans (COB/CNEXO), for the opportunity
to participate with our French counterparts in the study of the Amoco
Cadiz incident. Through Dr. Laubier's kind assistance and that of Dr.
Allen, Dr. Cavanie, Dr. Conan, M. de Clarens, Dr. Marchand, Dr. d'Ozouville
and other staff members and scientists at COB/CNEXO, scientific advice
and laboratory facilities and equipment critical to the United States
effort were provided.
We are also especially appreciative of the keen insights and
valuable assistance offered by Dr. Cabioch, M. Leglise, D. J. Vasserot,
and the staff of the Station Biologique Roscoff in aiding our work on
the north coast. Considering the devastation of this most diverse and
important biological habitat, it is with mixed emotions that we acknowl-
edge the major contributions the station is now making to understanding
the consequences of world oil pollution.
We would like to acknowledge the assistance and fruitful discus-
sions provided by Drs. Glemarec and Chasse of the Universite de Bretagne
Occidental, Col. Ph. Milon and P. Penicand of the Ligue Francaise par la
Protection des Oiseaux, and the staff of the Societe pour 1'Etude et la
Protection de la Nature en Bretagne.
Our work was aided in great measure by James Brown at the Depart-
ment of State and William Salmon, Harvey Ferguson, and Quincy Lumsden at
the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Necessary diplomatic clearances as well as
very practical on-scene assistance were provided in an expeditious
manner, under circumstances that were often difficult and sensitive.
We would also acknowledge the essential support provided by our
interpreters Catherine Cadon, Brigette de Clarens, Tina Loughlin,
Sylvia Walensky, and J. Rubino, without whose assistance communications
would have been impossible at times and difficult at best.
Funding in support of this effort was provided by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection
Agency, and the Bureau of Land Management.
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This document provides a preliminary account of the United States
scientific efforts in response to the Amoco Cadiz oil spill during the
period March 19 to May 15, 1978. The document expands on and updates
material reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
in April 1978 in the document entitled The Amoco Cadiz Oil Spill: A
First Report of the SOR Team Activities. It should be emphasized that
all material reported herein is indeed preliminary; final assessment of
full impact of the incident will require the integration and interpreta-
tion of data taken by scientists from several nations. From our knowl-
edge of previous spills, we anticipate that final assessment of the full
extent of the impact may require a period of several years.
At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 1978, the
supertanker Amoco Cadiz went aground on a rock outcropping 1.5 km
offshore of Portsall on the northwest coast of France (see Plates 1-1
through 1-7). The vessel contained a cargo of 216,000 tons of crude oil
and 4,000 tons of bunker fuel. At 6:00 a.m. on Friday, March 17, the
vessel broke just forward of the wheelhouse and thus started the worst
oil spill in maritime history. During the course of the next 15 days,
the bunker fuel and contents of all 13 loaded cargo tanks, which con-
tained two varieties of light mideastern crude oil, were released into
the ocean. The oil quickly became a water-in-oil emulsion (mousse) of
at least 50% water, and heavily impacted nearly 140 km of the Brittany
coast from Portsall to lie de Brehat. At one time or another oil con-
tamination was observed along 393 km of coastline and at least 60 km
offshore (Fig. 1-1). Impacted areas included recreational beaches,
mariculture impoundments, and a substantial marine fishery industry.
On March 18, Dr. Wilmot N. Hess, Director of the Environmental
Research Laboratories (ERL) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), contacted Dr. Lucien Laubier, Director of the
Centre Oceanologique de Bretagne (COB) of the Centre National pour
l1Exploration des Oceans (CNEXO), the French national oceanographic
organization. Dr. Hess and Dr. Laubier arranged for participation by
United States scientists in a joint Franco-American investigation of
physical and chemical manifestations of the spill. On March 24, the
agreement was expanded to include cooperative biological investigations
through contacts initiated by Dr. Eric Schneider, Director of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency's Environmental Research Laboratory in
Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Since the Argo Merchant oil spill in December 1976, EPA and NOAA
have collaborated in development of an interagency oil spill response
team, encompassing a variety of scientific disciplines. In the United
States this team has three functions:

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(1)	To provide authorities responsible for cleanup with highly-
qualified scientific assistance in mitigating the environ-
mental and socio-economic impacts of spills of oil and other
hazardous substances,
(2)	To provide scientific assistance in assessing the damage
resulting from such spills.
(3)	To maximize the research advantage offered by the spill
situation, especially with respect to improving future re-
sponse capabilities.
Figure 1-1. Coast of Brittany, showing locations of spilled oil.
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NOAA team members initially arrived on-scene on Sunday, March 19.
Initial photographic over-flights and active beach sampling began on
Tuesday, March 21, followed by initial chemical sampling by vessel on
Friday, March 24. The team was supplemented with EPA biological observ-
ers on Sunday, March 26. Routine sampling has continued by all segments
of the team until the present time.
Throughout the period of investigation, active interaction and
coordination with the French scientific community have taken place under
the auspices of COB/CNEXO. All sampling has been coordinated with
programs organized by CNEXO and other institutions in France, making
possible a more thorough evaluation of the effects of the incident than
would otherwise have been possible.
During the course of the investigation, seven observational objec-
tives were established by the U.S. team:
(1)	Aerial photographic mapping and ground surveys of impacted
beaches.
(2)	Statistical mapping of the distribution of oil on the water
surface using vertical photography.
(3)	Surveys of the concentrations of oil in subsurface water.
(4)	Evaluation of the effect of weathering on the composition of
surface oil as a function of time/distance from the wreck
site.
(5)	Evaluation of the long-term effects of weathering on the
composition of oil in sediments from tidal flats and beaches.
(6)	Evaluation of the biological consequences of the spill.
(7)	Observation and assessment of cleanup techniques.
Given the limitations of our analytical efforts to date, we believe
the following preliminary conclusions can be drawn regarding the nature,
fate, and effects of the oil spilled from the Amoco Cadiz:
(1) According to our best estimate, 64,000 tons of the Amoco Cadiz
oil came ashore along 72 km of the shoreline of Brittany during the
first two and one-half weeks of the spill. A prevailing westerly wind
pushed the oil against west-facing headlands and into shoreline embay-
ments as it moved east. Additional wind-induced forcing is hypothesized
to have taken place through a sea surface setup along the coast and
subsequent development of a significant alongshore current. A wind
reversal in early April moved the oil in the opposite direction, contam-
inating previously untouched areas and transporting the oil as far
southwest as Pointe du Raz (southwest of Brest). At the end of April,
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the total volume of oil onshore was reduced to 10,000 tons, but by that
time 320 km of shoreline had been contaminated.
(2)	Coastal processes and geomorphology played a major role in the
dispersal and accumulation of the oil once it came onshore. For exam-
ple, oil accumulated at the heads of crenulate bays and on tombolos
(sand spits formed in the lee of offshore islands). Local sinks, such
as scour pits around boulders, bar troughs (runnels), marsh pools, and
joints and crevasses in rocks, tended to trap oil. The grounded mousse
was either eroded away, or buried (up to 70 cm) under new sediment de-
posits, in response to the vagaries of the beach cycle.
(3)	During the initial oiling, the first week after the grounding,
oil definitely lifted off with the incoming tide, and was redeposited on
the ebb. However, by late April oil/sediment binding was pronounced and
considerable sinking was evident. A significant percentage of the oil
spilled by the Amoco Cadiz is now hypothesized to have sunk to the
bottom and thereafter been subjected to bottom transport processes.
(4)	The distribution of oil in water in the Aber Wrac'h estuary
was uniform vertically, indicating that the benthos was exposed to oil.
Six weeks after the grounding, this estuary still contained elevated
concentrations of oil in water, particularly at the upper end.
(5)	Offshore, high concentrations of oil in water were observed
under patches of mousse or slick, but, interestingly, near-bottom water
usually contained even greater quantities of oil.
(6)	Chemical analysis of weathered oil samples revealed notable
losses of lower molecular weight components, decreases in peak heights
of n-alkanes relative to isoprenoids, reductions in resolved vs. unre-
solved material in aliphatic and aromatic fractions, and increases in
oxygenated material. Mass spectrometric data indicate the presence of
photo-oxidation products of dibenzothiophene and its alkyl homologs.
There was no mass spectral evidence for photo-oxidation products of the
naphthalenes and phenanthrenes.
(7)	Adverse biological effects of the spill were observed along
the northwest coast of Brittany, ranging from Portsall to Perros-Guirec
—a distance of about 150 km of coastline plus numerous rocky outcrop-
pings and islands. Biological communities in these habitats were
subjected to varying degrees of stress depending upon type of habitat,
distance from the spill, and location relative to the configuration of
the coastline.
(8)	Intertidal communities on coastlines facing in a westerly
direction, as well as the Aber Benoit estuary and Rulosquet marsh near
lie Grande, were severely impacted. These effects were maximized by
spring tides which occurred just after the wreck. Massive mortalities
of some intertidal animals occurred near St. Efflam and at Rulosquet
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marsh over a relatively short time span (a few days), whereas mortal-
ities of other populations were observed to occur more gradually (over
several weeks). Populations of intertidal crabs, nereid worms, bivalve
molluscs, and limpets were much more acutely affected by the spill than
were deposit-feeders (e.g. Arenicola). For epifauna, mortality appeared
to be related to physical coating by the oil; the dissolved fraction
that penetrated into the interstitial water was probably the primary
factor contributing to mortalities of infauna. Acute effects were not
observed on attached macroalgae although some evidence was obtained in
an independent study that indicates that the fertilization process of
exposed plants may be impaired, and that growth of Laminaria may be
retarded.
(9)	The oil spill occurred at a time when many species of marine
birds were in the process of migration from wintering to nesting grounds.
More than 3,200 dead birds were recovered, representing more than 30
species. About 85% of these deaths, however, were among four species
(shag cormorant, guillemot, razorbill, and puffin), the last three of
which are considered rare or threatened in France. More chronic impacts
on marine birds may result from feeding on contaminated prey. Seagulls
were observed feeding on freshly killed intertidal organisms all along
the impacted coastline.
(10)	Mariculture operations for oysters were severely affected in
the Aber Benoit and Aber Wrac'h estuaries and the Bay of Morlaix. Large
numbers of oysters were either killed or contaminated by the spill. The
holding pens of the commercial lobster operation at Roscoff were heavily
oiled and probably will be out of operation for a year. The main scallop
fishery in Brittany is located east of the impacted area, and adverse
effects may be minimal.
(11)	The transport of oil or its volatile fractions to terrestrial
communities may have been substantial. In late March gale force winds
and spring tides combined to deposit oil above the high tide mark. More
importantly, some of the airborne fractions of the petroleum can adhere
to plants and be transported to man via farm crops and livestock.
As indicated earlier, U.S. scientific response efforts were con-
ducted for the purpose of meeting three objectives: 1) support to
operational forces in mitigating impact, 2) assessment of damage, and 3)
research for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of future
responses.
In connection with objective 1, U.S. scientists provided assistance
in suggesting alternative measures for dealing with oil contaminated
beaches. Assistance in tracking the extent of oil contamination was
provided to French authorities on a near-daily basis through frequent
photographic overflights.
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« «- *	n q scientific activity will contribute to the final
Most of th . •	damage in connection with the objective 2
assessment of	ons , when merged with French data on
above. U.S.	directly to the assessment of
pre-spill con ltions,	coupled with information on the toxicity of
impact. Chemical analyses, co p	q{	^ ^ time Qf ^
crude oil and the expected di	d	f impact ia the absence of
spill, will provide additional	ld mpa
direct biological observations in the	•
ma i or contributions to future U.S. response
Regarding objective 3	major^tions ^ ^	strategies
efforts are anticipa e	after-the-fact assessment of each tech-
employed by the French	lotlg-term impact on the environment. Data
nique and the correspo g	insights concerning oil movement in the
collected will also Pr?v*	stranding or beaching of oil, sheltering
marine environment such.as tne ^ of longghore drift in oil trans_
of areas in the lee o e	^ping. These new conceptual understand-
port and the	« to the aext generation of oil spill
ings can be expected to	± t assessment studies,
forecasting models and hydrocarD	v
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2. INVESTIGATIONS OF PHYSICAL PROCESSES
J. A. Gait*
2.1 Introduction
The physical processes that affect the behavior of oil in the
marine environment can be divided into two classes. The first class
includes those processes that control the movement and mixing of ocean
waters independent of the possibility of an added pollutant. These
processes are the normal subject of study for physical oceanographers
and represent a major research field in their own right. Normally we
assume that these processes simply move the oil around and that in a
Lagrangian frame of reference they define the position of the water
parcels in which the oil (or hydrocarbon) floats. The second class of
processes includes those that affect the oil and its distribution as it
floats in the water. These processes clearly will depend on the physi-
cal and chemical characteristics of the oil as well as the environmental
conditions. Oil/wave/wind interactions, mousse formation, and aglomer-
ation with sediment particles are all contained in this second class of
processes.
To develop an observation program and research effort that will
offer tactical support during a spill situation and lead to a systematic
improvement in our ability to forecast oil movement during future events
we must consider all of these processes in some detail. In particular
for coastal regions and expected oil types we must identify investiga-
tive and descriptive techniques that have proved useful, specify to what
accuracy data fields must be known, and finally identify major gaps in
our understanding of the processes that will require additional re-
search.
When considering the first class of processes we may ignore the
presence of oil and concentrate on the movement of the water and a
passive tracer. The distribution of such a tracer will be described by
the mass balance or distribution of variables equation (Sverdrup et al.,
1942). This equation simply relates the local change in concentration
to the divergence of the advective flux and diffusive spreading:
= V(cG) + (kVc)
^Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, NOAA, Seattle, Wash.
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to interpret this equation in an oceanographic con-
In an attemp	occurs with respect to the resolution of the
text an	P	in the advection term. In particular, any time
velocity field sp	~mrtr>nents of the flow that are not included in
dependent _orunstea y c^^^^g contribute to the diffusive spreading
the description o	iginal development of Reynolds, effective diffu-
term. Following	be defined which are typically orders of magnitude
sion coefficients can be de	molecular processes,
larger than those associateu
V-.	ttP have determined how the water is moving we
Conceptually,	trajectory problem by describing how the
can treat the remain	water. These relative motions will depend on
oil moves relative to	_roperties. These properties in turn will be
the oil and its physi	£emiCal makeup that is typical of hydrocarbons.
g°verned by the compJ-e	properties
as density and viscosity will
We can expect that su	^ addition there is considerable evidence
certainly be significan • behavior ig strongly influenced by processes
suggesting that the °i ter and oil/atmosphere interfaces. Although
that act across t e 01	a £ew exampies can be noted,
these are poorly understood,
r a
The
Evaporation and fractionation during spreading will alter the
composition of the upper surface of the oil, giving the exposed laye
set of characteristics different from those of the bulk of the oil.
result is the formation o£ a surface crust that can significantly alter
the behavior of the oil slick as a whole.
For centuries seafarers have used oil floated on the sea to sup-
press wave action. The phrase to "put oil on troubled waters" has
become part of common speech- Standard navigation texts have comments
on the relative effectiveness of animal and vegetable oil vs. crude oil
or gasoline (Bowditch, 1966). Despite this long observational history,
the dynamics of the wave/oil slick interaction are poorly understood.
It is just these details that are of particular significance to the oil
transport and environmental impact problems. It is observed that short
gravity waves and capillary waves are quickly damped out when entering
an oil slick. The wave momentum must be transferred to the oil slick or
a boundary layer just beneath it, or possibly both the slick and a
boundary layer. The consequences of this process are at least twofold.
First, the momentum exchange acts to propel the oil slick through the
water, thus making it move faster than the surface drift in the direc-
tion of the dominant waves (downwind). In addition, since the shorter
gravity waves and capillary waves have some components coming from all
directions there will be an additional momentum transfer acting as a
compressional force on the oil slick. This effect acts to counter the
natural spreading of an oil slick and tends to reinforce surface tension
;ffects. It can be seen that two major components needed in trajectory
predictions appear to be closely tied to this wave/oil momentum transfer
process: 1) differential oil water movement and 2) final expected
spreading, pancake formation, etc-
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Hydrocarbons once released in the marine environment cannot be
treated as conservative quantities. As times goes on they are both
modified in form and removed from the surface by a number of processes
including evaporation, emulsification, sediment interactions, and biol-
ogical degradation.
Some hydrocarbons will evaporate from a surface slick, resulting in
significant losses of mass to the atmosphere. This process is not at
all uniform and depends on a number of characteristics of the oil.
Obviously the lighter molecular fractions of the oil tend to evaporate
more rapidly than the heavier ones. This process modifies the bulk
properties of the slick in such a way that certain feedback mechanisms
become important. The heavy residuals left at the surface of the slick
can form a crust or skin that inhibits further evaporation until mechan-
ical processes, such as wave action, break or perturb the surface.
Another important secondary effect associated with evaporation is the
fractionation of the oil, which leaves the heavier component behind. In
some cases the heavier fractions may be dense enough to sink. There
have been examples where patches have sunk in relatively large chunks,
and recent studies (Mattson, 1978) suggest that small flakes (which were
presumably originally in suspension in the lighter oil fraction - USNS
Potomac spill) can sink as a residual after evaporation. Observational
data show very large variations in the loss of mass of oil due to evap-
oration from spill to spill. Although the accuracy of the observations
can certainly be questioned, the range of losses appeared to be from
practically nil in the Argo spill (#6 oil) to over 50% in the Ecofisk
spill (light crude oil).
A second weather process is associated with emulsification. It
occurs in two ways, leading to quite different results. Oil-in-water
emulsifications can form where small oil droplets go into suspension in
water. In such a case the oil no longer behaves as a surface slick, but
moves with the water, mixing throughout the upper layer somewhat like
plankton. Sustained weather effects in this form are not known, but
oil-in-water emulsions appear to get rid of the oil slick as a surface
contaminant, so emulsification agents are often considered part of a
cleanup strategy. A second, common type of emulsification is one in
which the mixture contains up to 80% water. Such a water-in-oil emulsi-
fication, often called mousse, appears to resist certain types of con-
tinued weather and takes on physical properties quite different from
those of surface oil. The development of algorithms to predict mousse
formation is of major importance for predicting overall oil impact.
A third type of weathering process affecting oil slicks is related
to oil interacting with suspended sediments in the water column. In at
least some cases, oil droplets appear to adhere to sediment particles.
This is not a universal effect, and probably depends on complex geochem-
ical interactions as well as oil characteristics. For example, in the
Santa Barbara blowout, sediment from the Ventura river sank large quan-
tities of oil whereas large amounts of oil from the Argo spill did not
9

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appear to end up in the sediments. In other cases (the Arrow, the West
Falmouth, and the Metula spills) it appears that mechanical mixing was
actually responsible for oil being driven into the sediments where the
weathering processes and residence times were entirely different from
those of oil in the water column.
A fourth weather process is related to biological utilization of
the hydrocarbons as an energy source. This tends to be a slower process
than the ones mentioned above and consequently is of secondary impor-
tance at least during the initial stages of a spill. For the long term
fate of spilled hydrocarbons, biological breakdown is still likely to be
significant, but this is typically beyond the period when trajectory
tracking techniques can contribute to a meaningful estimate of the
hydrocarbon mass balance.
2.2 Physical Processes Studies
Beginning our specific discussion of physical processes affecting
the movement and spreading of oil spilled from the Amoco Cadi2 it is
necessary to consider the basic oceanographic background. This means
looking into the dominant physical mechanisms controlling the regional
surface flow. Before doing this, however, we will consider the purely
observational data that describe the form of the floating oil. During
the Amoco Cadiz study the SOR Team took a large number of photographs of
floating oil and it is useful to try and categorize them.
2.2.1 Dominant Forms of Floating Hydrocarbons
The most common form of heavy oil concentration was a pool of
floating mousse (Plate 2-1). This was generally brown to reddish-brown
in color. Thicknesses were estimated to be typically about 1 mm al-
though along shorelines thicknesses of as much as 25 cm were observed.
A number of near-shore samples were collected and appeared to be very
stable water-in-oil emulsions with 50 to 70 percent water contents. The
time required for an oil to form a water-in-oil emulsion or mousse
depends on the type of oil and the mixing energy available. For the
Amoco Cadiz spill the formation appeared to take place very quickly.
During overflights on March 21 and 22 the oil leaking from the ship
appeared to change color from black to a brown characteristic of mousse
in less than a ship length. A sample was collected on March 26. This
sample was obtained at the point where the oil was upwelling to the
surface mid-ship at the vessel. It proved to be a well developed
mousse, indicating that the sea-water/oil combination in the ship's tank
was forming an emulsion even before it left the ship.
A second common form of the oil was a sheen. Plate 2-2 shows a
mousse and sheen combinati°n under high wind conditions. The sheen is
quite thin showing raifrbow colors to a light gray appearence. This
suggests thickness of about 10 microns. Such sheens were often seen in
10

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conjunction with mousse concentrations but also appeared by themselves.
Under moderate and strong wind conditions sheens always appeared to form
windrows as would be expected from Langmuir cells. Previous SOR team
observation on the Hawaiian Patriot spill suggest that windrow distri-
bution of both sheen and mousse is likely to occur under strong wind
conditions at extended distances. More recent SOR team studies of the
Potomac spill (Mattson, 1978) indicate that sheen formation actually
represents a fractionation in the oil with lighter, lower surface-
tension components going into the sheen. Lighter hydrocarbon fractions
are also more rapidly weathered by evaporation and dissolution so, as
the surface oil ages, sheens would be less likely and the remaining oil
might be expected to have a different molecular composition.
A third form of the Amoco's oil was a light brown foam (Plate 2-4).
The chemical composition and origin of this form are unknown. It
usually appeared in the highly energetic surf zone and was originally
hypothesized to be a violently mixed mousse, a frappe, or perhaps mousse
shake. It is also possible that this could be a surface product left as
a residual after the use of dispersants. For whatever the reasons, the
froth form apparently did not occur except in the surf zone and if it
ever contributed to the development of more dense concentrations of
hydrocarbons, that was not documented.
During the cruise of Le Suroit in early April it was possible to
observe mousse concentrations at sea that had weathered for several
weeks. Plate 2-3 shows a close-up photograph of weathered mousse that
had congealed into smaller globs. It appears that this form does not
have the extensive sheen that was seen earlier in the spill. It should
also be noted that nothing is now known about the chemical composition
of mousse in this form, or about its appropriate physical or environ-
mental descriptors, its toxicity, effective viscosity, etc.
So far we have considered the empirically observed form of the oil
in its most general catagories. We must now consider specific processes
and dynamic forces affecting the spilled oil distribution.
2.2.2 Tidal Processes
A first glance at the Brittany coast of France suggests tidal
action as a dominant process. A spring tidal range of 7 m certainly
controls the near-shore currents. Within the estuaries and coastal zone
the ebb and flow will contribute to beaching processes. On a slightly
larger scale the tidal currents may or may not represent a significant
process in the distribution of hydrocarbons. The answer to this ques-
tion will depend on 1) the net flow over a tidal cycle; 2) the presence
of convergences or divergences in the surface tidal currents; and 3) the
possibility of correlations between the tidal currents and sources and
sinks for the oil.
11

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To the extent that tidal currents are linear the net flow over a
tidal cycle will be zero and, although any water parcel will go through
a displacement of perhaps several kilometers, the longer term drift will
not accumulate. We know however that the tides are not strictly linear
and that frictional effects, field acceleration terms, and shallow water
effects all contribute to net displacements. Analytical estimates of
these effects are difficult to obtain, but numerical modeling techniques
can be used to indicate typical values (Nihoul, 1975). In his book
Nihoul discusses work by Ronday (1972) which considered the residual
flow patterns for the North Sea. Ronday estimated a transport through
the English Channel in January to be 0.24 x 106 m3/sec. If approxi-
mately correct this value would imply, for a cross-sectional area
typical of the Brittany region, net average flows of a few centimeters
per second. The tidal currents along the channel are known to be
affected by rotation so the average value is certainly low for the
French Coast, but even if it were doubled to account for this asymmetry
it would still be about 5 cm/sec or less. This value of ~1/10 knot does
not appear to be significant in the context of the Amoco Cadiz spill.
The next aspect of the tidal flow that will be of interest in the
oil spill problem is the horizontal convergences or divergences. Proud-
man (1953) described the tides in the English Channel as made up of co-
oscillations with the Atlantic and North Sea. A more detailed and
observationally base description is presented in Defant (1961). The
relevant result of these independently driven co-oscillations is a
series of convergence and divergence lines. Defant describes three
different sets of these, with the westernmost one entering the Channel
from the Atlantic and first appearing off the Brittany Coast.
These convergence and divergence lines are also presented in the
tidal current tables for the channel (Service Hydrographique et Oceano-
graphique De La Marine-Paris-No. 551). Figure 2-1 shows the progression
of these through a tidal cycle. As they move across the region, the
line of convergence will concentrate bands of floating pollutants and
divergence lines will cause spreading. For patches of floating mousse
this process can certainly be expected to cause periodic changes in the
percent of surface concentration of oil. If the convergence line is
sharply defined and the initial concentrations heavy we may actually
expect patches to run together with a subsequent change in the thickness
distribution- If horizontal motion were the only consideration these
moving fronts would periodically concentrate and rarefy the patches of
floating oil with perhaps little net effect. The consequences of these
tidal convergences can be expected to have a quite different effect on
oil fractions whose relative buoyancy is reduced. This might include
thin sheens, oil in accommodated droplets, or oil in water emulsions
such as would result front the use of dispersants. For all of these
forms the vertical velocity associated with the tidal convergence will
carry the hydrocarbons away from the surface. This vertical transport
process that continually sweeps along the channel may represent a domi-
nant mechanism for mixing. During each tidal cycle the oil that is
12

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Figure 2.1 Hourly progression of tidal convergence line asso-
ciated with (a) flood currents (eastward flowing off Brittany)
and (b) ebb currents (westward flowing off Brittany). Succes-
sive position of line moves from west to east.
advected down can then mix horizontally and although the following tidal
divergence will tend to replace some surface water from below it in no
sense un-mixes the oil, and the overall net flux is downward. It may
also be worth noting that these regular convergence patterns seem to be
most prominent slightly offshore, which is where dispersants were regu-
larly used during the Amoco Cadiz spill. This suggests that subsurface
hydrocarbons may have been distributed through greater-than-expected
depths. This would tend to enhance overall mixing, thus impacting
larger portions of the marine environment, but with reduced concentra-
tions .
The third tide-related process that could potentially affect hydro-
carbon distributions depends on correlations between the tidal currents
and any other transport or source/sink processes. The wind data for the
Brittany Coast are being analyzed, but are not expected to be corre-
lated, with the tides over any significant number of tidal cycles. The
question of correlation of sources and sinks with the tidal flow is
likely to require a bit more thought. The Amoco Cadiz, grounded as it
13

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was and subject to large changes in sea level, probably did not release
oil at anything like a constant rate. The tides may easily be thought
of as having a washing or pumping action. The details of this must be
speculation at this point. Even without knowing the details, however,
we can expect that such an action would introduce asymmetries around the
wreck with a length scale on the order of a single tidal excursion,
i.e., a few kilometers, and beyond this the effects would be minimal.
Along the coastline and offshore rocks the beaching process and subse-
quent refloating of oil certainly depend upon the stage of the tidal
cycle and are thus correlated with the tidal currents. These shoreline
processes are discussed in more detail in sec. 2.2.5.
2.2.3	Quasi-Steady Currents
Background currents off of the Brittany coast are caused by more
then just tidal action, and it is necessary to try and estimate what
these might have been during the Amoco Cadiz spill. The average longer
period flow along the coast is usually in at least quasi-geostrophic
balance, with both baroclinic and barotropic modes being present. The
appropriate time and length scales for the set-up and adjustment of
these currents is associated with the coastal upwelling problem. A
number of studies of this process have taken place for many coastal
regions. Of primary interest are the surface currents which are caused
by the sea surface gradient normal to the coast. These gradients are
caused by the Ekman transport onshore which in turn is related to the
alongshore component of the wind. To determine characteristics of this
flow we may consider modeling studies recently carried out by Hamilton
and Rattray (1978). They show that alongshore wind stress of 1 dyne/
cm2 results in a current structure that builds up over a 5 to 10 day
period with velocities in the first 10 to 20 kilometers offshore on the
order of a knot and in the direction of the wind. The surface currents
are seen to depend somewhat on the stratification, geometry, and mixing
coefficients, but the qualitative results are not changed. During the
first ten days of the Amoco Cadiz spill when the majority of the oil was
discharged the dominant wind direction was from the west. This set up
the necessary conditions for a coastal current to the east along the
Brittany coast. Obviously the winds were not constant and the appropri-
ate independent parameters are unknown but flows of about 1 knot are
probably a reasonable estimate for this period.
2.2.4	Direct Wind Driven Oil Movement
As we have suggested the regional winds averaged over a few days
will set up an alongshore current that should be a major factor in the
advection of the oil. The wind will also contribute more directly to
the movement of the floating oil. The wind/wave/oil momentum exchange,
which is usually simply parameterized as a wind factor, will require a
more detailed look at the wind field. Figure 2-2 presents stick dia-
grams representing the winds measured along the Brittany coast. These
clearly show the dominance of winds from the west during the last part
14

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I	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1—
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
MARCH
ABERWRRC'H
"t

MARCH
BREHRT
Figure 2.2 Stick diagram of wind observations for a number of
locations along the Brittany coast.
of March. One conspicuous exception to this trend occurred on March 27-
28 when strong winds developed with a northerly component.
By combination of the barotropic coastal current and the wind drift
factors, initial trajectory estimates can be obtained. We must cer-
tainly expect that for most periods the hydrocarbons will move east and
remain near the French coast. The wind event of March 27-28 would be an
exception with oil moving offshore in a NNE direction. According to
results of standard trajectory techniques the oil or mousse in the band
along the coast could be expected to advance at speeds of about 1 knot
with higher or lower velocities depending on the winds.
These admittedly first-order trajectory estimates point to two
things. First is the obvious and easily observed fact that the Amoco
Cadiz oil could be expected to impact the coast from the scene of the
wreck spreading rapidly east. The second is that standard trajectory or
forecasting techniques are not going to be particularly useful or infor-
mative for this spill. The most striking features of the Amoco spill
were its massive size and its lee shore position. This means that very
near shore transport and beaching processes will be significant and the
opportunity to study them excellent. We now turn our attention to those
near shore processes.
15

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2.2.5 Near Shore Processes
As oil approaches the coast under the influence of winds and tidal
currents it encounters a boundary which acts initially by stopping its
forward progress. This simple kinematic constraint allows the rela-
tively thin sheen and mousse concentrations to accumulate in deep pools
at the coastline. An onshore component of the wind creates the waves
and Stokes drift necessary to propel the patches and streamers of oil
towards the coast. In addition as a thicker pool forms it effectively
absorbs the incoming waves, with the momentum transfer and associated
radiation stress acting to hold the oil in contact with the beach face.
Plate 2-5 clearly shows the formation of such a coastal pool. Streamers
of sheen are evident in the water offshore. The incoming waves are seen
to damp out over a few wavelengths. Figure 2-3 shows a suggested cross
section through such a pool. It is important to note that as the on-
shore wave pressure and oil accumulation build up, the region of beach
face actually "wetted" by the oil increases. This defines the area over
which the hydrocarbons come into direct contact with the sediments and
will be the area where we can expect the most deposition of pollutants.
Figure 2.3 Suggested cross section through an oil pool held against
the beach face by wind and wave stress.
The accumulation of mousse in pools along the shore is obviously a
small-scale process and we can expect that the local geometry and beach
face orientation will play an important role in determining where these
occur. Plate 2-8 shows a small bay where an oil pool is being fed by
offshore streamers. As the oil accumulates it simply fills up the
available surface area of the bay and spills in a stream on down the
coast. Small coves appear to act as ponds in the alongshore stream of
oil. They are obviously holding areas for the oil that is pushed against
and along the coast.
16

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To try and better understand the movement of oil or mousse along
the beach we must consider the currents just off the beach face.
Between the surf zone and the beach we expect the flow to be dominated
by the longshore current (Shepard, 1963). Plate 2-7 shows a heavy
mousse concentration moving along in this nearshore band. The pool is
obviously being fed from offshore. The wind direction is clearly seen
by the orientation of the windrows and wake pattern behind the moored
boat. In addition the waves in the mid-distance are seen to strike the
beach at an angle that would drive the alongshore currents towards the
lower part of the picture. Moving in this direction the mousse will
accumulate as it is fed from the left. The maximum concentration along-
shore is seen at the lower edge of the photograph. This picture was
taken just after high tide and, as was characteristic of many observa-
tions, heavy mousse concentration was left stranded in a belt along the
high-water mark.
The fact that floating oil naturally accumulates in the band domi-
nated by alongshore drift leads to the conclusion that oil concentra-
tions will tend to follow the same accumulation patterns that finer
sediments do while undergoing beach drift (Kuenen, 1950). This analogy
will prove useful along exposed beaches and we should expect tombolos to
concentrate oil and rip currents to eject oil through the surf zone back
offshore. Trying to extend these ideas into a low energy situation
however is certainly not going to be correct since floating oil will act
differently from either surface water or sediments, no matter how fine.
To get a clearer idea of what to expect in these cases we may look at
Plate 2-6. This picture shows mousse and sheen moving through a narrow
opening between offshore rocks. A number of small-scale physical proc-
esses are seen. The wind direction is clearly indicated by the orienta-
tion of the windrows with upwind being toward the data panel. Wave
patterns refracting through the opening are also clearly evident. Of
particular interest is the separation of tjie floating oil in the lee of
the rocks. The surface oil does not continue to "wet" the shoreline but
is blown offshore and does not move with the water. In addition it
continues to float and will not settle out the way sediments would to
form a sand spit or bar. From Plates 2-6, 2-7, and 2-8 we can see that
the small-scale orientation of the coast relative to the wind and waves
will determine the patchiness expected in the alongshore distribution of
oil. Alongshore drift will determine the movement of the oil along
exposed beach sections, but headland and rock outcrops will protect lee
areas, provided that a pocket is not formed that can fill up before
spilling out back into the alongshore stream. It would be of consider-
able interest to understand the separation process taking place in Plate
2-6. Such processes will ultimately determine how much sheltering can
be expected. It is also possible that protected lee areas offer a
separation of direct wind and wave interactions with the oil and would
make useful areas for observational studies.
In the previous discussion of transport mechanisms associated with
tidal action, the occurrence of correlation between tidal currents and
17

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coastal sources and sinks was listed as a potentially significant trans-
port process. We can now consider this in more detail.
Many examples of mousse being stranded by the receding tide were
observed during the Amoco Cadiz study. In nearly all the cases the
heaviest oil concentrations were deposited right along the high-water
line. Plate 2-9 shows a striking example of this. Here we see a deep
pool of mousse that was left by the tide and subsequently drained down
the face of the beach. The mousse appears to be in a gravitational
drainage pattern and obviously flowed more slowly then the actual tidal
water receded. To the right and left of this pool stained sediments and
oil accumulation in the rocks are also evidence of heavy exposure.
Returning our attention to figure 2-3 it is possible to speculate on the
factors contributing to the stranding of these heavy concentrations at
the high water level. As the mousse forms a wedge along the shore
because of onshore wave and wind stresses, the band where the beach face
is actually in contact with the oil is moved up to the high-water mark.
When the tide turns this oil tends to adhere to the sediments and be
stranded, whereas below this point the water under the oil tends to
float it free and relatively little is deposited. Subsequent tides may
refloat the oil, bury it or add to it, depending on the onshore stresses
and the stage in the spring neap cycle. In terms of transport processes
it is significant to note that oil appears never to be deposited on a
rising tide but only during the ebb. The movement of oil alongshore
then has full exposure to the flood tide currents and a somewhat reduced
statistical exposure to the ebb current direction. Along the Brittany
coast this contributes one more component to the eastward transport.
This form of tidal transport is not limited to the coast line proper but
also applies to offshore rocks. Plate 2-10 shows a rock outcrop during
a rising tide. It definitely appears as a source re-introducing oil
into the flooding tide. The significance of this mode of transport
relative to other components must depend on the onshore stresses, the
intertidal area, the general'morphology of the coast, and the lee shore
nature of the spill-
2.3 Summary and Conclusions
The Amoco Cadiz disaster presented a unique opportunity to study
oil spills in the marine environment. The massive amounts of oil dis-
charged, and its position close to a lee shore all made this a particu-
larly interesting spill to study. A review of previous oil spill re-
search and the conceptual state-of-the-art for oil spill trajectory
modeling techniques indicates that in the past forecasting development
has concentrated on open ocean spills. Contrasted to this, major envi-
ronmental concern tends to be focused on the coast line. In addition
improvements in trajectory analysis and impact assessment will require a
better understanding of the processes controlling the thickness distri-
bution of the oil. These conditions set the stage for planning specific
studies to be carried out at the Amoco Cadiz spill.
18

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The spilled oil appeared in a variety of forms. These could be
described in terms of four classes: 1) mousse, 2) sheen, 3) light foam,
and 4) weathered mousse as small globs.
Estimates were made of what was thought to be the dominant oceano-
graphic or meteorological processes affecting the movement and spreading
of the oil. Winds were strong during much of the spill event and con-
tributed to the oil movement both directly and indirectly. Direct wind
forcing was through wind/wave/oil interactions, and indirect forcing was
hypothesized to take place through a sea surface set-up along the coast
and subsequent development of an alongshore current system. Both
components of the wind forcing tended to move the oil eastward in a
coastal band during the March period of study. Tidal forcing was in-
vestigated and estimated to play an important role through convergences
and divergences in the offshore area and through the beaching/tidal
pumping sequence that took place along the coast.
Nearshore transport and beaching processes that lead to the strand-
ing of oil were investigated. The orientation of the coastline and
alongshore current system were seen to affect the oil distribution. The
stranding of heavy oil concentrations appeared to occur only during
ebbing tides and seemed conditional on the intertidal beach face (Fig.
2-3) coming in direct contact with the oil.
Photographic records from a number of transects were collected for
an analysis of oil coverage, but these records have yet to be studied in
detail.
The data collected at the Amoco Cadiz spill have given new insights
into oil movement in the marine environment. These will prove useful in
the development of conceptual algorithms to describe fundamental pro-
cesses such as the stranding or beaching of oil, sheltering of areas in
the lee of headlands, role of alongshore drift in oil transport, and the
effects of tidal pumping. These new conceptual understandings can be
expected to contribute to the next generation of oil spill forecasting
models and hydrocarbon impact assessment studies.
2.4. References
Bowditch, N. (1966): American Practical Navigator, An Epitome of
Navigation. Hydrographic Office Pub. No. 9., U.S. Naval Oceano-
graphic Office.
Defant, A. (1961): Physical Oceanography, Vol. II, Macmillan, New York,
N.Y.
Hamilton, P., and M. Rattray (1978): Numerical model of the depth
dependent wind-driven upwelling circulation on the Continental
Shelf (in revision for publication in J. Phys. Oceanogr.).
19

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Kuenen, Ph. H. (1963): Marine Geology, Wiley, New York, N.Y.
Mattson, J. S. (1978): Personal communication.
Nihoul, Jacques C.J., Ed. (1975): Modeling of Marine Systems, Elsevier,
Amsterdam, Oxford, N.Y.
Proudman, J. (1953): Dynamical oceanography, Methuen, Strand, England.
Ronday, F. C. (1972): Modele mathematique pour 1'etude de la circula-
tion residuelle dans la mer du Nord. Marine Science Branch, Manu-
script Report Series, 27, Ottawa, Canada.
Shepard, F. P. (1963): Submarine Geology, second edition, Harper & Row,
New York, N.Y.
Stolzenbach, K. D., 0. S. Madsen, E. E. Adams, A. M. Polack, and C. K.
Cooper (1977): A Review and Evaluation of Basic Techniques for
Predicting the Behavior of Surface Oil Slicks. Ralph M. Parsons
Laboratory, Report No. 222, MIT, Cambridge, Mass.
Sverdrup, H. U., M. W. Johnson, and R. H. Fleming (1942): The Oceans,
Their Physics, Chemistry and General Biology, Prentice-Hall, Engle-
wood Cliffs, N.J.
20

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3. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SELECTED
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PETROLEUM SAMPLES
FROM THE AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
John A. Calder,1 James Lake,2 and John Laseter3
3.1 Introduction
The analyses described in this document represent initial chemical
investigations by the University of New Orleans' Center for Bio-Organic
Studies (UNO-CBS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environ-
mental Research Laboratory, Narragansett (EPA-ERLN), and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Analytical Facility
(NOAA-NAF), on the composition and fate of oil spilled along the Brit-
tany coastline by the Amoco Cadiz. While many of the analyses are
qualitative in nature, much quantitative information is presented. The
information reported is useful in studying the nature and composition of
the initial petroleum entering the environment and the transformations
of this material as part of the weathering process.
Selected samples were collected at different locations along the
Brittany coastline during the days and weeks immediately following the
oil spill. Station locations are shown on the map of the Amoco Cadiz
oil spill study area, Fig. 3-1. Sample locations and descriptions are
presented in Table 3-1. Many samples were collected in areas that were
heavily contaminated and had visible oil. These samples included weath-
ered oil samples floating on the water surface, samples of the mousse
(water-in-oil emulsion) and oily froth, soils, sediments, water column
samples, and biota samples such as sea grass, polychaetes, and peri-
winkles from the tidal zone. Also a neat, medium Arabian crude oil was
analyzed as a standard. There are approximately 120 samples discussed
in the report. These were used for over 200 individual gas chromato-
graphic analyses and approximately 20 gas chromatographic-mass spectro-
metric (GC-MS) analyses. Due to limited space only representative
portions of these analyses are reported.
xNOAA/ERL, OCSEAP, Boulder, CO 80302
2U.S. EPA/ERL, Narragansett, RI 02882
3University of New Orleans' Center for Bio-Organic Studies,
New Orleans, LA 70122
21

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22

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23

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24

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25

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Table 3-1. Location, description, collection date, and method of sample
preservation of Amoco Cadi z oil spill samples analyzed. Locations are
shown in Figure 3-1 or other figures as indicated.
Code
Description and location
Col lection
date
Method of
sample A
preservation
Mousse & oils
AMC-1
AMC-14
AMC-16
AMC-17
AMC-18
F-82 (UN01)
Control
NOAA 1 & 2
NOAA 3 & 4
NOAA 5 & 6
NOAA 7 & 8
NOAA 9
NOAA 10 & 11
NOAA 12 & 13
NOAA 14 & 15
NOAA 16
(AMC-30)
Portsall center, long profile across heavily oiled
tidal flat, mousse on water surface
Kerlouan Yacht Club, brown froth downslope from
dark brown mousse
Pointe de Lekar upper beach face, large gravel
beach, mousse 5 cm thick
Port la Chaine upper beach, heavily oiled beach
lie Grande upper marsh, heavily oiled marsh
Near Pointe de Landunvez from mid beach face,
boulder beach, some tar on rocks
Medium Arabian crude oil supplied by Aramco
Mousse collected near Amoco Cadiz by helicopter
Mousse--north beach at Portsall
Mousse--Les Dunes, middle beach
Mousse--Dunes at Ste. Marguerite
Mousse--Dunes at Ste. Marguerite, stranded at
mid-tide level
Mousse-'Greves de Lilia
Mousse--Meneham, thick mousse in tide pools
Mousse--Roscoff, very thick at sea wall
Mousse--near Amoco Cadiz by helicopter
Sediments and soils
AMC-1
AMC-3
AMC-3
AMC-12
UNO-2
UNO-2
UNO-2
NOAA 17
EPA-1
(beach)
EPA-1
(tidal f
EPA-2
31 Mar	78
27	Mar	78
28	Mar	78
29	Mar	78
29 Mar	78
31 Mar	78
23	Mar	78
24	Mar	78
24 Mar	78
24 Mar	78
24 Mar	78
24 Mar	78
24 Mar	78
24 Mar	78
27 Mar	78
at)
Portsall center, ground water across, long profile
of a heavily oiled harbor-tidal flat
Portsall north, ground water, low tide berm, heavily
oiled, protected sand beach (sediment sample)
Portsall north, mousse on surface, heavily oiled,
protected sand beach (sediment sample)
St. Cava, heavily oiled beach, many dead cockles
Upper cliff--Aber Benoit bridge, close to
Treglonou, above the tidal zone
Bottom cliff--Aber Benoit bridge, close to
Treglonou
Oil cliff--Aber Benoit bridge close to Treglonou,
soil at the tidal base of oiled cliff
Sediment from Aber Wrac'h tidal flat near the
small town of Perros--same location as EPA-7
Roscoff--surface sediment (sand) obtained on
beach 70 meters from seawall
Roscoff—surface sediment (sand) obtained on tidal
flat 270 meters from seawall. Water depth was ap-
proximately 2 cm.
lie Grande--surface sediment (clay and silt) obtained
after mousse and oil had been scraped from the surface
31 Mar 78
31 Mar 78
31 Mar 78
27 Mar 78
31 Mar 78
31 Mar 78
31 Mar 78
6 Apr 78
27 Mar 78
27 Mar 78
30 Mar 78
26

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Table 3-1. (continued)
Code
Description and location
Col lection
date
Method of
sample „
preservation
Sediments arid soils (continued)
EPA-3
EPA-3
EPA-4
EPA-7
Water
AMC-17
Stations 1-7
Stations A,
B, C
Stations A,
B, C, 0
Stations 1, 3
6, 7, 9, 16,
29, 37, 39
Stations 1-7,
bridge
EPA-3
EPA-4
(Interstitial
water)
EPA-4 (surf)
EPA-4
EPA-5
(interstitial
wate r)
EPA-5 (surf)
Bi ota
AMC-4
AMC-17
amc- ia
(0-5 cm) (sand) Top five centimeters of a beach core	31 Mar 7B
(5-10 cm) (sand? 5-10 centfflteters of a beach core	33 Mar 78
Locqyirec (sand) surface sediment taken approxi-
mately 30 meters from surf zone	Z Apr 78
L'Aber Wrac'h (silty sand), surface sediment from
Aber Wrac'h tidal flat near small town of Perros	6 Apr 78
Port la Chaine, ground waters below top of
heavily oiled beach	29 Mar 78
Subsurface water from 11Aber Wrac1h--total of
8 samples (see Fig. 3-24)	24 Mar 78
Subsurface water from l'Aber Wrac'h--total of
7 samples (see Fig. 3-25)	25 Mar 78
Subsurface water from l'Aber Wrac1h--total of
16 samples (see Fig. 3-26)	27 Mar 78
Subsurface water from offshore, ]_e Suroit
cruise. Leg I, total of 26 samples {see	30 Mar -
Fig. 3-31)	4 Apr 7B
Subsurface water from l'Aber Vlrac'h (see
Fig. 3-27)	3 May 78
Subsurface water sample obtained at 0.5 meter
depth in water approximately 1 mater deep	31 Mar 78
Locquirec interstitial water from beach
approximately 30 meters from surf zone	27 Apr 78
Locquirec sample taken at 1 meter depth	27 Apr 76
Locqufrec sample taken in pool surrounding rock
on beach	6 Apr 78
Beach at St. Efflam, interstitial water from
beach	27 Apr 78
In surf at St. Efflam, sample taken at
approximately 1 meter depth	27 Apr 78
Periwinkles	29 Mar 78
Limpets	29 Mar- 78
Polyctiaetes	29 Mar 78
Seagrass, Portsall	31 Mar 78
b
b
ti
b
*a. Chloroform added to sample—transported at room temperature.
b.	Frozen as soon as possible following collection and maintained at -20°C.
c.	Transferred immediately from Niskir\ bag sampler to hexarie-washed green glass jug with
Teflon-lined cap. Stored at ambient temperature until extracted. Aber Wrac'h samples
extracted wittiin 36 tiours of collection. Offshore samples extracted on April 5, 1978.
d. Dichloromethane added to sample-transported at ambient temperature.
27

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Prior to GC analysis, the total lipid extracts were simplified by
liquid/solid chromatography. The silica gel (Davison, grade 923, 100-
200 Mesh) was activated by overnight heating at 150°C. Aliphatic type
compounds were eluted with three bed volumes of n-hexane. More polar
compounds and aromatic type compounds were eluted with three bed volumes
of 40% benzene in n-hexane. All other components were displaced with
three bed volumes of methanol. The eluates from each fraction were
reduced in volume on a rotary evaporator to approximately 5 ml and
stored in a freezer until analyzed by GC and GC-MS. All Burdick and
Jackson solvents were distilled in glass prior to use and their purity
checked by GC. A splitless method of sample injection was employed for
all gas chromatographic analyses, using Hewlett-Packard Model 5711 gas
chromatographs equipped with FID detectors. These data were digitized
into "area slice" data and transmitted to an HP 3354A central laboratory
data system. UNO-CBS-developed software was used to integrate GC peak
areas. Plots of the gas chromatograms, for display purposes, were
generated from the digital raw "area slice" data on a Tektronix 4662
digital plotter by software developed at the Center. Similar plotting
routines were employed to generate the three-dimensional displays.
The GC columns were 30 m by 0.3 mm ID and coated with either SE-52
or Carbowax 20M as the liquid phases. Extracts were injected, with the
GC oven at 50°C and with a helium flow rate of 38 cm/sec. The oven was
temperature-programmed at 4°C per minute to 240°C and held at 240°C un-
til all peaks had eluted from the column. Back purging of the splitless
injector system was activated 35 seconds after injection.
Mass spectral data were collected on a Varian MAT 311A high-resolu-
tion mass spectrometer. Separation conditions were the same as those
described in the preceding paragraphs for GC. Effluents from the column
were introduced directly into the ion source of the mass spectrometer
via a heated glass capillary line without going through an enrichment
device.
Mass spectra were scanned every 3.8 second at 70 eV and all data
were stored on magnetic disc. The source temperature was 250°C. For
routine sample runs, the resolution of the mass spectrometer was 1000
(m/M at 10% valley) and the mass range scanned was from 35 to 600 AMU.
All mass spectral data were acquired in digital form by a Varian Spectro-
system 100 MS data system. Mass chromatrograms of specific ions were
generated to aid in locating certain classes of compounds in the complex
sample types analyzed in this program.
Photo-oxidation experiments were carried out in a two-phase system
in which a given oil or mousse sample was dissolved in n-hexane on an
aqueous saline solution (40 gm/L). Under conditions simulating environ-
mental conditions, this system was irradiated with a visible source
(Sylvania EHC 500 watt tungsten lamp covered by a uranium glass filter)
which has a spectral output that approximates that of the solar spectrum.
When necessary, oxygen was introduced through a fritted glass inlet.
The products were isolated and fractioned in a fashion similar to that
described previously.
28

-------
The exact age of the weathered oil samples and the extent of expo-
sure of oil to marine sediments, benthic organisms, and flora is not
known because of the nature of the insult. Oil leaked from the grounded
tanker over a period of approximately two weeks, making an exact assess-
ment of the length of environmental exposure or degree of weathering of
the oil a difficult task.
The analytical techniques used to examine these samples were pri-
marily designed to establish quantitatively and qualitatively the
extent of environmental contamination. Methods included high-resolution
glass capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of up to three fractions from each sample
isolated by liquid-solid chromatography. The three fractions were the
saturated aliphatic type compounds, the aromatic type compounds, and the
more polar organic compounds. Additionally, ultraviolet fluorescence
(UV-fluorescence or UVF) was determined on aliquots of the hexane ex-
tracts from subsurface water samples collected in a heavily impacted
estuary (l'Aber Wrac'h) and offshore oceanic waters. A towed underwater
fluorometer was deployed in the estuary to provide real-time information
on subsurface oil-in-water concentrations.
3.2 Methods
The following is a brief summary of the analytical methods employed
by each participating laboratory. A survey of the data suggests that
very similar results were obtained irrespective of the variations in
extraction and analytical procedures employed. Compare gas chroma-
tograms of the reference mousse (Figs. 3-4, 3-6, and 3-35) obtained by
the participating laboratories. In all instances care was taken to
insure that samples were not contaminated during collection, storage, or
transport. Sample preservation methods are listed in Table 3-1.
3.2.1 UNO-CBS Procedures
Immediately prior to analysis of mousse samples, the entire content
of the glass container was thoroughly homogenized and a small aliquot
removed for fractionation. This aliquot was dissolved in 15% CH2CI2 in
n-hexane and any water was separated using a separatory funnel. The
organic extract was reduced in volume on a rotary evaporator prior to
column chromatography. In the case of biota, the samples were homoge-
nized and then freeze-dried prior to extraction by refluxing overnight
with 15% CH2CI2 in n-hexane. The organic solvent was separated from the
aqueous material after centrifugation using a separatory funnel, and
then reduced in volume on a rotary evaporator prior to saponification.
The saponification of biota lipids was accomplished using 0.5N NaOH or
KOH in methanol/water reflux for five hours. The nonsaponifiable com-
pounds were extracted three times with 60 ml of n-hexane. The extract
was then reduced in volume prior to fractionation.
29

-------
3.2.2 EPA-ERLN Procedures
Water samples were frozen or poisoned with 100 ml of dichloro-
methane after collection. After thawing (if necessary) samples were
extracted three times with 100 ml of dichloromethane in a separatory
funnel. Sample extracts were passed through a column of Na2S04 and
reduced in volume on a Kuderna-Danish evaporator fitted with a three-
ball reflux column. Following solvent exchange to hexane, the volume
was reduced under a stream of nitrogen. Extracts were analyzed intact
or separated into aliphatic and aromatic fractions on a silica gel
column.
A dry weight for the sediment samples was determined by drying an
aliquot at 105-115°C for two hours. After addition of internal stand-
ards and additional water, the sediment was extracted under reflux in a
solvent mixture of 70% 0.5 N KOH in absolute methanol. The sediment-
solvent mixture was filtered through a glass fiber filter and the fil-
trate was extracted in a separatory funnel with petroleum ether. The
combined extracts were evaporated to dryness on a rotary evaporator,
redissolved in petroleum ether, and analyzed intact or separated into
aliphatic and aromatic fractions on a silica gel column.
Extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography on a 30 m by .27 mm
I.D. glass capillary column of SE-52 in a Hewlett-Packard 5840A gas
chromatograph. A temperature program from 35°C to 290°C at a rate of
5°C/minute was used. The initial time was 4 minutes. The injection
temperature was 290°; the flame ionization detector temperature was
280°. The splitless injection port was purged 1 minute after injection.
The GC-MS analyses were performed on a similar SE-52 column in a
Shimadzu gas chromatograph connected to a Finnegan model 1015 mass
spectrometer with a System Industries data system.
A weighed amount of the reference mousse (N0AA-16) was dissolved in
hexane and used as an intact mousse standard. The separation of ali-
quots of this standard on a silica gel column yielded aliphatic and
aromatic standards.
Quantification of chromatograms was accomplished by planimetering
the areas of chromatograms and comparing the areas with areas obtained
from known amounts of a mousse sample.
3.2.3 NOAA-NAF Procedures
Mousse samples were dissolved in n-hexane and a 5 ml aliquot was
concentrated to ^ 0.5 ml. An internal standard was added and the re-
sulting mixture was then directly analyzed by GC. In selected cases the
mousse samples were centrifuged to break the emulsions. Because centri-
fugation at 2000 g for several hours was insufficient to break many of
the mousses completely, high speed centrifugation was attempted. A
30

-------
Beckman model L preparative ultracentrifuge (SW 50.1 rotor) was utilized
for this test, employing polyalomar, 5 ml capacity tubes. The separa-
tion was performed at about AO,000 rpm (ca. 150,000 g), with refrigera-
tion maintaining the unit at 18°C.
The separation achieved was a considerable improvement over the
low-speed centrifugation, although complete separation was still not
achieved in some cases. A sample which contained ca. 40% unseparated
mousse at 2000 g still retained 3% as an emulsion even at 150,000 g.
However, the time required to achieve this separation with the high-
speed centrifuge was only 30 minutes, compared to several days for the
low-speed procedure. The minimal amount of both handling and time
minimizes losses of the more volatile compounds that are essential to
the characterization of the oil from the mousse by gas chromatography
(with respect to degree of weathering).
Most of the samples were separated into three layers: an oil layer,
a water layer, and residual material that could not be further separated.
The NOAA team also prepared n-hexane solutions of aliquots of the mousse
and separated oil and analyzed them by GC, using a standard temperature
program for petroleum hydrocarbons. Silica gel column chromatography
was performed on selected mousse samples and oil samples and the three
fractions generated were analyzed by GC and GC-MS.
All GC analyses were conducted with a Hewlett-Packard 5840A chroma-
tograph equipped with glass capillary columns and FID detectors. An
SE-54 liquid phase was employed on a 30m x 0.25mm WCOT column. A helium
carrier at 24 psi with a 3 (Jl splitless injection was employed; the
split valve was opened after 18 sec. The chromatographic oven program
was held isothermal at 50°C for 5 min and then programmed at 4°/min. to
280°, then held at 280° for 30 min.
UV-fluorescence was determined on aliquots of the hexane extracts
of subsurface water. The measurements were performed on a Perkin-Elmer
MPF-44A dual-scanning fluorescence spectrophotometer. Mousse sample
NOAA-16 was utilized as the best representative of cargo oil; other
samples were compared to it as the standard. Every day that samples
were processed, a new calibration curve was developed from serial dilu-
tions of the reference mousse (NOAA-16) at an emission wavelength of ca.
360 nm. Emission was scanned from 275-500 run, offset 25 nm from the
excitation wavelength, and the major peak occurred at 360 nm for the
reference mousse solutions (see Fig. 3-2). In each sample, the concen-
tration of fluorescent material, a total oil estimate, was calculated
from its respective fluorescence, using the linear relationship of
fluorescence vs. concentration of the reference mousse "standard."
A correction factor was applied to account for the reference mousse
containing only about 30% oil.
31

-------
STANDARDS AT Y SETTING
A.	30-132
98 ng/pfc solution of 30-16
B.	30-133
9-8 ng/p£ solution of 30*16
C.	30-181
^9 ng/|jI solution of 30-16
D.	30-182
33 ng/\ii solution of 30**6
E.	30-139
O.98 ng/\il solution of 30-16
STANDARDS AT a SETTING
A.	O.98 ng/uA
B.	0.^9 ng/u£
C.	98 pg/ti£
D.	0.33 ng/pft
(coarse • 10; fine • 7.2)
STANDARDS AT fl SETTING
A.	9.8 ng/u?.
B.	0.98 ng/nS,
C . ^ . 9 ng/yV.
D.	3»3 ng/y£
E.	0.^9 ng/y£
(c
3; f ine = 7.2)
r
=*=
=H
Figure 3-2. UV-£luorescence synchronous scans of serial dilutions of
the reference mousse in hexane (figures showing y, p, and a settings).
Remaining figure shows hexane blank at most sensitive (p) setting.
Major peak occurs at about 360 nm for the reference mousse.
32

-------
3.3 Results
3.3.1 Mousse and Oil
Figures 3-3 and 3-4 show high-resolution chromatographic separa-
tions of the n-hexane and 40%-benzene-in-n-hexane fractions of the
medium Arabian crude oil control sample (standard) and the NOAA-16
reference mousse, which represents a freshly formed mousse collected at
the spill site. The n-hexane fractions of both samples showed similar
normal, isoprenoid, branched, and cyclic hydrocarbon patterns from
approximately C10 to C3q range. The normal hydrocarbons in the highest
concentration generally occurred in the Cig to Cxg range. Figure 3-4
illustrates the mass spectrometric identifications of the normal alkanes
in the reference mousse sample, whereas Fig. 3-5 illustrates the identi-
fied aromatic components in the 40%-benzene-in-n-hexane fraction of a
mousse sample collected at He Grande. The aromatic compounds numbered
in Fig. 3-5 are identified in Table 3-2. This fraction was low in
unsubstituted species, showing only a modest quantity of phenanthrene
and dibenzothiophene. Notable was the inability to detect the four-ring
and larger polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their alkylated homologs.
The GC profiles of the control and reference mousse samples collected
adjacent to the Amoco Cadiz are very similar in the distribution of
aromatics above the alkylated naphthalenes. There has apparently been a
loss of the alkyl benzenes and related volatile aromatics in the mousse
samples as compared to the control. It must be pointed out that the
only completely satisfactory standard for a chemical comparison is the
cargo oil prior to environmental exposure. Such a sample was not avail-
able .
In one field exercise a series of mousse samples was collected
during the same day from the surface of the water adjacent to the Amoco
Cadiz and at beaches from Portsall to Roscoff. The oil content of these
samples was generally in the 30-40% range (Table 3-3). The samples were
subsequently analyzed by extraction and direct GC analyses with no pre-
GC sample fractionation to minimize loss of volatiles during handling.
The reference mousse treated in this fashion shows the dominant
alkane as n-Cxl (Fig. 3-6). The loss of volatiles is evident in samples
collected as little as 2 km from the wreck site (Table 3-3) when the
concentration of the lighter hydrocarbons is normalized to n-C24« Fig.
3-7 demonstrates the loss of volatiles from a mousse collected at Meneham
(N0AA-13), about 25 km from the wreck. The weathering trend is discon-
tinuous with distance from the wreck, representing the variable input of
fresh oil.
The light aromatics also show evidence of weathering as demonstra-
ted in Figs. 3-8, 3-9, and 3-10 (see Table 3-4 for numbering of aromatic
hydrocarbons in these figures). The concentration of internal standard
(IS) is identical for all three samples. Mousse #13 shows considerable
33

-------
w
w
z
o
Q.
V)
Id
a:
a:
Ld i
Q
n
o
o
Id
a.

AMOCO CADIZ OIL SP1L.
CONTROL
HEXANE FRACTION
QUANT INJ =0.0067
'-4

bJ 1
If)
2
O
Q.
U)
u
a
a
u
Q
a
o
u i
w I
a.
CONTROL
40% BENZENE FRACTION
QUANT INJ =1 8 E-4
50
~90~
¦ TIME (MINUTES)
20	3.0	40


130
170	210
TEMPERATURE CDEG. C)
Jg_
240
60
240
Figure 3-3. Computer-reconstructed high-resolution gas chromatogram
of the n-hexane 40%-benzene-in-n-hexane fractions of the medium
Arabian crude oil sample (control). Peaks are identified in Figs.
3-4 and 3-5. (UNO-CBS)
34

-------
zj
o!
fl-1
-------
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
j	TIME (MINUTES)
5	10	1,5	26	25	30	35
50	70 90	110	,50 170 190
TEMPERATURE (DEG. C)
50
JAMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 18
40% 3ENZENE FRACTION
yv/vi CUANT INj =7 b E-4
35
40
TIME (MINUTES)
45	50
55
60
190
210 230 240 240
TEMPERATURE (DEG. C)
240
240
Figure 3-5. An expanded and numbered section of the high-resolution
gas chromatogram from the 40%-benzene-in-hexane fraction of the
mousse sample AMC-18. Befer to Table 3-2 for the identity of the
numbered peaks. (UNO-CBS)
36
-------
12
13
14
15
16
UUIaI^
17
18
19
ac o.
a.
20
21
KJ)$J k/^>
23
24
25
27
28
29
Figure 3-6. High-resolution gas chromatogram of a hexane solution
of the reference mousse (NOAA-16). Numbers refer to n-alkanes of
corresponding chain length. (NOAA-NAF)
-------
IS
Figure 3-7. High-resolution gas chromatogram of an n-hexane solution
of mousse NOAA-13, collected about 25 km from the wreck site.
Numbers refer to n-alkanes of corresponding chain length.
(NOAA-NAF)
-------
3
Figure 3-8. Gas chromatogram of the aromatic fraction of mousse
sample #1, from the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. For peak identities
see Table 3-4. (NOAA-NAF)
-------
IS
Figure 3-9. Gas chromatogram of the aromatic fraction of mousse
sample #11, from the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. For peak identities
see Table 3-4. (NOAA-NAF)
-------
Figure 3-10. Gas chromatogram of the aromatic fraction of mousse
sample #13, from the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. For peak identities
see Table 3-4. (NOAA-NAF)
-------
Table 3-2. Identified and numbered components in the 40% benzene
fraction of sample illustrated in Fig. 3-5 (UNO-CBS). Identi-
fication was by high-resolution GC and GC-MS techniques
1.
Ci
naphthalene isomer
2.
Ci
naphthalene isomer
3.
C4
alkyl benzene
4.
Biphenyl

5.
c2
naphthalene
somer
6.
c2
naphthalene
somer
7.
c2
naphthalene
somer
8.
c2
naphthalene
somer
9.
c2
naphthalene
somer
10.
c2
naphthalene
somer
11.
c3
naphthalene
somer
12.
c3
naphthalene
somer
13.
c3
naphthalene
somer
14.
c3
naphthalene
somer
15.
c3
naphthalene
somer
16.
c3
naphthalene
somer
17.
c3
naphthalene
somer
18.
C3
naphthalene
somer
19.
C4
alkyl benzen

20.
C4
naphthalene
somer
21.

naphthalene
somer
22.
C4
naphthalene
somer
23.
C4
naphthalene
somer
24.
C4
naphthalene
somer
25.
C4
naphthalene
somer
26.
C4
naphthalene
somer
27.
Cl
fluorene isomer
28.
Ci
fluorene isomer
29.
Ci
fluorene isomer
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
ai Denzotm pne«'^
phenanthrene
C2 fluorene isomer
C2 fluorene isomer
C2 fluorene isomer
35.	C2 fluorene isomer
36.	C2 fluorene isomer
37.	Ci dibenzothiophene isomer
38.	Ci dibenzothiophene isomer
39.	Ci phenanthrene isomer
40.	Ci dibenzothiophene isomer
41.	Ci phenanthrene isomer
42.	Ci phenanthrene isomer
43.	Ci phenanthrene isomer
44.	C2 dibenzothiophene isomer
45.	Cz dibenzothiophene isomer
46.	C2 phenanthrene isomer
47.	C2 dibenzothiophene isomer
48.	C2 dibenzothiophene isomer
49.	C2 dibenzothiophene isomer
50.	C2 dibenzothiophene isomer
51.	C2 phenanthrene isomer
52.	C3 dibenzothiophene
+ C phenanthrene
53.	C3 dibenzothiophene isomer
54.	C3 phenanthrene
55.	C3 dibenzothiophene
56.	C3 dibenzothiophene
57.	C3 dibenzothiophene
58.	C3 dibenzothiophene
59.	C3 dibenzothiophene
+ C3 phenanthrene
60.	C3 dibenzothiophene
61.	C3 dibenzothiophene
62.	C3 phenanthrene
63.	C3 dibenzothiophene
+ C3 phenanthrene
64.	C3 phenanthrene
65.	C3 phenanthrene
42
-------
Table 3-3. Weathering of mousse1
% polar
material	Hydrocarbon/rrC24 ratio
Sample % oil in oil	^»io ^12 ^14 ^16 ^*17 Pris C^g Phyt
NOAA-16
30
-
1.9
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.0
1.0
1.9
1.4
NOAA-3
892
9.1
0.4
1.6
2.0
2.2
1.9
0.8
1.8
1.2
NOAA-5
44
-
0.3
1.3
1.9
2.1
1.9
0.9
1.8
1.4
NOAA-7
40
16.2
0.0
0.1
0.5
1.4
1.5
1.0
1.6
1.7
NOAA-9
30
-
0.2
0.7
1.5
2.0
1.8
0.8
1.7
1.0
N0AA-11
26
21.1
0.5
1.2
2.7
3.6
2.4
0.9
2.1
1.2
NOAA-13
30
-
0.0
0.2
1.0
1.7
1.6
0.8
1.6
1.2
N0AA-15
31
-
0.0
0.6
1.6
2.2
2.0
0.8
1.8
1.2
1	Analysis by NOAA-NAF
2	Some water may have separated from this mousse during storage and
transit. Field measurements at time of collection indicated 30% oil
in this mousse.
Table 3-4. Identification of numbered aromatic hydrocarbons
in Figs. 3-8, 3-9, and 3-10
1.	1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene
2.	Naphthalene
3.	2-Methylnaphthalene
4.	1-Methylnaphthalene
5.	2,6-Dimethylnaphthalene
6.	C2-Naphthalenes
7.	C3-Naphthalenes
8.	2,3,5-Trimethyl naphthalene
9.	Fluorene
10.	Phenanthrene
11.	1-Methylphenanthrene
IS.	Internal standard
A3
-------
loss of aromatics from C4-benzenes to C3-naphthalenes compared to sample
#1 (NOAA-1), collected at the wreck site. Sample #11, collected 10 km
from the wreck, shows an intermediate loss of these molecules. Also
demonstrated is the persistence of the phenanthenes and higher boiling
components.
Further evidence of weathering processes is indicated in the polar
content of the mousse-oil. The sample from Portsall (NOAA-3) contained
9% polars while the sample from les Greves de Lilia (NOAA-11) contained
21% polars. Volatile oxygenated compounds were tentatively identified
in a headspace analysis of NOAA-7, performed by NOAA-NAF. This sample
had a definite H2S smell when opened, indicating microbial activity in
the mousse. Normal branched and aromatic ketones and aldehydes contain-
ing from 5 to 8 carbon atoms were indicated by GC-MS of the headspace.
Confirmation with authentic standards is in progress. These data, if
confirmed, would constitute solid evidence for the active oxidation of
mousse, probably by microbial processes. Additional evidence on the
production of polar material is presented in a following section. Con-
tinued and improved effort on the analytical chemistry of polar material
is required to fully assess the environmental impact of spilled oil.
Examples of more pronounced weathering can be seen in Figures 3-11
and 3-12. AMC-14 represents a brown froth collected downslope from a
mousse located on an open section of beach. As can be seen, the level
of normal alkanes such as n-Ci7 and n-C18 have decreased almost to that
of the level of the chromatographically adjacent isoprenoids. Also,
there was a corresponding alteration in the chromatographic profile of
the aromatics. By comparison, however, the most striking example of
weathering was observed in sample F-82 which was collected from the
surface of rocks along the mid-beach face near Pointe de Landunves. The
native material appeared similar to tar, being dark and having a thick
consistency. As can be seen in Fig. 3-11, phytane actually exceeds the
concentration of n-Cig. Additionally, the presence of distinct aromatic
components is difficult to observe.
Fig. 3-13 is a three-dimensional plot comparing the relative con-
centration (vertical axis) of selected aromatic hydrocarbons (axis into
the page) in several similar samples, the reference mousse and the
control oil (horizontal axis). The concentration of components within a
sample is displayed relative to the concentration of dibenzothiophene
which was given a value of 100. "A" and 1,B" (Table 3-5) are the medium
Arabian crude oil and NOAA-16 reference mousse respectively. Careful
examination of the three-dimensional plot shows remarkable similarity in
the distribution of aromatic components in the Arabian crude and the
NOAA-16 mousse samples. Additionally, these profiles are consistent in
all mousse samples analyzed except sample "E" (AMC-14) and sample "J"
(F-82). These data clearly display the greater degree of environmental
modification in these two samples when compared to the others.
44
-------
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 1 4
HEXANE FRACTION
QUANT INJ =3 5 E-4
LJ
ID
z
o
CL
If)
Id
£*
a
UJ
Q
o:
o
u
LJ
a
MjlF

_A_
10
20
—H-
30
—1~
TIME (MINUTES)
40 50 60
70
50	90	130 170 210 240 240
TEMPERATURE CDEG. C)
240
80
-H	
240
90
—I—
240
U
-------
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
F-82
m BENZENE FRACTION
QUANT. INJ =4 9 E-4
y
w !
UJ :
k I
i
o:!
u
Q
a
o
u
iij'
CL !
50
TIME (MINUTES)
20	30	
40
90
130
kL
170	210
TEMPERATURE CDEG C)
50
240
60
240
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 14
40% BENZENE FRACTION
QUANT INJ.=7.5 E-4
1.0
20
TIME (MINUTES)
30	40
50
60
90
130	170	210
TEMPERATURE (DEG. C)
240
240
Figure 3-12. Computer-reconstructed high-resolution «as chroma**
faH-M. (wS?cBSreM"ln"heXane fraCti0M of BamP^es AMC-14
46
-------
o
z
o
(J
-I
Ui
a
js
SAMPLE
Figure 3-13. Three-dimensional plot showing the relative concentra-
tions (vertical axis) of selected aromatic hydrocarbons (axis into
page) in certain mousse samples (horizontal axis). All components
are compared relative to the concentration of dibenzothiophene in
each sample. Refer to Table 3-5 for identification of samples and
aromatic hydrocarbons. (UNO-CBS)
-------
Table 3-5. Identification of samples and selected aromatic
hydrocarbons displayed in Fig. 3-13 (UNO-CBS)
Samples	Selected aromatic hydrocarbons
A.	Medium Arabian crude oil (Control)
B.	AMC-30 (cargo oil)
C.	AMC-1 (31 Mar 78) mousse or slick
D.	AMC-12 (27 Mar 78) beached oil, mousse
E.	AMC-14 (27 Mar 78) brov/n froth
F.	AMC-16 (28 Mar 78) mousse
G.	AMC-17 (29 Mar 78) beached oil, mousse
H.	AMC-18 (29 Mar 78) mousse
I.	AMC-3 (31 Mar 78) sediment
J.	F-82 (31 Mar 78) tar on rock
1.	Cx naphthalene isomers
2.	C2 naphthalene isomers
3.	C3 naphthalene isomers
4.	C4 naphthalene isomers
5.	Cx fluorene isomers
6.	C2 fluorene isomers
7.	dibenzothiophene
8.	Ci dibenzothiophene
9.	C2 dibenzothiophene
10.	C3 dibenzothiophene
11.	phenanthrene
12.	Cj phenanthrene isomers
13.	C2 phenanthrene isomers
14.	C3 phenanthrene isomers
isomers
i somers
i somers
3.3.2 Sediment
The concentrations of hydrocarbons present in sediment samples
obtained at EPA stations 1-7 (see map) following the wreck of the Amoco
Cadiz are listed in Table 3-6. The concentrations ranged from 742 ppm
(dry weight) to 4 ppm (dry weight) but no consistent pattern of decreas-
ing oil content with distance from the tanker was observed. This re-
sulted from the wind-driven distribution of large masses of mousse from
the wreck. In some windbound coves and marshes, large amounts of oil
collected, while other leeward areas remained relatively clean. This
patchy distribution was also observed on a smaller scale.
Samples EPA-1 (beach) and EPA-1 (tidal flat) demonstrate this
irregular distribution. EPA-1 (beach) was obtained at Roscoff on
March 27, 1978. This surface sediment sample was taken approximately 70
meters seaward of the seawall. Thirty meters landward of this sample
location a large amount of mousse had been deposited. The total hydro-
carbon concentration of EPA-1 (beach) was 79 ppm (dry weight). Examin-
ation of gas chromatograms from aliphatic (F-l) and aromatic (F-2) por-
tions of this sample (Fig. 3-14) and the n-C17/pristane and n-C18/
ohvtane ratios (Table 3-6) indicate that the oil in this sediment sample
was quite fresh. Similar but slightly more weathered oil was evident in
chromatograms from EPA-1 (tidal flat) sediments. This sample was taken
200 meters seaward of EPA-1 (beach) on a tidal flat that was covered
with S 2 cm of water. Its total hydrocarbon content was 10 ppm (dry
weight).
48
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Table 3-6. Sediments
Concentration	n-C17/ n-C18/
Samples	pg/g (dry weight) pristane phytane
EPA-1 (beach) Roscoff 27 Mar 78
F-l	65 3.1 2.0
F-2	14
Total	79
EPA-1 (tidal Flat) Roscoff
27 Mar 78
F-l	6 1.5
F-2	4
Total	10
EPA-2 lie Grande 30 Mar 78
F-l	164 1.7 2.6
F-2	62
Total	I2&
EPA-3 (0-5 cm) 31 Mar 78
F-l	5 0.9 0.7
F-2	20
Total	?5
EPA-3 (5-10 cm) 31 Mar 78
F-l	31 .7
F-2	17
Total	35
EPA-4 Locquirec 2 Apr 78
F-l	3 1.3 0.8
F-2	1
Total	4
EPA-7 l'Aber Wrac'h 6 Apr 78
F-l	539 0.5 0.4
F-2	203
Total	735
NOAA-16 Mousse sample (reference)
26 Mar 78
49
-------
: IS
LjJJJLI
%
%
4
• IS
KJ**-.
«lJw¥NVjN»*v
~ n	r>
*	p.	-
k^vl^-vL^" 	-A-	_A_
Figure 3-14. Gas chromatograms of aliphatic (upper trace) and
aromatic (lower trace) fractions obtained from sediment at EPA-1
(beach—Roscoff) on March 27, 1978. Internal standards marked
IS. (EPA-ERLN)
-------
From these limited data it appeared that as the mousse was rafted
over the tidal flat a relatively small amount of incorporation of oil
into the sediments occurred. As the mousse moved shoreward, the combina-
tion of decreasing water depth and increasing wave action caused more
incorporation of oil into sediments at the lower beach face. Finally,
the mousse was deposited on the top portion of the beach.
A core sample obtained at EPA-3 on March 31, 1978, was cut into a
0-5 cm and a 5-10 cm section. The concentrations of total hydrocarbons
were 25 ppm (dry weight) in the 0-5 cm section, and 48 ppm (dry weight)
in the 5-10 cm section. While gas chromatograms from the aliphatic (F-
1) and aromatic (F-2) portions of both core sections were similar (0-5
cm F-l and F-2 chromatograms shown in Fig. 3-15), the proportions of
hydrocarbons present in the aliphatic and aromatic fractions were
different (Table 3-6). The cause of these differences is unknown, but
may have resulted from the incorporation of dispersed oil droplets from
the overlying water. The water sample obtained at the location was
tinted brown and contained 42 ppm hydrocarbon material.
The highest concentrations of oil were found in sediment samples
from heavily polluted l'Aber Wrac'h (Plate 3-6) (EPA-7) and the oiled
marsh lie Grande (EPA-2). At lie Grande oil and mousse were scraped
from the sediment surface before the sample was taken. The lowest
concentration observed in sediment samples was obtained on the beach at
Locquirec (EPA-4). Landward of this sample location large quantities of
mousse had accumulated. Presumably this low value reflected the small-
scale patchy distribution of oil in sediments of this area.
Table 3-6 lists the n-C^/pristane and n-Cig/phytane ratios calcu-
lated from gas chromatograms of the sample extracts. These ratios may
be utilized to determine the bacterial degradation of the n-alkanes
present in petroleum, because bacteria degrade straight chain alkanes
(i.e., n-heptadecane and n-octadecane) more rapidly than the branched
chain isoprenoids pristane (2, 6, 10, 14-tetramethylpentadecane) or
phytane (2, 6, 10, 14-Tetramethylhexadecane). No consistent pattern is
observed relating the distance from the wreck to the amount of bacterial
degradation of petroleum present in the sediment samples. There are
several possible explanations for this inconsistency:
(1)	The oil leaked from the wreck for a period of about two weeks,
which resulted in different lengths of environmental exposure for oil in
the sediments sampled.
(2)	The spilled oil contaminated different sediments. Its path
from the tanker may have varied.
(3)	Variations may have existed in the amount of oil present in
sediments relative to the bacterial population able to degrade the oil.
51
-------
I
Figure 3-15. Gas chromatograms of aliphatic (upper trace) and
aromatic (lower trace) fractions obtained from 0-5 cm section of
sediment core obtained at EPA-3 on March 31, 1978. Internal
standards marked IS. (EPA-ERLN)
-------
Similar variations in degradation were observed in soil and sedi-
ments taken on a vertical transect up a cliff at l'Aber Benoit. Recon-
structed gas chromatograms obtained from the aliphatic and aromatic
fractions of these samples are shown in Figs. 3-16 and 3-17. These
figures show that relatively low levels of aliphatic and aromatic
hydrocarbons were found in the soil sample taken above the high water
mark on the face of the cliff. The chromatograms of this sample were
not similar to those obtained for contaminated samples, indicating that
the oil did not impact this soil. Chromatograms obtained from sediments
taken 30 cm below the high water mark and at the base of the cliff
showed the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in the aliphatic and
aromatic fractions. Comparisons of these chromatograms indicated that
the oil in the sediments at the cliff base was more weathered than the
oil from sediments on the face of the cliff. The increased weathering
is shown in the chromatograms of sediments at the cliff base by a de-
crease in the peak heights of n-C17 and n-Cig relative to the isopre-
noids, pristane and phytane, in the aliphatic fraction, and a decrease
in resolved vs. unresolved components in the aromatic fractions. Again,
this sample series shows that variations in weathering of oil occur in
samples taken only a few meters apart, but, due to the continuous leakage
of oil from the wreck, the length of time that the oil was present in
these samples may have been different.
Fig. 3-18 shows a three-dimensional plot of the concentration of
selected aromatics in these cliff samples. This figure also demonstrates
that concentrations of these aromatics were below detection limits in
the upper cliff soil sample, and shows the variation in distribution of
these aromatics on the cliff face and in the sediments at the cliff
base.
3.3.3 Photochemical Processes
Figure 3-19 shows the high-resolution gas chromatograms of the
methanol fractions from AMC-12, AMC-14, AMC-16, AMP-1 (photolyzed medium
Arabian crude oil), and AMP-C (nonphotolyzed medium Arabian crude oil).
The presence of a complex unresolved mixture (hump) in the photolyzed
control sample and the two environmental samples, with absence of any
significant hump in the unphotolyzed control sample, provides indirect
evidence for photo-oxidation processes in the environmentally exposed
mousse samples. Aidditional evidence was obtained by inspection of mass
chromatograms of the ion fragments characteristic of the sulfoxides of
dibenzothiophene and its n-Ci and n-C2 alkyl homologs in the same metha-
nol fractions. Ion fragments thought to be associated with the complete
series of sulfoxides were observed. The presence of substantially
higher quantities of the sulfoxides in the methanol fractions of the
environmentally derived mousse samples and the photolyzed control oil
sample was confirmed by comparison of the full mass spectra in each
sample with authentic standards.
53
-------
Figure 3-16. A computer-reconstructed high-resolution gas chromato-
graphic separation of the n-hexane fraction of extracts from soil
samples collected at l'Aber Benoit. The upper trace represents a
sample taken above the high water mark on the cliff face. The
middle trace is from about 30 cm below the high water mark and the
lower trace at the base of the cliff. All samples were collected
in a vertical line. (UNO-CBS)
54
-------
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPIL
UPPER CLIFF
40% BENZENE FRACTION
170 210
TEMPERATURE CDEG C)
Figure 3-17. Computer-reconstructed high-resolution gas chromato-
graphic separation of the 40%-benzene-in-n-hexane fraction of
extracts from soil samples described in Fig. 3-16. (UNO-CBS)
55
-------
SAMPLE
Figure 3-18. Three-dimensional plot showing the relative concentra-
tion (vertical axis) of selected aromatic hydrocarbons (axis into
page) in selected samples (horizontal axis). All components are
compared relative to the concentration of dibenzothiophene in each
sample. Refer to Table 3-7 for identification of samples and
aromatic hydrocarbons. (UNO-CBS)
Preliminary data indicate that there is at least ten times more
oxidized product in the environmental and laboratory-irradiated samples
than in the non-irradiated medium Arabian crude oil control. Further
experiments have shown that aromatic hydrocarbons will stimulate photo-
oxidation substantially. Known photo-oxidation products of naphthalenes
and phenanthrenes were not detected in the methanol fractions of the two
mousse samples investigated.
3.3.4 Biota
Only four biota samples were extracted and analyzed in time for
incorporation in this report. These included periwinkles, limpets,
polychaetes, and a seagrass. All biota samples were collected alive and
were not obviously coated with oil. Fig. 3-20 illustrates the chromato-
graphic separation of the n-hexane and 40%-benzene-in-n-hexane fractions
56
-------
ARAB MEDIUM CRUDE OIL PHOTOLYSIS
AMP 1 H+N
vETHANOL FRACTION
SE-52 CCLLMN

AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 16
METHANOL FRACTION
SE-52 COLUMN
OUANT INJ. = 40. E-4
"VE (IINUTES)
2? 33 40 50 60 n 80 53
' 32
•70
2!0 240 240
TEMPERATURE CDEG O
2^0
24e
2-2
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
CONTROL
METHANOL FRACTION
SE-52 COLUMN
hi
h
U)
11
2
i
O
! 1
0.
[l
10
. j
uJ
1
cr
j 1
K
r
n
ji
£
11
0
i
i
u
i
UJ
! :
a


¦J
20
r:*!E coxites)
30 40 50 6.3
'03
110
'SO
220 250 250 250
TEMPERATURE CDEo C)
250 252
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC I 4
METHANOL FRACTION
SE-52 COLUMN

2.0
0
90
*1
|0 92
130
£
132
170
70
TIME (MINUTES)
40 50 60
™i	1	1		1	1	
210 240 240 240 24e
TEMPERATURE CDEG C)
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
CONTROL BLANK
METHANOL FRACTION
SE-52 COLUMN
S2
240
_J)U
TIME (MINUTES)
3,0 40 50
172 212 240 240
TEMPERATURE CDEG C)
-2-
240
90
-¥	-
240 240
53
u
w I
i
(1. 11
to
uj: ¦
a
a
w
a
y.
o
u
w
&
52
90
22
' 30
20
! 70
TIME (MINUTES)
40 50 60
70
210 240 240
TEMPERATURE CDEG C)
-+-
240 240
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 12
METHANOL FRACTION
SE-52 COLUMN
JL
TIME (MINUTES)
4,0 50 60
-n	,	,	H-
130 170 210 248 240 240
TEMPERATURE CDEG. O

4?-
240

240 240
Figure 3-19- Computer-reconstructed high-resolution gas chromato-
grams of the methanol fractions from samples AMC-12, AMC-14,
AMC-16, AMP-1, and AMP-C. Samples AMP-1 and AMP-C are the photo-
lyzed and control samples, respectively, of the medium Arabian
crude oil sample. (UNO-CBS)
57
-------
LI
w i
z
o
CL
W
LI
QJ
a
UJ
0
a
~
U
lii
a
50
u
(0
z
o
CL I I
CO I i
UJ ! i
a!
a
u i
Q
a
o
u
LI
a
50
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 4 TISSUE
HEXANE FRACTION
QUANT. INJ.=2.3 E-4
20
30
TIME (MINUTES)
40 50 60
7.0
80
90
90
130
170
210 240 240 240
TEMPERATURE CDEG. C)
240
240
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPILL
AMC 4 TISSUE
40% BENZENE FRACTION
QUANT INJ =4.7 E-4
20
TIME (MINUTES)
30	40
5.0
60
90
f 30	170 210
TEMPERATURE CDEG C)
240
240
Figure 3-20. Computer-reconstructed high-resolution gas chromato-
grams of the n-hexane and 40%-benzene-in-n-hexane fractions of the
soft tissue from periwinkles collected at AMC-4. (UNO-CBS)
58
-------
of the soft tissue from perwinkles collected at AMC-4. As can be seen,
the normal alkanes range from n-C13 to n-C33 and the profile is remark-
ably similar to a number of mousse samples analyzed that had undergone a
modest weathering process. The aromatics were also present in the
periwinkle tissues. Only a trace of methyl naphthalene isomers was
present. However, the chromatographic profiles of the full complement
of n-C2 and n-C3 naphthalenes, dibenzo-naphthalenes and the other aromat-
ics are ver obvious. Fig. 3-21 illustrates the chromatographic separa-
tion of the aliphatic and aromatic fractions of the seagrass sample
collected at Portsall on May 31, 1978. This sample was collected from a
pool of water that had no visible evidence of petroleum either on the
surface or in the water. As can be seen the profiles are similar to
those in Fig. 3-20 in the periwinkles. It would appear that the mousse
from the surrounding environment is either absorbed on the surface or
ingested intact by these organisms. The other biota samples analyzed
also demonstrated very similar chromatographic characteristics. Fig.
3-18 is a three-dimensional plot, similar to that illustrated in Fig.
3-13, showing the relative concentrations of selected aromatic hydro-
carbons. Table 3-7 provides information on sample identification and
the selected aromatic hydrocarbons displayed in Fig. 3-18. Samples G,
h, I, and J represent the biota samples analyzed.
3.3.5 Analysis of Oil in Subsurface Water in l'Aber Wrac'h Estuary
Towed Underwater Fluorometer
The Environmental Devices Corporation (ENDECO) Petro Track towed
underwater fluorometer system was deployed by ENDECO under contract to
NOAA to determine the capability and usefulness of this system under
real spill conditions. The system was deployed in l'Aber Wrac'h during
three cruises on board an 18 m fishing boat. Subsurface (1 to 3 m) tran-
sects from the estuary mouth to its head, conducted on each of the three
cruises, resulted in a consistent description of relative hydrocarbon
concentrations (Fig. 3-22). Offshore concentrations were relatively
low, but still higher than ENDECO personnel had previously experienced.
At the shoal area, concentrations increased abruptly about fivefold, and
then diminished to intermediate values as one progressed up the estuary.
There were no substantial changes in concentration from inside the shoal
area to the bridge near Paludenn. The violent wave action in the shoal
area apparently forced more oil into the watier column, some of which
remained there. Several depth profiles were taken, all of which indi-
cated that the estuary was well mixed vertically and that high oil-in-
water concentrations were in contact with the benthos (Fig. 3-23).
The availability of real-time relative concentrations made it clear that
detailed analysis at one offshore, one shoal, and one upstream station
would adequately describe the hydrocarbon burden of the water column in
l'Aber Wrac'h.
59
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JjJf
AMOCO CADIZ OIL SPIL.
HEXANE FRACTION
QUANT INJ =3 9 E-2
40% BENZENE FRACTION
QUANT. INJ.=6.2 E-2




METHANOL FRACTIO:
SE-52 COLUMN
20
30
TIME (MINUTES)
40 5.0 60
4-
+
Jt-
90
50
90 130 170 210 240 240 240
TEMPERATURE (DEG. C)
240 240
Figure 3-21. Computer-reconstructed gas chromatograms of seagrass
collected near Portsall. (UNO-CBS)
60
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Table 3-7. Three-dimensional plot of the concentration (vertical
axis) of selected aromatic hydrocarbons (axis into page) for certain
Amoco Cadiz samples (horizontal axis) as shown in Fig. 3-18 (UNO-CBS)
Samples
Selected aromatic hydrocarbons
A.	Oil Cliff
B.	Upper Cliff
C.	Bottom Cliff
D.	AMC-1, ground water
E.	AMC-3, ground water
F.	AMC-17, ground water
G.	AMC-4, periwinkles
H.	AMC-17, limpets
I.	AMC-18, polychaetes
J.	Seagrass
1.	Cx naphthalene isomers
2.	C2 naphthalene isomers
3.	C3 naphthalene isomers
4.	C4 naphthalene isomers
5.	Ct fluorene isomers
6.	C2 fluorene isomers
7.	dibenzothiophene
8.	Cx dibenzothiophene isomers
9.	C2 dibenzothiophene isomers
10.	C3 dibenzothiophene isomers
11.	phenanthrene
12.	Ci phenanthrene isomers
13.	C2 phenanthrene isomers
14.	C3 phenanthrene isomers
Concentrations reported by the towed fluorometer varied from 2 to
21 times the concentrations derived from discrete water samples. The
towed fluorometer reading appeared to have a compressed dynamic range.
The towed fluorometer was calibrated with a diluted oil-in-water emul-
sion. The difficulty involved in preparing such a mixture in a quanti-
tative way is undoubtedly partly responsible for the sometimes large
discrepancies between the concentrations derived from the towed fluorom-
eter and those from discrete water samplings.
UV-Fluorescence Analysis of Water Samples Collected in l'Aber Wrac'h
Simultaneously with the deployment of the towed fluorometer, dis-
crete samples were collected with Niskin sterile bag samplers. The
sampler was positioned just in front of the towed fluorometer intake to
facilitate comparison of the results from the two methods.. Water sam-
ples were removed from the bags immediately after retrieval and stored
in hexane-rinsed glass jugs with Teflon-lined caps. Samples were ex-
tracted in the laboratory within 36 hours.
The first transect up the estuary (March 24, 1978; see Fig. 3-24)
indicated that the concentration offshore at 3 m depth was 36 ppb (Table
3-8). At the shoals in the mouth of the estuary the concentration rose
dramatically to 250 ppb, probably reflecting the physical entrainment
and downward movement of surface oil by the violent wave action in the
shoals. Inside the shoal area, the concentration was reduced to 140
ppb, with further reduction to 26 ppb at the bridge near Paludenn.
61
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DISTANCE FROM END OF ESTUARY (kilomefert)
Figure 3-22. Towed underwater fluorometer transects in l'Aber
Wrac'h. A: Concentration versus horizontal distance for cruises
1 and 2. B: Approximate water depth. C: Concentration versus
horizontal distance for cruise 3. Concentrations determined by
fluorescence do not necessarily represent the absolute concentra-
tions of petroleum in water. (ENDECO)
62
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3-25-78
STATION A

STATION B-
N
STATION C
3 27 78 V t
i
i • i
• « »
* fr ~
\ • s
V* t
OUTGOING ~v i V }
FLOW

» W
1
I
I
y
NEWLY
INCOMING
FLOW
INCOMING
FLOW
B
200
6&0800	A
CONCENTRATION OF OIL-IN-WATER (>ig/l)
,	 | |	
1000 2000 3000
Figure 3-23. Vertical profiles of oil in water measured in l'Aber
Wrac'h with the towed fluorometer. Concentrations determined by
fluorescence do not necessarily represent the absolute concentra-
tions of petroleum in water. (ENDECO)
The second cruise (March 25, Fig. 3-25) resulted in depth profiles
in the shoal area and upstream, based on data from the in-situ fluorom-
eter with discrete water samples collected near surface and near bottom.
Near-surface concentrations both upstream and in the shoal area were
similar to those of the previous day (Table 3-8). Near-bottom concen-
trations were higher than near the surface, particularly in the upstream
sample. Turbulence is again suspected as the cause for elevated concen-
trations in the shoal area.
During the third cruise (March 27, Fig. 3-26) depth profiles in the
shoal area over a tidal cycle and an offshore and upstream sample were
63
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~
Figure 3-25. Station loca-
tions for l'Aber Wrac'h,
cruise 2, March 25, 1978.
Nrv-Ov.
^."A\ 'v
. 0

64
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Figure 3-26. Station locations for l'Aber Wrac'h, cruise 3,
March 27, 1978.
Figure 3-27. Station locations for l'Aber Wrac'h, cruise 4,
May 3, 1978.
65
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Table 3-8. Concentrations of fluorescent compounds in subsurface
water from 1'Aber Wrac'h as determined by comparison with dilutions
of the reference mousse (NOAA-16). These concentrations do not neces-
sarily represent the absolute concentrations of petroleum in water.1
Station2	Depth(m)	Conc(ppb)
Cruise 1 (24 Mar 78)
Cruise 2 (25 Mar 78)
Cruise 3 (27 Mar 78)
l--offshore
3
36
2—shoals
3
250
3
3
140
4
1
110
5
1
80
6
1
33
7--bridge
1
26
A
2
57

10
103
B
2
59
C
2
290

10
330
A upstream
1
50
B (ebb tide)
2
73

7
69
C (tide turning
1
175
to flood)
10
250
C (flood tide)
1
255

7
340
D offshore
15
130
Analysis by NOAA-NAF
2See F,ss. 3-24, 3-25, and 3-26 for station locations
66
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collected- The upstream concentrations of 50 ppb were similar to those
of the previous cruises. Near the shoal area, concentrations were near
70 ppb on the ebb tide and 175 to 340 ppb on flood tide with, again, evi-
dence of greater concentration at depth. L'Aber Wrac'h was still re-
ceiving oil with incoming tides and this oil was not being completely
flushed on ebb tide. The oil being retained in the estuary did not
appear to be building up in the water column as upstream concentrations
were stable near 50 to 100 ppb. The increases in concentration with depth
may indicate a sinking of the oil, possibly due to flocculation/adsorp-
tion on particles, and accumulation in sediments. Analyses of one
sediment from l'Aber Wrac'h indicated very high concentrations of oil,
in excess of 2 mg/g dry weight.
In early May 1978 (see Fig. 3-27), N0AA personnel collected addi-
tional water samples from l'Aber Wrac'h for UV-fluorescence analysis.
These data (Table 3-9) indicate that concentration of oil in the water
column had decreased in the 48 days since the accident, but had not yet
reached background levels typical of offshore water. Concentrations at
the upper end of the estuary had decreased much less than those nearer
the mouth.
Table 3-9. Concentrations of fluorescent compounds in subsurface
water collected May 3, 1978, from l'Aber Wrac'h as determined by
comparison with dilutions of the reference mousse (NOAA-16).
These concentrations do not necessarily represent the absolute
concentrations of petroleum in water.1
Station2
Depth(m)
Conc(ppb)
Bridge (7 May 78)
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
1
3
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
2
1
4.2
3.8
6.5
lost
9.2
15
9.7
19
22
75
Analysis by R.C. Clark, Jr., NOAA-NWAFC
2See Fig. 3-27 for station locations
67
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Gas chromatograms of hydrocarbons extracted from water taken near
the shoal area were similar to chromatograms of the reference mousse
(Figs. 3-5, 3-28, 3-29). Alkanes from n-Cjo to n~C30> pristane, phy-
tane, and many other less prominent branched/cyclic and aromatic hydro-
carbons were detected in the water samples. As would be expected some
weathering was apparent, particularly the loss of volatiles. In the
unfractionated reference mousse sample, n-Cn was the most abundant
normal alkane. In the water, n-C17 was usually the most abundant.
Microbial degradation removes normal (straight-chain) alkanes in prefer-
ence to branched alkanes, such as pristane and phytane. In the unfrac-
tionated reference mousse, the n-C17/pristane and n-C18/phytane ratios
were between 2 and 3, while in water samples the ratios were 1 or less,
indicating the possibility of microbial degradation of middle-molecular-
weight n-alkanes. The peaks in the region of the mono-, di-, and tri-
methyl naphthalenes were also enriched compared to the normal alkanes in
the water samples, consistent with their greater water solubility and
greater resistance to degradation. Samples taken in the shoal area on
all three cruises were similar, but displayed varying amounts of weath-
ering because fresh oil was still being released from the wreck during
the sampling period.
Water samples taken upstream of the shoal area contained a much
lower GC pattern of hydrocarbons, but were obviously more contaminated
than any offshore station except that near the wreck site (Fig. 3-30).
Analysis of Oil in Subsurface Water Off the North Coast of Brittany
From March 30 to April 4, 1978, the French research vessel Le
Suroit (Southwest Wind) occupied 46 stations (Plate 3-2, Fig. 3-31).
French scientists conducted extensive sampling for measurements of
subsurface oil in water, as well as for standard chemical and biological
parameters (Plates 3-3 and 3-4). At the invitation of Dr. Michel Mar-
chand of the Centre Oceanologique de Bretagne, NOAA personnel partici-
pated in the cruise. At nine of these stations, near-surface and near-
bottom samples were collected with the Niskin sterile bag sampler (Plate
3-5). Samples were transferred immediately upon retrieval to hexane-
washed glass jugs with Teflon-lined caps. Extraction of the water with
hexane was performed upon return to the shore laboratory. The extracts
were analyzed by both UV-fluorescence and glass capillary gas chromatog-
raphy.
This cruise was conducted two weeks after the wreck occurred and
several days after the bulk of the oil had leaked from the ship. Thus,
the concentrations reported here may not represent the maximum values
attained at the height of the spill. Background values are taken as 0
to 2 ppb as determined by UV-fluorescence on water from station 16
(Table 3-10).
68
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Figure 3-28. High-resolution gas chromatogram of n-hexane extract
of water from l'Aber Wrac'h, station C, cruise 2. Numbers refer
to n-alkanes of corresponding chain length. Internal standards
narked IS. (NOAA-NAF)
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IS	IS
IS
14
12
vuuJJLrfi*^1, idJw
15
16
17 '
IE
19
20

21
22	26 27
23 24 25
29

30

"L.
U.
Figure 3-29. High-resolution gas chromatograin of n-hexane extract
of water from l'Aber Wrac'h, station C, cruise 3. See legend,
Fig. 3-28. (NOAA-NAF)
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IS
13 14
25 26 "
Figure 3-30. High-resolution gas chromatogram of n-hexane extract
of water from l'Aber Wrac'h, station B, cruise 3. See legend,
Fig. 3-28. (NOAA-NAF)
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Figure 3-31- Map of stations occupied by the ship le Suroit to
collect water samples from March 30 to April 4.
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Table 3-10. Concentrations of fluorescent compounds in offshore
waters as determined by comparison with dilutions of the reference
mousse (NOAA-16). These concentrations do not necessarily repre-
sent the absolute concentrations of petroleum in water.1
Station2
Depth(m)
Conc(ppb)3
1
2
90
3
2
21

100
26
6
2
40

40
48
7
2
1.5

20
12
9
2
3.4

70
16
16
2
0

60
2.1
29
2
9.1

60
140
37
2
1.5

90
0.1
39
2
0.8

90
1.7
Analysis by NOAA-NAF
2See Fig. 3-31 for station locations
3Average of duplicate analysis--average
deviation about the mean - ± 20%
73
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Surface mousse, slick, or globular oil, was present at stations 1
3, 6, and 29. These stations also showed high concentrations of oil (9
to 90 ppb by UVF) at 2 m depth. Surface oil was absent at the other
stations and the concentration at the 2 m depth was lower (0 to 3 ppb bv
UVF), essentially at background levels. , Stations 1 and 3 were reoccu-
pied as stations 37 and 39 near the end of the cruise (April 3). Con-
centrations observed at this later time were near background levels.
All oil had leaked from the ship by this time and the water column did
not contain residual hydrocarbons.
Except at station 1 (37), near-bottom samples contained greater
hydrocarbon concentrations than at 2 m depth, even when floating oil was
observed at the surface. The highest offshore concentration was 140 ppb
at 65 m depth at station 29, The role of dispersants and sinking agents
used to counteract the oil spill must be clarified with regard to the
observed increase in hydrocarbon concentration with depth.
Gas chromatographic data reflect the relative UV-fluorescence data.
The chromatogram of station 1,2m (90 ppb) contains n-C12 to n-C32 n-
alkanes, pristane, and phytane (Fig. 3-32). At station 9, the 2 m
sample (3.4 ppb) contains nothing that can be attributed to the oil
(Fig. 3-33) while the 70 m sample (16 ppb) has elevated concentrations
of a few peaks which bear a resemblance to the station 1 sample.
Analysis of Oil in Interstitial Water from Beaches
Interstitial and ground water samples were obtained by digging a
hole in the beach, placing a closed sampling container in the hole,
allowing the hole to fill with water, and opening the sampling container.
The cap of the container was then replaced before the container and
sample were withdrawn. Fig. 3-18 shows a three-dimensional plot of the
concentration of selected aromatics in samples of ground water obtained
from AMC-1, AMC-3, and AMC-17. Almost no aromatics were found in these
samples. Table 3-11 lists the concentrations found in interstitial
water samples and in surf samples obtained at EPA-4 and EPA-5 on March
27, 1978. The chromatograms of the samples from the interstitial water
and the surf were quite similar at EPA-4. The chromatograms from inter-
stitial and surf water samples from EPA-5 showed some differences (Fig.
3-34), but the presence of oil was evident.
The finding of petroleum hydrocarbons in interstitial water at the
EPA sample sites contrasts with the absence of oil aromatics in ground
water samples analyzed by UNO-CBS. This discrepancy may be explained by
differences in sample locations, sample size, or detection limits of
analytical instrumentation, but is believed to result from differences
in the types of water sampled. The EPA samples were taken within 30
meters of the shoreward limit of the surf zone and represented inter-
stitial water at that location. The UNO-CBS samples were obtained in
areas higher on the beach and probably represented an input from ground
water from natural aquifers.
74
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Figure 3-32. Gas chromatogram of a hexane extract of seawater
from Station 1,2m. See legend, Fig. 3-28. (NOAA-NAF)
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Figure 3-33. Gas chromatogram of a hexane extract of seawater
from Station 9, 2 n. See legend, Fig. 3-28. (XOAA-NAF)
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^ IN. A if . 1 1 i ¦ Li .
Figure 3-34. Gas chromatograms of interstitial water (upper trace)
and surf water (lower trace). Samples taken at EPA-5 (St. Efflam)
on April 27, 1978. (EPA-ERLN)
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Analysis of Oil in Water Taken from Beach Surf
One subsurface water sample was collected from a calm surf west of
the mouth of l'Aber Benoit (EPA-3, see Fig. 3-1). This sample contained
an exceptionally high concentration of oil, 42 mg/1 (42 ppm). The water
itself had a brown coloration believed to be the result of oil droplets
dispersed in the water. The calmness of the surf and the absence of
visible surface mousse indicated that entrainment of mousse into the
water column was not occurring at the time of sample collection. One
could speculate that the extensive use of dispersants in offshore areas
resulted in this finely dispersed oil.
Table 3-11. Oil in surf water and beach ground water1
Date	n-C17/ n-C18/
Station Description collected Conc(ppm) pristane phytane
NOAA-16 Reference mousse 26 Mar 78	-	3.3	2.3
EPA-3 Subsurface water 31 Mar 78 42.0	0.4	0.3
from surf zone
EPA-4 Locquirec, inter- 27 Apr 78 0.3	3.0 >1.8
stitial water
EPA-4 Locquirec, surf 27 Apr 78 0.9	2.4	1.7
water
EPA-4 Locquirec, tide 6 Apr 78 0.2	3.3
EPA-5 St. Efflam, in- 27 Apr 78 3.0	1.7	1.3
terstitial water
EPA-5 St. Efflam, surf 17 Mar 78 0.6	1,8	0.9
'Analysis by EPA-ERLN
A comparison of the chromatogram from this water sample with one
obtained from the reference mousse sample collected on March 26, 1978, is
shown in Fig. 3-35. The mousse sample shows a series of normal alkanes
(n-alkanes) from n-C8 to n-C3o- In addition to the n-alkanes, peaks of
78
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IS
SO
Figure 3-35. Gas chromatogram of water sample obtained at EPA-3 on
March 31, 1978 (upper trace). Gas chromatogram of reference mousse
obtained near wreck on March 26, 1978 (lower trace). (EPA-ERLN)
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the isoprenoids 2, 6, 10, 14-Tetramethylpentadecane (pristane) and 2, 6,
10, 14-Tetramethylhexadecane (phytane) and other peaks representative of
cycloalkanes are present. The chromatogram of the water sample taken at
EPA-3 shows n-alkane peaks from n-Cg to n-C30, but smaller amounts of
the lower molecular weight compounds are present. This probably occurs
because the compounds of lower molecular weight evaporate and/or dis-
solve more rapidly.
Table 3-11 lists the n-C17/pristane and n-C18/phytane ratios from
the reference mousse and water samples. These ratios give an indication
of bacterial degradation of an oil sample, because bacteria degrade n-
alkanes more rapidly than branched chain alkanes. As seen by comparing
the ratios, the oil in the water sample has undergone more bacterial
degradation than the oil in the mousse sample, indicating that the oil
had not recently been added to the water column from mousse. The water
sample also shows a large unresolved complex mixture which is the large
area on the chromatogram underneath the resolved peaks. This unresolved
portion of the oil is believed to consist of cycloalkane, naphtheno-
aromatic, and aromatic hydrocarbons which are also more resistant to
bacterial degradation than n-alkanes. Separation into aliphatic and
aromatic components by liquid chromatography and subsequent analysis by
gas chromatography indicated that the petroleum in the water sample was
largely aliphatic material with only small amounts of aromatics present.
Further analyses were done on the mousse and water sample extracts
by GC-MS. Extracted ion current chromatograins at m/e 57, 71, 85 (typi-
cal of alkanes) on both the mousse and the water extract were almost an
exact trace of the total ion current chromatogram, showing as a pre-
liminary finding that compounds other than hydrocarbons (surfactants,
etc.) were not present as major resolved components. It is possible,
however, that surfactant type molecules had already degraded, were
present in the unresolved complex, or (depending upon the type of com-
pound) were not extracted by the CH2C12.
3.4 Conclusions
Examination of the data from these chemical analyses leads to
several initial conclusions:
(1) The importance of obtaining a non-environmentally exposed
sample of the cargo oil cannot be overstated. In lieu of obtaining this
material, a medium Arabian crude oil was used as a control. Evidence
indicates that this Arabian crude is very similar to the reference
mousse collected at the site of the spill, adding credence to the use of
this mousse as a reference standard. Analytical data indicate that the
composition and distribution of components in the majority of mousse
samples are remarkably similar.
80
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(2)	While minor differences in methodology existed among the three
analytical laboratories analyzing samples, the close similarities of gas
chromatograms obtained from samples of the intact reference mousse and
from aliphatic and aromatic fractions of that mousse (separated by each
laboratory) indicated a high degree of uniformity among the laborator-
ies .
(3)	Continuous oil leakage from the grounded tanker resulted in
different areas of coastline having varied lengths of exposure to oil.
This fact, in combination with the diversity of environments contami-
nated by the oil, has resulted in observations of uneven oil weathering
in samples of sediments and water obtained along the Brittany coast.
These variations in weathering have been observed on both the large (km)
and small (m) scale. Differential weathering caused difficulties in
determining the length of exposure of oil in the environment, but weath-
ering processes were observed in extracts from environmental samples.
Most notable were losses of lower molecular weight components, decreases
in peak heights of n-alkanes relative to isoprenoids, reductions in
resolved vs. unresolved material in aliphatic and aromatic fractions,
and increases in oxygenated material.
(4)	Gas chromatograms of oil in water in l'Aber Wrac'h were simi-
lar to the chromatogram of the reference mousse, indicating that the oil
in water was in an emulsified state. This is most likely the result of
the turbulence at the mouth of the estuary which forced surface mousse
into the water column. Some of this emulsified mousse remained in the
water and was detectable further up the estuary. The distribution of
oil in water in the estuary was uniform vertically, indicating that the
benthos were exposed to oil. Six weeks after the grounding, this estu-
ary still contained elevated concentrations of oil in water, particu-
larly at the upper end.
Offshore, high concentrations of oil in water were observed under
patches of mousse or slick, but, interestingly, near-bottom water usual-
ly contained even greater quantities of oil. This phenomenon may be
related to the extensive use of dispersants and sinking agents in off-
shore waters.
(5)	The towed underwater fluorometer proved valuable in determin-
ing relative oil-in-water concentrations and aided in selection of sites
for more intensive sampling for laboratory analysis. Accurate field
calibration of the towed fluorometer appears to remain an unsolved
problem.
(6)	Biota samples were collected alive and while not obviously
coated with oil, contained substantial contamination from the spilled
oil. Chromatographic profiles of these samples closely resembled those
of mousse samples.
81
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(7)	A careful analysis of mass spectrometric data indicates the
presence of photo-oxidation products of dibenzothiophene and its alkyl
homologs. There was no mass spectral evidence for photo-oxidation
products of the naphthalenes and phenanthrenes. Further, it should be
pointed out that evidence for the photo-oxidation of mousse is found in
the complex unresolved chromatographic mixture (hump) in the methanol
fractions in laboratory-photolyzed and environmental mousse samples.
Volatile oxygenated molecules were tentatively identified in the head-
space over a mousse sample, presumably produced by microbial metabolism
within the mousse.
(8)	It is obvious that further studies of weathering, including
bio- and photo-oxidation, of spilled oil are needed. These studies will
require special sampling and analytical techniques since many of the
primary oxidation products of petroleum aromatic compounds are labile.
(9)	Selected field sites should be resampled for hydrocarbon pre-
sent in the water column, at the air-sea interface, in the biota, and in
sediments at regular intervals for a period of time sufficient to trace
the loss of oil from the environment and the subsequent accumulation of
oil-related products.
3.5 Acknowledgments
Many individuals and organizations contributed substantially to the
contents of this chapter. The field chemistry program was supported by
the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) of
NOAA with funds derived from the Department of Interior Bureau of Land
Management (BLM). Laboratory analyses were supported by an additional
funding from BLM to NOAA. Ship time was provided by CNEXO-COB.
The laboratories providing sample analysis are to be commended for
their rapid response and the high quality of their work. In particular,
the authors acknowledge the following:
UNO-CBS. Dr. Edward B. Overton and Dr. Jayanti R. Patel, project
managers; Doug Carlisle, Chris Raschke, MaryAnn Maberry, Robert Bowles,
Dianne Adamkiewicz, Chuck Steele, Jo Ann McFall, Wayne Mascarella, for
help in analyzing the samples; and Diane Trembley and Michelle Aguiluz
for preparing the manuscript.
EPA-ERLN. Mr. Curt Norwood of ERL-N, Mr. Randy Dimock, Mr. Robert
Bowen, and Dr. Eva Hoffman of University of Rhode Island Graduate School
of Oceanography, for their valued assistance in preparing and analyzing
samples.
82
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NOAA-NAF. Dr. William D. MacLeod (Manager), Donald W. Brown
(Assistant Manager), Scott Ramos, Russell Dills, Don Dungan, Andrew
Friedman, and Terry Scherman.
NOAA-NWAFC. Robert C. Clark, Jr.
ENDECO. William Williams, Dr. Ed Brainard, and Dr. William Kerfoot.
Special thanks to Lt. John J. Kineman (NOAA Corps--OCSEAP) for
providing field logistics and managing the towed fluorometer program,
and to Dr. Michel Marchand of COB for providing laboratory space,
equipment, and supplies and most importantly his understanding and
friendship.
83
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finally, sheltered rocky coasts (no. 8), sheltered tidal flats (no. 9),
and estuarine marsh systems (no. 10) once again proved to be the most
vulnerable of all coastal environments to oil spill damage. These
observations provide encouragement and incentive to continue to apply
the vulnerability index to areas in the U.S. threatened by potential oil
spills. The Brittany coastline is particularly analogous to the coast-
line of Maine and parts of southern Alaska.
During the first week after the grounding, oil on tidal flat and
beach surfaces lifted off the bottom with each incoming tide. However,
one month later, a large patch of oil mixed with sediment was found on
the tidal flat surface at Portsall, and many beaches retained oil during
the flooding tide. In these cases, oil became sediment-bound and re-
mained on the bottom. The physical mixing of oil with sediment to form
a denser-than-water mixture provides a possible mechanism for causing
oil from the Amoco Cadiz to sink to the bottom.
Although the surfaces of the beaches and tidal flats at many places
were free of oil, the interstitial ground water was contaminated. This
may have been the cause of the extensive biological kills at certain
areas. Unfortunately, the use of large pits and trenches as collection
sites for the oil may increase the amount of ground water contamination.
The use of bulldozers to plow heavily oiled gravel into the surf
zone for cleansing by wave action is a sound practice, from a geological
point of view because no sediment is removed from the beach. Removal of
sediment from certain areas increased the rate of beach erosion. The
unrestricted use of heavy machinery on the beach and low-tide terrace
generally turned oil deeper into the sediments. Where possible, traffic
should be limited to specified access routes.
84
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4. INVESTIGATIONS OF BEACH PROCESSES
Erich R. Gundlach* and Miles 0. Hayes*
4.1 Synopsis
According to our best estimate, 64,000 tons of the Amoco Cadiz oil
came ashore along 72 km of the shoreline of Brittany during the first
few weeks of the spill. A prevailing westerly wind pushed the oil
against west-facing headlands and into shoreline embayments as it moved
east. A wind reversal in early April moved the oil in the opposite
direction, contaminating previously untouched areas and transporting the
oil as far southwest as Pointe du Raz (southwest of Brest). At the end
of April, the total volume of oil onshore was reduced to 10,000 tons,
but, by that time, 320 km of shoreline had been contaminated.
Coastal processes and geomorphology played a major role in the
dispersal and accumulation of the oil once it came onshore. For exam-
ple, oil accumulated at the heads of crenulate bays and on tombolos
(sand spits formed in the lee of offshore islands). Local sinks, such
as scour pits around boulders, bar troughs (runnels), marsh poolsj and
joints and crevasses in rocks, tended to trap oil. The grounded mousse
was either eroded away, or buried (up to 70 cm) under new sediment
deposits, in response to the vagaries of the beach cycle. The details
of oil erosion and burial were determined by resurveying 19 permanent
beach profiles which were established during the first few days of the
spill.
Classification of the coastal environments of the Amoco Cadiz oil
spill site according to our oil spill vulnerability index (scale of 1-10
on basis of potential oil spill damage) revealed a good correlation with
earlier findings at the Metula and Urquiola oil spill sites. Exposed
rocky coasts and wave-cut platforms (index nos. 1 and 2) were cleaned of
extremely heavy doses of oil within a few days. Fine-grained sand
beaches (no. 3) proved to be easily cleaned, whereas coarse-grained sand
beaches (no. 4) showed considerable oil burial in areas where berins were
developed. Exposed tidal flats (no. 5) underwent extensive biological
damage and experienced potential long-term pollution of the interstitial
ground water. (No. 6 was not represented.) Gravel beaches (no. 7) were
deeply penetrated by the oil, creating special cleaning problems. And
*Coastal Research Division, Dept. of Geology, U. of South Carolina,
Columbia, SC 29208.
85
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4.2 Introduction
The objectives of the work discussed in this chapter are to de-
scribe the influence of beach processes and sedimentation on the disper-
sal, grounding, burial, and long-term fate of the Amoco Cadiz oil.
These observations should provide valuable insights for coastal zone
managers in the United States concerned with contingency planning for
oil spills. This is true especially with regard to understanding the
vulnerability of different coastal environments to oil spill impacts, as
well as to planning for the availability of equipment and manpower
needed for shore protection and clean-up in the event of a major spill.
In order to achieve these objectives, a program of field studies
was begun on Sunday, March 19, 1978, three days after the initial wreck
of the tanker. In total, 15 days were spent in the field during the
first visit. The first field crew consisted of Miles 0. Hayes, Erich R.
Gundlach, and R. Craig Shipp of the U. of South Carolina (under contract
to the Research Planning Institute, Inc. (RPI) of Columbia, South
Carolina, U.S.A.). Also, Laurent D'Ozouville of the Centre Oceano-
logique de Bretagne (COB) participated in several days of field activ-
ities. The site was revisited between April 20 and April 28, 1978, by
Gundlach and Kenneth Finkelstein of RPI. Dr. D'Ozouville again partici-
pated in each day of the field work.
In the field, our work consisted of overflights and intensive
ground inspection and surveys of the entire affected area. For purposes
of description, the study area is divided into 11 sections. Descrip-
tions of 19 permanent beach survey stations and 147 beach observation
stations (Fig. 4-1) are given under the discussion of each of the 11
sections (below). Extensive photography was carried out, with approxi-
mately 3,000 photographs being taken on the first trip and approximately
1,200 on the second. Thirty-five representative color photographs that
illustrate the beach processes are given in Plates 4-1 through 4-33
(Appendix B).
86
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Figure 4-1A. Locations of observation stations within western portion
of the spill-affected area. Oil distribution for study periods one
(March 19 to April 2) and two (April 20 to 28) are indicated.
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Figure 4-1B. Observation stations within eastern portion of the spill-
affected area. Oil distribution is indicated.
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4.3 Acknowledgments
The primary purpose of our work on the Amoco Cadiz spill was to
provide assistance to the NOAA Spilled Oil Research team (SOR) in the
areas of coastal processes and oil-sediment interaction. All of our
work was performed under Contract No. 03-78-B01-50 with the Environmental
Research Laboratories (ERL) of NOAA. We wish to acknowledge the help
and support of a number of SOR team personnel, including Wilmot Hess,
Jerry Gait, David Kennedy, Bud Cross, and Peter Grose. We also gained
from helpful discussions with Roy Hann of Texas A & M University.
Living facilities, a stimulating scientific environment, and miscel-
laneous logistical support were provided by CNEXO, Centre Oceanologique
de Bretagne. Our field work was greatly facilitated at all times by the
helpful and enthusiastic cooperation and support we received from
Laurent D'Ozouville of COB. We anticipate that we will continue to work
together and that several joint publications related to the scientific
aspects of the spill will result.
4.4 Geological Setting
The entire area affected by the Amoco Cadiz oil spill lies within
a geological province of France called the Massif Armoricain. This
province is composed of a succession of zones of anticlinoria and syn-
clinoria that trend WNW and ESE. The surficial rocks of the synclinoria
are usually Paleozoic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, whereas the
surface rocks of anticlinoria contain the oldest rocks in the area,
Precambrian granites and metamorphic rocks (Debelmas, 1974). Localized
massifs of granite intruded during the Hercynian orogeny (approximately
300 million years before present (B.P.) occur throughout the area. Two
major zones of strike-slip faulting separate the central area (Domain
Centre Armoricain) as a result of relative westerly motion of the north
shore region and easterly motion of the south shore region during the
Hercynian (Fig. 4-2).
In short, the geology of the Brittany peninsula is dominated by a
suite of ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks that have been subject to
a complex deformational history. The principal rock types along the oil
spill site are granites, migmatites1, and metamorphic rocks. Inasmuch
as the last major tectonism took place 200 million years B.P., the area
is tectonically stable at the present time. However, the resistant
nature of the rocks to erosion and adjustments of land-sea levels over
the past few thousand years has created a rugged coastline composed of
numerous inshore islands and erosional cliffs separated by minor pocket
beaches and ria2 systems. Everywhere, the primary shoreline trends are
1	A composite rock, composed of igneous and metamorphic materials mixed
together as a result of intensive igneous and metamorphic action.
2	Drowned river valley.
89
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Figure 4-2. Tectonic development of the Massif Armoricain (from Debel-
mas, 1974); (1) zone of early activation, (2) major shear zones, (3)
region of minor activation of Hercynian basement by pre-Cambrian
granites, (4) Paleozoic cover sheets and regions of large synclines
(5) post-Stephanian fractures, (6) primary displacement, and (7) '
secondary displacement.
90
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controlled by bedrock geology, with local trends being controlled by
weathering and erosion along structural elements, such as faults, joints,
and dikes. An example of this type of control along the coast near St.
Malo is illustrated in Figure 4-3.
4.5 Coastal Processes
Information on physical processes of the spill site is discussed by
Gait and Grose in Chapter 2. This section is a brief discussion of
those physical processes related directly to the beach dynamics and oil
grounding.
Figure 4-3. Orientation of vein field and jointing pattern of north-
central Brittany (from Debelmas, 1974). Note control of structural
elements on shoreline configuration.
91
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Qur field observations indicate that the spill site is one of in-
tense dynamic coastal processes. These conditions of high wave and
tidal energy are generally conducive to rapid natural dispersion of the
oil in exposed environments. However, the intricate topography of the
shoreline allows for the sheltering of some environments from the waves
and currents.
A.5.1 Winds and Waves
Wind patterns played a major role in the dispersal of the Amoco
Cadiz oil along the shoreline. Data collected by the French Meteorolog-
ISSTAgency (presented in Fig. 4-4) show that the wind blew consistently
from the west between March 18 and April 2, the time during which all
the oil was lost from the tanker. Winds commonly blew over 20 km/hr
fhrnnohmit this period. This consistent strong, westerly wind accounts
S tita west-to-east dispersal of oil during late March. The
wind chaneed on April 2 and blew consistently from the northeast until
April 10, the date on which our records (from the Trench Meteorological
Aeency) end. Presumably, it was these and later northeast winds, arded
by tidal currents, that dispersed the oil to the west and south during
earlv April. Wind measurements that we made in the field between April
22 and 26 showed variable results, but easterly winds predominated.
Figure 4-4. Wind pattern for March 17 to April 10, 1978, from the French
meteorological station 1 tan north of l'Aber Wrac'h. The wind shift on
April 2 caused the oiling of previously clean coastal areas south of
the wreck Bite.
o'
1 Apr
92
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Large waves were observed at high tide throughout the first field
study period (March 19 to April 3). Estimates of significant wave
heights were consistently on the order of 1 to 1.5 m, with heights of
2 m being common during the first few days of the spill. On the other
hand, waves observed during the second field visit in late April were
quite small, rarely exceeding 15 cm (at low tide). Unfortunately, no
precise wave measurements (i.e., wave gauge recordings) were made during
the spill to our knowledge.
4.5.2 Tides and Tidal Currents
The mean tidal range at Morlaix, which is centrally located in the
spill site, is on the order of 6 to 7 m (Fig. 4-5). These large tides
generated strong tidal currents throughout the spill site. The tidal
current variability for the area is illustrated by the graphs in Figure
4-6. Our team measured (with floats) tidal currents of 1.4 m/sec in the
channel north of Roscoff. From the air, streaming lineations of mousse
and other floating debris around stationary objects (e.g., rocks and
buoys) gave evidence of the strong tidal currents. An exceptional
spring tide of 8.1 m, which was caused by a combination of spring tides
and wind set-up associated with an intense low pressure system, occurred
on the weekend of March 25-26 (Fig. 4-7). This high tide greatly
enhanced the pollution potential of the spill, in that areas not normal-
ly reached by the sea were exposed to the oil.
4.6 Coastal Morphology
The portion of the Brittany coast impacted by Amoco Cadiz oil is an
irregular, low-lying ria3 coastline, which is composed mainly of small
drowned river valleys and protruding rocky headlands. The Brittany
coast is one of the most widely recognized ria coasts in the world, as
a result of the writings of de Martonne (1903; 1906) and Guilcher (1948;
1958). Guilcher's (1958) text on coastal morphology is liberally endow-
ed with references to and illustrations of the Brittany coast. A more
recent publication by Chasse (1972) describes the morphology and sedi-
ments of selected segments of the spill site in great detail.
3 "Rias may be defined as river systems partly or wholly flooded by the
sea. The degree of drowning depends on the magnitude of the movement of
base-level and on the altitude of the source of the rivers. The
subaerial origin of rias is demonstrated by the occasional existence of
incised meander as on the Aulne at Landevennec in the Rade de Brest."
(Guilcher, 1958, p. 153)
93
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VO
¦P-
Figure 4.5. Tidal range lines for the English Channel (from French
Hydrographic Service Pub. 551). Tidal range increases, going from 6 m
at Brest to over 9 m at Paimpol.
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Figure 4-6. Currents (m/sec) for the English Channel north of Brittany
(from French Hydrographic Service Pub. 551). (A) 6 hours before high
tide at Cherbourg; (B) 4 hours before; (C) 2 hours before; and (D)
during high tide at Cherbourg.
Figure 4-7. Tide curve for
Morlaix from March 17 to May 2
(from French Hydrographic Ser-
vice Pub. 785). Spring tides
during March 25 to 28, coupled
with an intense low-pressure
storm, spread oil very high
along the shoreline.
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Depositional beaches are rare on the Brittany coast. Where present
they consist of sheltered pocket beaches, crenulate bays4 (Plate 4-20) *
and tombolos5 (Plate 4-21). In some embayments, broad tidal flats
(mostly fine-sand) are exposed at low tide. Salt marshes are small
compared with those of most coastlines with tidal ranges of this magni-
tude. Occasional dune areas are located near the mouths of the small
streams.
The dominant aspect of the area is one of shoreline erosion, with
bedrock composition and structure controlling shoreline orientations.
Rock scarps flank the seaward portions of all the islands and headlands.
Beach sediments are generally thin and overlie eroded marsh clays and
other eroded material. From Portsall east, all morphological indicators
(spit orientation, crenulate bays, etc.) show a dominant longshore sedi-
ment transport direction from west to east, which agrees with the direc-
tion of transport of the oil during the first two weeks after the spill.
The shoreline in the region of Brest and the Baie de Douarnenez, however
is more complex, showing no general trend of sediment transport direc-
tion.
Taking the impacted area as a whole, some regional morphological
trends are apparent:
(1)	The shoreline in the large embayments of the Rade de Brest and Baie
de Douarnenez are flanked by high cliffs with narrow intertidal
zones. Coastline orientations are controlled by major structural
elements, such as regional faults (e.g., the south shoreline of
Baie de Douarnenez).
(2)	Granite plutons which form massive headlands predominate along the
northwest and northern shores. Minor structural elements such as
minor faults and joints control local shoreline orientations. The
western sides of those headlands, which usually have wide intertid-
al wave-cut platforms, have suffered more erosion than the eastern
sides, which have steeper intertidal areas.
(3)	Intertidal areas increase in width from west to east, as a result
of the increasing tidal range (Fig. 4-5). The wider tidal flats to
the east appear to contain a greater abundance of sediments than
those to the west.
4	A crenulate bay is an asymmetrical semicircular bay carved by re-
fracting waves that has a shape resembling a fish hook. Sediment is
normally transported up the shank of the hook away from the barb.
5	A tombolo is a sand or gravel spit which connects an offshore island
to the mainland or to another island. "In the Molene archipelago in
Finistere certain islets are connected twice a day (at low tide) to
the larger islands and are called Breton 'ledenez' ('extension of the
island')" (Guilcher, 1958, p. 90).
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The closest analog to this coastline in the United States is the
northern half of the coast of Maine, which bears many similarities. The
most notable comparisons are the bedrock and coastal topography (massive
granite plutonic headlands separated by drowned river valleys), as well
as similar wave and tidal conditions.
4.7 Coastal Sediments
Beach and intertidal sediments of the spill site show a wide range
of size, sorting, and composition. House-sized granite boulders occur at
retreating headlands and along some arcuate beaches (see examples in
Plates 4-16 and 4-22). Intermediate-sized, well-rounded cobbles (20 to 40
cm in diameter) make up some beaches exposed to high wave action (Plate
4-27). In more sheltered areas, gravel beach ridges similar to those of
New England and Alaska have accumulated (Plate 4-14 and 4-15). In
places, moderately sorted gravel accumulations occur as a high tide rim
around intertidal sand flats (Plate 4-13). Thin gravel veneers overlie
clay and peat substrates on some of the erosional beaches (Plate 4-33).
Sand also occurs under a variety of conditions. Steep, cuspate
coarse-sand beaches occur in some of the more exposed pocket beach areas
(e.g., Plate 4-12). Sheltered pocket beaches usually contain flat, fine-
grained sand beaches (Plate 4-26). The finest sands are found in the
coastal dunes that occur at several localities between Portsall and
Roscoff (Plate 4-23).
A wide variety of sediment types may occur within a small geo-
graphic area because of the complexity of the nearshore and coastal
morphology. For example, note the variation in grain size of the sedi-
ments in the vicinity of the tombolo illustrated in Plate 4-21.
After the spill, dead organisms became a part of the transported
sediment. At St. Cava, dead cockles were transported along with
quartz pebbles and accumulated in rows at the toe of the beachface
(Plate 4-25). Swash lines of dead razor clams and heart urchins were
accumulated along the beach at St. Michel-en-Greve on April 2 (Plate
4-7).
Muddy sediments are rare in the spill site, presumably because of
the high wave and current energy conditions that prevail. Some of the
rias (in Brittany, the ria is often called an aber, Guilcher, 1958, p.
154) contain muddy flats in their upper reaches, and the salt marshes
usually contain muddy sediments.
Chasse (1972, p. 3) made the following comment about the sediment
variability of the spill site (translated by Jacqueline Michel):
"Brittany's shoreline offers a great diversity of headlands,
bays, and rias. Present-day sediments are a complex mixture of
sand of Tertiary age and aeolian silts, fluvia pebbles, and more
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or less relict sand of Quaternary age (both Tyrrhenian and Flan-
drien). But all along this submerging coast of rias and incised
marine gulfs (Morbihan, Bay of Douarnenez, Rade de Brest, Aber
Wrac'h, Bay of Morlaix, etc.)> only one sediment type is poorly
represented, the aeolian quartz dune sands between 200 and 400
microns, which corresponds to the most mobile grain size."
Chasse presented detailed maps of the sediment distribution in several
of the areas where oil accumulation was heaviest. These maps will
provide a useful base for follow-up studies.
4.8 Methods of Study
The study of a major oil spill requires techniques, amenable to
rapid implementation, that provide for maximum information gained with
the least amount of field time expended. Large geographic areas have to
be classified and sampled rapidly. In order to achieve this goal, we
applied a modified version of the zonal method to the Amoco Cadiz oil
spill site.
4.8.1	The Zonal Method
The zonal method was developed by Hayes and associates (first
described by Hayes et al., 1973) in order to determine the geomorphic
variation of large sections of coast. It has been applied in several
areas of the world, including the southeast coast of Alaska (Hayes et
al., 1976b) and during studies of the Metula, Urquiola, and Jakob
Maersk oil spills (Gundlach and Hayes, 1978). A modified form of the
zonal method has been used to determine the vulnerability of coastal
environments to oil spills in several parts of Alaska under the sponsor-
ship of NOAA's OCSEAP program. In a study of Lower Cook Inlet (for the
State of Alaska), a total of 1216 km of coast was classified within 21
days by a team of three persons (Hayes et al., 1976a). A similar ap-
proach was taken during our study of the Amoco Cadiz oil spill.
4.8.2	Flights
Extensive aerial photography and tape descriptions were carried out
during the following flights over the Amoco Cadiz spill site:
(1)	March 21—Wreck site to Roscoff.
(2)	March 30—Mont St. Michel to Roscoff.
(3)	April 3—Portsall to St. Michel-en-Greve.
(4)	April 20—Pointe du Raz to Portsall.
(5)	April 28—Pointe du Raz to Roscoff.
These flights were taken for purposes of visual inspection of oil
distribution along the shoreline, observation of oil transport and
dispersal processes, and for interpreting shoreline morphology and
sedimentation patterns.
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A.8.3 Beach Stations
A total of 166 beach stations was visited (locations in Fig. 4-1).
Stations of two types were established, F-stations (plain numbers) and
AMC-stations (numbers preceded by AMC). A brief description of each
station is presented under each section heading. At the 147 F-stations,
the site was visually inspected, photographs were taken, and observa-
tions were recorded on tape. Work at the 19 AMC-stations included the
following:
(a)	A topographic profile of the beach (at low tide) was measured.
The profile is measured by the horizon-leveling technique of
Emery (1961). As the profile is measured, notations are made
concerning all relevant changes of the beach, including the
nature and occurrence of the oil. Permanent stakes were
established to mark the location of the profile. Six of the
profiles were resurveyed twice during the first visit and one
was resurveyed three times. All of these stations will be re-
visited to repeat the surveys.
(b)	Three equally spaced sediment samples were collected. These
were taken for the purpose of characterizing the beach with
respect to its oil penetration and burial. These samples have
been analyzed for textural characteristics (mean grain size,
sorting, etc.) in the laboratory and they are discussed
below; 53 sediment samples were collected on the first trip.
(c)	Trenches were dug to determine the distribution of buried oil.
Each trench was sketched and photographed in detail.
(d)	A sketch was drawn to show the general coastal geomorphology
and the surficial oil distribution. Several examples are
given in discussions of the different shoreline sections.
(e)	A number of photographs were taken of all aspects of the
beach.
4.8.4 Oil Distribution
Distribution Maps
The occurrence of oil along the shoreline was mapped both from the
air and from the ground during both visits to the site. The oil distri-
bution for the two time intervals is shown on Figures 1A and IB.
Calculation of Tonnage
During study of each AMC-station, the thickness of mousse was
measured at a maximum interval of 5 m along the profile line. The per-
cent oil coverage of the surface was also noted. The assumed volume of
99
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mousse present is the measured thickness multiplied by the overall
length of the beach as measured on 1:25,000 scale topographic maps.
Where oil did not cover the entire area, appropriate reductions were
made. Buried oil was noted and photographed. An estimate of the amount
buried was made by calculating the volume of oiled sediment and assuming
that 10% of this volume was mousse. The 10% value was derived from
analyses by Anne Blount (of our group) on over 50 oiled sediment samples
from the Metula site. All mousse was assumed to be 60% water. The
specific gravity of the oil, used to calculate total metric tonnage, was
assumed to be 0.85 gm/cc.
In order to derive the total amount of oil on the beaches in the
spill area, an average oil content per km of shoreline was calculated
from our 19 AMC-stations. The amount of similarly oiled coastline was
then measured on 1:25,000 scale topographic maps and multiplied by this
value. This was done for both study periods (March 19 to April 2 and
April 20 to 28) to determine the net change.
4.8.5	Observations of BiolQ8ical Impact
Because of the emergency situation surrounding the spill as well as
the opportunity to contribute to a basic understanding of oil spill
impacts, a special effort was made by our group to observe the bio-
logical effects of the spill, although this was not our primary objec-
tive. Notes were taken on tape, and numerous photographs were taken
wherever biological damage was observed. Some of our general observa-
tions are presented in our descriptions of the individual coastal sec-
tions for the record. For a complete discussion of the investigations
of biological processes, refer to Chapter 5.
4.8.6	Chemical Samples
Samples of mousse and oiled ground water were collected at selected
localities for chemical analyses (during both trips). These samples
were passed on to the SOR team or to John L. Laseter of the University
of New Orleans' Center for Bio-Organic studies for processing.
4.8.7	Observations of CleanuP Activities
Wherever cleanup was observed in progress, photographs were taken
(see Plates 4-4, 4-5, 4-8, 4-9, 4-11, and 4-19) and conclusions were
recorded on tape in order n°te in detail the success or failure of
each method. Cleanup was studied in depth by Roy Hann and his asso-
ciates from Texas A & M Uniyer®ity (see Chapter 6), Reference is made
to the cleanup effort in tlii® chapter where either (a) the cleanup
technique affected the noztnal beach processes, or (b) an understanding
of beach processes would aid in the cleanup exercise.
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A.9 Field Observations of Oil Impact
For purposes of description, the impacted coastline is divided into
11 separate sections (located on Figures 4-8 and 4-9). The individual
sections will be discussed in sequence from west to east. Observations
made during both of the field visits are included.
4.9.1 Section I—Pte. du Raz to Penfoul
Section I is located to the south-southeast of the Amoco Cadiz
wreck site (Fig. 4-10). The coastline generally consists of high-energy
rocky headlands with small pocket beaches. Cliffs over 40 m in height
are common toward the south. Although the tidal range is 5.5-6.0 m,
little more of the coast is actually exposed during low tide than at
high tide because of the steeply-dropping offshore bathymetry. This is
in distinct contrast to the many wide tidal flat systems that lie to the
north and northeast.
Oil impact, March 17-April 2
During the first two weeks after the grounding, little or no oil
was transported to this area. Winds were blowing strongly from the west
and southwest. A survey of station F-82 and stations further north on
March 31 revealed only a few small tar blotches (of unknown origin) on
the rocks. A sample was taken for chemical analysis.
Oil impact, April 20-28
A distinct change in oil distribution was observed during our
second study period. During the aerial survey on April 20, heavy oil
accumulations were observed as far south as Pointe du Raz, 126 km (77
miles) from the wreck site. Very heavy oil accumulations were observed
at station F-104 (Fig. 4-10) and northward. A photograph of station F-
82 that was taken on the following day is presented in Figure 4-11.
Stations F-97 to F-103 were lightly to moderately oiled. Table 4-1 sum-
marizes oil impact for this area. A photograph of a newly oiled area
near Argenton (F-109) is presented in Figure 4-12. As observed during
the aerial survey on April 20, moderate to heavy oil accumulations were
found at (a) beaches near Camaret, (b) in small pocket coves along the
cliffs from Douarnenez to Pointe du Raz, and (c) at the beach at Pointe
du Raz. Lighter accumulations were observed at lie de Sein, located
offshore of Pointe du Raz. The last two areas mark the most southerly
extension of major contamination from the Amoco Cadiz.
The heavy oiling of this section during April was a result of the
offshore winds of March 28-31 followed by strong south/southwest winds
during April 2-10. The wind at this time blew ashore much of the oil
that was still at sea, therby causing the oiling of an additional 91 m
of shoreline.
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Figure 4-8. Locations of Sections I to VI of the spill study area.
Figure 4-9. Locations of Sections VII to XI of the spill study area.
102
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MOUSSE SWASHES OBSERVED 20 APRIL ;
CLEAN ON 28 APRIL
1 Okm
POINT DU RAZ
Figure 4-10. Locations of observation stations in Section I, Pointe du
Ra2 to Penfoul. No oil was in this area during the first two weeks of
the spill. The pattern between heavy lines indicates oil distribution
as observed during second study period (April 20 to 28). Pluses
indicate moderate to heavy oiling of upper intertidal rocks and/or
beachface; circles indicate moderate oiling of lowtide terrace; dot
pattern indicates light oiling on rocks or beachface. Mousse swashes
and heavy oiling were observed south of F-97 during aerial survey of
April 20. By second flight on April 28 the oil was no longer present.
103
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Figure 4-11. Heavily oiled rocks at station F-82 on April 21. Three
weeks before, the area was observed in detail and found to be clean
except for some small tar blotches. Re-oiling occurred as a result of
a wind shift during the early part of April.
Figure 4-12. Heavily oiled pocket cover near Argenton (F-109) on April
28. Mousse also covers the surface of the water.
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Table 4-1. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of Section
I, Pointe de St. Mathieu to Penfoul.
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-97
21 Apr
F-98
F-99
F-100
F-101
F-102
F-103
F-104
F-105
F-106
F-107
F-108
F-109
F-UO
F-82
21 Apr
21	Apr
21	Apr
21	Apr
21	Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
21 Apr
31 Mar-
21 Apr-
Poirite de St. Mathieu
A rocky platform with a small
cobble beach.
Greve de Porsliogan
A small cove/pocket, medium
grained sandy beach surround-
ed by a rocky area.
Le Conquet - Beach
A small sandy pocket beach
surrounded by a rocky area.
Pointe de Kermorvan
A boulder beach.
Le Conquet-Harbor (East side)
Large sand flat exposed at
low tide.
Plage de Blancs-Sablons
Wide sandy (fine to medium-
grained) beach. Rocks at
both ends of beach.
Port lllian
Small pocket beach protected
by a jutting rocky headland.
Fine-sand on beachface; some
gravel on the lower portions.
Rubian
Coarse-sand beach with many
cobbles especially on lower
beach.
l'Aber Ildut - Estuary
Narrow entrance with 2 booms
present.
Melon - South side
Small rocky beach with little
wave activity.
Melon - North (harbor)
A u-shaped harbor with an is-
land offshore to protect it.
Fine-sand beach.
Porspoder
Fine-grained pocket beach
with rocky headlands on both
sides.
Argenton
Small cove, very well pro-
tected fine-grained beach.
Penfoul
Small fine-grained estuary.
Pointe de Landunvez
High energy boulder beach on
wave-cut granite platform.
A few oil blotches along the swash
line - mostly small; a few 5 cm tar
or mousse balls; rocks spotted with
small amount of mousse. Area seemed
biologically productive - much algae
and limpets.
Light oil at all swash lines. Algae
productive. Many worm burrows.
Some oil burial of 5 cm - very minor.
Very light oil swash lines with more
oil along the upper swash line and on
some of the rocky areas.
Small amounts of mousse in water.
Heavy oiling of boulder beach on the
north side of the lighthouse.
Free of oil - boom at harbor entrance.
Oil streaks over the entire intertidal
portion of the beach. Heavy mousse on
rocks in NE corner. Oil pools of mousse
located on beach - some mousse in water.
Oil streaked swash lines. Small mousse
patches left on the beach surface.
Heavily oiled rocks; moderately oiled
coarse-sand beach. Oil pools 5 cm
thick in some areas and a coating on
the boulders at the base of the sand.
Oil buried due to clean-up activity.
Oiled seaweed along the edge of the
channel. Oil sheen on both sides of
the booms.
Entire intertidal zone heavily oiled.
Very heavily oiled rocks and mousse
in water.
Very heavily oiled beach. Rocks in
northern pocket very heavily oiled.
Active clean-up effort.
Rocks heavily oiled; 10-15 cm thick
oil on the beach: Mousse in water.
Clean-up operation in effect.
Thin oil layer covers most of the
beach. Heavy oil along edge of the
pocket cove. Small amount of mousse
in water.
Heavy oiling on both sides of the
estuary; slicks seen over entire area.
Clean-up operation in effect.
-minor tar blotches (3-5 cm) on rocks.
-heavily oiled rocks and boulders with
some mousse in the water.
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Table 4-2. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of Section
II, St. Sampson to Les Dunes-East.
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-81
f-1
AMC-1 (F-2)
AMC-2
AMC-3 (F-3)
F-84
AMC-4 (F-4)
AMC-5 (F-5)
31 Mar
19	Mar-
20	Mar-
31 Mar-
21	Apr-
20 Mar (F)-
22	Mar-
31 Mar-
21 Apr-
22 Mar
31 Mar
21	Apr
20 Mar (F)-
22	Mar-
31 Mar-
21 Apr-
31 Mar-
21 Apr-
23 Mar-
31 Mar-
21	Apr-
20 Mar (F)-
23 Mar-
26 Mar-
31 Mar-
22	Apr-
St. Sampson
Boulder beach on wave-cut
rock platform; high energy
(1 m waves present).
Tremazan
Boulder beach on wave-cut
rock platform (close to
wreck site).
Portsall
Sheltered embayment, with
seawalls, small coarse-
grained beaches and fine-
sand tidal flat.
Portsall
Angular, gravel beach; fine-
sand tidal flat.
Portsall-North
Cobbles against a seawall a-
long the upper beachface;
coarse-sand on rest of beach-
face; fine-sand low-tide
terrace with some algae cov-
ered rocks.
Prat Leac'h-Kerras
0.5 km sand pocket beach with
eroding sedimentary backshore.
Les Dunes-West
Three pocket, sand beaches
within a large sheltered cove.
A fine-sand tidal flat is ex-
posed at low tide; each beach
has a clay base with eroding
clay scarp along the backshore.
Les Dunes-East
Large deposition area with a
grass stabilized dune field.
A flat profile fine-sand
beach/low-tide terrace abuts
an eroding dune scarp.
No oil.
-light mousse in water and along shore.
-very heavy oiling, oncoming waves 2
m in height.
-only very small scattered blotches
of oil remain.
-heavily reoiled.
-very heavily oiled beach and tidal
flat; extensive skimming operation.
-still heavily oiled beach; minor
oiling on tidal flat.
-still heavily oiled beach; some sta-
tionary oil on tidal flat; heavy oil-
ing of rocks and seaweed along eastern
shore; little oil on surface of water;
extensive shoreline clean-up activity.
Heavily oiled beach; clean tidal flat.
-heavily oiled beach, upper low-tide
terrace and rocks.
-moderate coverage of beachface with
thick (10 cm) mousse swashes; still
heavily oiled rocks.
-very heavily oiled beachface; exten-
sive clean-up operation.
-clean beach but new erosion scarp
formed along the backshore.
-very heavily oiled beachface and
upper tidal flat along eastern shore.
Very large amphipod kill. Center
beach has moderate oiling; western
beach clean.
-heavily oiled upper beachface.
-heavy oil swashes; front-end loaders
removing oil and sand from beachface.
-moderate oil streaks on eastern side;
fewer on western side.
-very heavy oil covering the entire
beach on east side and on upper beach
of west side.
-very heavy oil on east side of stream;
large amount of oil buried on west side.
-clean east side; very heavy oil on
west side.
-very light oil swashes; some oil
burial on both sides of stream.
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During our last aerial survey on April 28, no oil was observed at
Camaret and Pointe du Raz. Nor was oil seen on the surface of the
water. However, north of station F-97, the oil appeared the same as
before. A large cleanup operation also remained active in the area.
Although we did not observe any oil on the beaches south of Pointe
de St. Mathieu (F-97) from the air, it should be noted that in all
likelihood a ground survey would find light swashes of small mousse
balls on these beaches. These features were very common throughout the
study area, and were even found on the beach next to the CNEXO lab at
Brest.
Summary
Section I proved to be a surprise to us:
(1)	It had become very heavily oiled more than three weeks after the
spill, illustrating the ability of massive quantities of oil still
to be transported several weeks after initial spillage.
(2)	Thick mousse concentrations were observed on the water's surface
along the cliffs between Douarnenez and Pointe du Raz, a full month
after the beginning of the spill.
(3)	Heavy oil accumulations extended southward to Pointe du Raz, a
total of 126 km (77 miles) from the wreck site.
4.9.2 Section II—St. Sampson to Les Dunes-East
This section, shown on the maps of Figures 4-13 and 4-14, is
located in the vicinity of the wreck site; it was the first area to be
oiled (Table 4-2). South of station F-l (Fig. 4-13), the shoreline
consists of an eroding wave-cut platform in granite that has a shoreward
scarp 3 to 15 m in height. The intertidal platform is covered with
large boulders.
Portsall Harbor
Week of March 20. Stations AMC-1 and AMC-2 (Fig. 4-13) are both
located in Portsall Harbor, a sheltered, relatively low-energy environ-
ment. Figure 4-15 is a detailed map of the Portsall area which shows
the oil distribution at first impact and at one month later. During the
first week after the wreck, a large oil mass was located in the harbor.
The profile at station AMC-1, which crosses the embayment (Fig. 4-15),
was measured at that time (see field sketch in Fig. 4-16). As the
profile was surveyed, measurements of oil thickness and estimates of
percentage of oil cover were made as often as warranted. A plot of
these measurements along the surveyed topographic profile is presented
in Figure 4-17. Sediment grain size data for the A, B, and C samples
are presented in Table 4-3. All the sediments are poorly sorted, with
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Figure 4-13. Locations of observation stations in Section II, the Port-
sail area, during the first study period (March 19 to April 2). Heavy
oil accumulations are indicated by the dark-stippled pattern.
Figure 4-14. Oil distribution for Section II for second study session,
April 20 to 28. Heavy and light oil coverage are indicated by the
plus and light-dot patterns, respectively.
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Table 4-3. Grain size data for AMC stations of Section II. All
statistics are calculated according to Folk (1968).
Sample	Graphic Mean	Size Class!	Skewness	Standard Deviation^
AMC-1A	0.691	CS	0.101	1.594 (PS)
AMC-1B	0.952	CS	0.197	1.413 (PS)
AMC-1C	1.954	MS	-0.134	1.350 (PS)
AMC-2A	-4.0	P	(PS)
AMC-2B	1.492	MS	-0.093	1.119 (PS)
AMC-2C	no sample
AMC-3A	-7.0	C	(PS)
AMC-3B	2.415	FS	-0.571	1.243 (PS)
AMC-3C	0.123	CS	-0.042	1.316 (PS)
AMC-4A	0.503	CS	-0.263	1.024 (PS)
AMC-4B	0.847	CS	-0.003	0.561 (MWS)
AMC-4C	2.082	FS	-0.383	0.978 (MS)
AMC-5A	1.047	MS	-0.001	0.759 (MS)
AMC-5B	2.415	FS	-0.207	0.593 (MWS)
AMC-5C	2.026	FS	-0.134	0.757 (MS)
Size Class
C = cobbles
P = pebbles
CS = coarse sand
MS = medium sand
FS = fine sand
Sorting
MWS = moderately well sorted
MS = moderately sorted
PS = poorly sorted
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Figure 4-15. Detailed location map
for the Portsall area. Oil dis-
tribution, as observed during our
two study sessions, is indicated.
the coarsest sediment occurring near shore. Our calculations indicate
that 50.2 metric tons of oil were present in the AMC-1 area during the
first survey (after subtracting 60% for water content of the mousse)6.
This relatively low value is attributed to the lack of very thick
accumulations on the tidal flat surface.
Clean-up activities initially consisted of the deployment of
several tank trucks with skimmers. Their ability to remove the floating
oil was restricted to periods of high tide, since the harbor is dry at
low tide (see Plate 4-9, 4-19, and 6-4).
During the survey of AMC-1, we counted several dozen polychaetes
on the surface of the flat in a generally moribund condition. However,
several live polychaetes and small shrimp were found in the sediment,
even though the interstital water was seriously contaminated with oil.
By walking around on the flat, we found five different species of dead
fish (Plate 5-20). Each had oil-blackened gill structures.
6 Inasmuch as the oil was usually distributed in distinct masses, these
oil volume calculations are an attempt to include the whole mass in a
given area. This particular calculation includes all the oil in the
eastern and southeastern portion of Portsall Harbor (Fig. 4-15), as
determined from ground surveys and aerial photography.
110
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Figure 4-16. Sketch of station AMC-1 (Portsall) on March 22. Sediment
sampling sites A, B, and C are indicated.
95
75 f
4
70
90

5 % OIL COVERAGE
1 THICKNESS: MM
ROCKS
OIL CONTAMINATED INTERSTITIAL WATER
0.00	40.00 80.00 120.00 . 160.00 200.00 240.00 280.00 320.00
DI STRNCE IM)
Figure 4-17. Topographic beach profile and oil coverage for station
AMC-1 on March 22. The thickness of the shaded line is roughly pro-
portional to the oil thickness. Letters A, B, and C indicate
sediment sampling sites.
Ill
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Table 4-4. Change in estimated oil tonnage at AMC stations in Section
II. Oil increased at station AMC-2 because of oiling of the upper
beach face and seawalls during spring tides.
Station Number Date	, Date	X Change
AMC-1
22
Mar
50.2
22 Apr
7.3
-85.46
AMC-2
22
Mar
1.8
22 Apr
2.4
+33.00
AMC--3
22
Mar
44.6
22 Apr
5.5
-87.70
AMC-4
23
Mar
284.1
31 Mar
36.9
-87.01




22 Apr
2.5
-93.22
AMC-5
23
Mar
1146.9
22 Apr
2.5
-99.80
AMC-2
22 MAR 78
TIDAL FLAT (SAND)
/
1901 60 190 I 70 I 0-10 % OIL COVERAGE
t MM AVERAGE Otl THICKNESS
20.00 HO.00 60.00 bF. 00
DISTANCE cm
Figure 4-18. Sketch and topographic beach profile for station AMC-2 on
March 22. A thin coating of oil was present on the beach at this
time. After the spring tide conditions of March 25-28, the coating of
oil extended 1.5 m up the seawall.
112
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Station AMC-2 is located a short distance west of AMC-1 (Fig.
4-15). It was surveyed because it represented a coarse gravel environ-
ment with little wave activity. A sketch and profile of the area on
March 22 is presented in Figure 4-18. Grain size data for the beachface
area are presented in Table 4-3. During the March 22 survey, a thin
coating of oil covered the lower beachface. The total volume present at
that time was 1.8 tons.
Week of March 29. The beachface at AMC-1 was 100% covered by a
thin layer of oil on March 29. Oil coverage of the intertidal flat area
was reduced to 10%-15%. At station AMC-2, the beachface and lower
portion of the seawall had become completely covered with oil. From
observations, it became obvious that the majority of the oil was lifted
off the tidal flat and transported shoreward to the beaches and seawalls
as the tide rose. By March 29, the clean-up operation had changed from
a skimming operation to cleaning the oiled walls with high-pressure
hoses (Plate 6-14).
Week of April 20. Over a month after the grounding of the Amoco
Cadiz, we resurveyed our stations at Portsall. The beachfaces of both
stations (AMC-1 and AMC-2) were still covered with a 2 m layer of oil.
At AMC-2, an apparently new layer of mousse, brown in appearance, had
been deposited at the last high tide swash line. The surface of the
tidal flat had a few light oil sheens and a few large patches (approxi-
mately 30 m in diameter) of sediment-bound oil. The algal-covered rocks
on. the western side of the harbor were 80%-90% covered by brown mousse.
Our calculations showed 7.3 metric tons present at AMC-1 (85% decrease)
and 2.4 metric tons at AMC-2 (33% increase; see Table 4-4).
It appears that while most of the incoming oil was lifted off the
tidal flat with each incoming tide (observed on March 22), a small
percentage of it eventually became sediment-bound and stabilized on the
bottom of the flat. These patches are not subject to resuspension and
would be expected to degrade slowly by physical action. A diagram of
this process is presented in Figure 4-19. The interstitial water of the
tidal flat remained oil-contaminated.
Cleanup activity still continued on April 22. At least 30 men were
raking up oil and seaweed, which was placed in buckets and carted away.
Summary. Because of the initially large quantity of oil within the
Portsall area, much of the surface of the tidal flat was covered. As
time progressed and the tidal range increased, much of this oil was
lifted and transported shoreward. However, some oil did become sedi-
ment-bound and remained on the bottom. By April 22, the nearshore
areas, especially the rocks with algae on the west side of the harbor,
were still covered with oil. In addition, some oiled sediment patches
remained in the center of the tidal flat. All interstitial water was
still oil-contaminated.
113
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FIRST WEEK AFTER SPILL
10W TIC*
HIGH TIDE (Nf AP)
Lgure 4-19. Observation of oil response at Portsall. During the first
week after the spill, most of the oil lifted off the surface of the
sand flat with every incoming tide. During our second survey mousse
mixed with the sediment remained on the sand flat and beachface
even as the tide flooded. Only a light oil sheen was visible on the
surface of the water.
Station AMC-3
amp-'} nR located in a semi-sheltered area north of Portsall, some-
what closer to the wreck than stations AMC-1 and AMC-2 (Fig.	The
?I ™rnnsists of a small beach composed of mixed sand and cobbles,
h h «a « low-tide terrace with some algal-covered rocks. Grain size
which has a low tide terrac	^ maxinmm
dat\»~ bv oil (on March 31) is shown in Figure 4-20. There were
coverag 7 , , metric tons of oil on this beach at that time. The
IS	water fro. the beach removed	of the total
enrface cover Also, in the area where the stream crossed the beach at
tide (lift 4-20), all oil was removed. This observation suggests
Jhat siiiUr technique (i.e., using flowing water to wash oil into
collecting basins or troughs) could be used to clean similar beaches
with a great deal of efficiency.
The major difference between our site surveys on March 22 and 31 at
was the progressively higher oiling of the beach and seawall as a
result of the spring tides of March 25 through 28. The amount of oil
oresent did not significantly vary between the two visits. On March 31,
there was an extensive cleanup operation taking place in which mousse
and seaweed debris were raked, placed in buckets, and then dumped into a
large metal container. A screen separated the newly added seaweed from
a pool of oil below. Soldiers forced the oil through the screen by
stomping.
114
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Figure 4-20. Topographic profile and oil coverage at station AMC-3 on
March 31. High spring tides of March 25-28 were responsible for
spreading oil up the wall behind the beach. Sediment sampling sites
A, B, and C are indicated.
By April 21, most of the oil was gone from the area. An apparently
new mousse swash line formed along the upper beachface. There were also
some light oil streaks across the beach. The cobble area was still as
heavily oiled as before. We calculated that 5.5 metric tons of oil were
present on April 21, a reduction of 88% (Table 4-4).
In terms of biological damage, the most impressive observation was
the presence of thousands of dead amphipods along the uppermost portion
of the beach (by the steps). In contrast, new grass was found growing
115
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in the same area. On the low-tide terrace, new worm burrows were common.
Oiled but empty cockle shells were also found, indicating the possible
death by oiling of these organisms.
No burial of oil was observed on this particular beach, partly
because of the occurrence of a hard peat-like layer from a relict marsh
a short distance below the surface of most of the upper and middle
beachface.
Station F-84
F-84 (Prat Leac'h-Kerros; Fig. 4-13) was an area that was also
exposed to an extremely large quantity of oil. The entire intertidal
zone was heavily oiled. An extensive cleanup program utilizing many
trucks and tractors was carried out during the first few weeks after the
spill. By April 21, the beach was 95% clean. However, some erosion of
the scarp behind the beach had occurred, possibly as a result of removal
of beach sediments during the cleanup operation.
Station AMC-4
This station lies within a northwesterly-facing cove which contains
three arcuate beaches (Fig. 4-21A). Because of the strong prevailing
westerly winds during the first weeks of the spill (a) the west side of
the cove escaped oiling completely; (b) the central beach was oiled only
on the eastern side; and (c) the remaining beach (AMC-4) was heavily
inundated. The station at AMC-4 consists of a coarse-sand beachface
grading into a fine-sand low-tide terrace. Dune sands overlying a clay
base occur behind the beach. A sketch of the area on March 31 is pre-
sented in Figure 4-21B. The survey of March 23 is illustrated in Figure
4-22. Between March 23 and 31, the quantity of oil on the beach had
decreased from 284 to 37 metric tons (see Table 4-4). During that same
time interval, a total of 14.5 m3 of sand was eroded from each meter of
beach width (see Fig. 4-23). The cause of this extensive erosion was
either the storm waves during the week of March 22 or the cleanup
method applied, or possibly, a combination of the two. A small amount
of recovery had already occurred when the profile was measured on March
31, in that some oil burial had taken place at the mid-beachface area
and a small neap berm had formed.
The high spring tides of late March permitted the waves to wash oil
high up onto the dune scarp (see sketch of March 31 in Fig. 4-21).
Thousands of dead amphipods, identified by Jeff Hyland as Talitrus
saltator (an upper intertidal species), littered the dune scarp (see
Plate 4-24).
By April 21, deposition of 475 m3 of sediment had occurred along
the central portion of the beach (Fig. 4-23B). Oil was buried 20 to 25
cm by new sand. The beach appeared quite clean with only a light
mousse swash along the last high tide swash line. Oil volume further
116
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Figure 4-21A. Detailed location map
and oil coverage for station AMC-4
during initial oiling.
O
<\J
'o.oo 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00
DISTANCE (M)
Figure 4-21B. Topographic profile and oil coverage at station AMC-4 on
March 31. During the previous week, the shoreline had eroded signifi-
cantly back, removing most of the oil from the lower beachface and
exposing a relict red clay surface. Thousands of dead amphipods
(Talitrus saltator) littered the dune scarp (Plate 4-27).
117
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UJtO
«—<
I
RMC4
1150
23 3 78
'o.oo
40. 00
80.00 120.00
DISTANCE
160.00 200.00
(Ml
Figure 4-22. Beach profile and oil coverage at station AMC-4 on March 23,
Oil coverage was more extensive on this date than, during our second
survey on March 31 (compare with Figure 4-21).
decreased to only 2.5 tons. There remained an ongoing cleanup operation
in which oil on the beach was shoveled into buckets and then carted away
"rucks and front-end loaders. Unfortunately, the use of heavy machi-
nery on the beach may have succeeded in working oil deeper into the
sediments.
Station AMC-5
The beach at AMC-5 (Fig. 4-13) consists of a wide fine- to medium-
sand (Table 4-3) beach and low-tide terrace backed by an eroding dune
scarp The dunes, which are stabilized by short grasses, extend back
from^the beach over 1 b>. Figure 4-24 shows a field sketch of the site
on March 26.
We surveyed this station five times in order to monitor the short-
variabilitv of the deposited oil. In addition, the beach was
observed from mid-flood to mid-ebb tides on March 23, during which time
-11 oil was lifted off the beach and transported further shoreward
(because of the increasing water level). More importantly, most of the
oil was transported into the channel behind the foredunes. As the tide
receded oil was again deposited on the beach. Oil was not transported
alongshore because of the refraction of the incoming waves around the
offshore mass of rocks. This system is diagramatically illustrated in
Fiaure 4-25. We call this a tombolo effect. The role of the tombolo
effect in causing localized oil deposition was observed in several other
localities.
118
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Figure 4-23. Comparison of beach profiles for site AMC-4 on (A) March 23
and March 31, and (6) March 31 and April 22. The erosion along the
upper beachface was caused by storm waves, the applied cleanup
operation, or a combination of both. The deposition of new sand on
the beach by April 22 caused deep (25 cm) oil burial.
By March 31, a great quantity of oil was still present, but it had
shifted across to the eastern side of the stream. All that remained on
the western side were some very light oil swashes. In contrast, the
eastern side contained oil layers 3 to 5 cm thick. A cleanup operation
utilizing a front-end loader and dumptruck was underway (Plates 4-8 and
6-31). Oil and sand were being actively removed. During the spring
tides of a few days earlier, the grassy areas along the stream channel
behind the foredunes became heavily oiled. This area was being cleaned
by bucket and shovel.
119
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0.00
20.00 110.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00 inn nn
DISTANCE CM)
Figure 4-24. Topographic profile and oil coverage at station AMC-5 on
March 26. Oil was trapped in this area because of the tombolo effect
(see Fig. 4-25)•
By April 22, the entire area appeared quite clean. Only light
(probably recent) oil swashes remained. There was oil burial on both
sides of the stream, but even this was relatively minor. We estimate
that 2.5 tons of oil remained across the entire area. It appears that
the use of the front-end loader was effective since the oil was thicklv
pooled in a single area. The removal of sand from this area will pro-
bably not prove to be a serious problem because the wide dune area
behind the beach should provide adequate sand to replenish the beach.
120
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Figure 4-25. Illustration of local geomorphic control of oil deposition
at station AMC-5. Oil became trapped because of the refraction of
waves around the offshore rocks (a tombolo effect). During flood
tide, all oil was lifted off the surface of the fine-sand beach and
transported back into the marsh channel causing serious oiling. As
the tide receded, oil was redeposited on the beachface. This cycle
continued until the oil was removed by front-end loader (Plates 4-8
and 6-31).
121
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Figure 4-26. Detailed location map
of Section III for stations be-
tween Les Dunes (East) and the
Plouguerneau peninsula (F-6 to F-
142). Initial oil concentrations
are indicated by the dark-stippled
pattern.
Figure 4-27. Oil distribution along
Section III during our second stu-
dy period, April 20-28. Heavy and
light oil coverage are indicated
by the plus and light-dot patterns,
respectively. Oiled marshes are
indicated by a circled M.
Summary
The stations surveyed in Section II illustrated a wide variety of
morphological controls of oil deposition and oil-sediment interaction,
including the following:
(1) The rocky environment south of Tremazan illustrated how rapidly oil
can be removed under heavy wave action. Also, the re-oiling of
these beaches three weeks later demonstrated the persistence of oil
in the offshore waters during a massive oil spill.
122
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(2)	In the low-energy environment of the Portsall region, the upper
levels of the beaches showed an increase of oiling through time.
The behavior of oil on the tidal flats also changed through time,
with the oil being lifted off the flats at high tide during the
first few days, but later being partly sediment-bound to the
bottom.
(3)	Station AMC-4, which is located in a large, sheltered cove, illus-
trated how winds and coastal morphology can interact to cause heavy
oiling on one side of the embayment, while opposite beaches remain
clean.
(4)	AMC-4 also illustrated a definite beach erosion phase during the
early stages of oil inundation. The erosion period was followed by
sand deposition, which caused deep burial of some of the oil.
(5)	An illustration of the tombolo effect was provided by station AMC-
5, where an oil mass became compartmentalized behind offshore
rocks, thus escaping alongshore transport.
With respect to biological impacts, stations AMC-3 and AMC-4 had
total kills of the indigenous amphipod populations. All stations con-
tained heavily oiled algae. Dead fish and polychaetes were found on the
tidal flat at Portsall.
4.9.3 Section III--I.es Dunes East to Plouguerneau Peninsula
Section III includes two north-south trending bedrock headlands as
well as two major rias, l'Aber Benoit and l'Aber Wrac'h (Figs. 4-26 and
4-27). Each ria was an important aquaculture area before the oil spill.
The headlands have 1 to 2 km wide intertidal flats on the northwesterly-
facing exposures. These flats were probably formed as a result of
erosion by major storm waves approaching from the northwest. Oil impact
was extremely heavy along most of the westerly-facing areas because of
their position relative to the wreck site (for description of individual
stations, see Table 4-5).
123
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Table 4-5. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of Section
III, Les Dunes-East to the Plouguerneau peninsula.
Station Number Oate(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-6
F-31
F-32
F-85
F-40
F-39
F- 38
F - 37
AMC-11
F-33
F-34
F-35
F-36
20 Mar
26 Mar
26 Mar
31 Mar
26 Mar
26 Mar
26 Mar-
22 Apr-
26 Mar
26 Mar-
1 Apr-
22 Apr-
26 Mar
26 Mar
26 Mar
26 Mar
Ker-Vigorn
Mouth of estuary.
Grand Moulin
Western arm of 1'Aber Benoit;
tidal flat (mud) with rocks
along shore.
Le Carpont
Arm of 1'Aber Benoit; tidal
flat.
Treglonou
Large fine-grained tidal flats.
1'Aber Benoit
Entrance to estuary.
Prat Allan
Arcuate cobble beach.
Presqu'ile Ste. Margarite
Coarse-sand pocket beach.
Presqu'ile Ste. Margarite
Coarse-sand pocket beach.
les Dunes de Ste. Margarite
Medium-sand pocket beach backed
by eroding dune scarp.
South of Penn Enez
Sand pocket beach.
Penn Enez
Boulders in front of small
scarp beach.
Penn Enez (East side)
Small pocket beach.
Poullac Harbor
Wide exposed sand flat.
Oil boom deployed - no oil at this
time - to become heavily oiled start-
ing 21 March.
Very light sheen.
Heavily oiled.
Heavily oiled along shoreline.
Boom in place.
Heavily oiled with a large oil pool
offshore.
-heavily oiled.
-oil burial 70 cm and 35 cm with light
swashes on surfaces.
Heavily oiled.
-heavily oiled; extensive clean-up op-
eration with manpower, front-end load-
ers, and backhoes.
-heavily oiled upper berm; front-end
loader removing oiled sand.
-95% cleaned; some minor burial.
Heavily oiled.
60 m - heavily oiled.
Moderate oiling.
No oil,
124
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Table 4-5 (continued)
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
AMC-12
F-41
F-7
F-lll
F-112
F-113
F-42
F-114
27 Mar-
1 Apr-
23 Apr-
20 Mar-
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
20 Mar-
1 Apr-
23 Apr-
23 Apr
23 Apr
23 Apr
27 Mar
23 Apr
St. Cava
Coarse-sand beach with a me-
dium-sand, very broad, low-
tide terrace lying between
two rocky headlands.
Kervenny Brag
Sand tidal flat abutting a
seawall and rocks located in
a large pocket cove.
Li 1 ia
Rocks with alqae along a chan-
nel at tow tide.
Kerjegu
Small embayment off of a large
sand flat.
Kelerdut
Large tidal flat embayment pro-
tected by island and rocks
offshore.
Porz Guen
Rocky headland with small
harbor/embayment.
Porz Guen
Angular boulder beach.
Porz Guen
Sandy pocket beach pro-
tected by rocky headlands
on the north and west.
-very heavy oiling of beach and upper
tidal flat; large kill of cockles.
-still heavily oiled beach; manual
clean-up operation.
-beachface is oil-stained, but without
significant accumulations; oil mixed
17 cm into the low-tide terrace by the
heavy trucks; interstitial water still
contaminated.
-very light swashes.
-very heavily oiled; extensive clean-up
operation underway.
-95% clean, but the tidal flat has been
churned up by heavy equipment.
-oil streaks on the water; very light
oil on shore.
-light oil sheen on water; very light
oil on shore.
-definite mousse zone on algae and rocks.
Marsh in upper portion of embayment -
lightly oiled; otherwise clean.
Clean tidal flat, but badly oiled shore-
line; oiled gravel is piled up to be
removed.
All of the rocks heavily oiled, espe-
cially the northern corner of the
harbor; beachface is lightly oiled;
clean-up operation previously removed
much of the oiled algae.
Lightly oiled.
No oil.
125
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Oil Impact, l'Aber Benoit and l'Aber Wrac'h
No oil was visible in l'Aber Benoit during our first visit on March
20. A number of booms had been laid in preparation for the oil.
However, during our flight on the next day, oil could definitely be seen
entering the estuary through the booms (Plate 4-30). Later, oil cover-
age became very heavy along the edge of the estuary and on some surfaces
of the fine-grained tidal flats.
L'Aber Benoit has been selected for special study by CNEXO-COB.
Dr. Laurent D'Ozouville had prepared a preliminary report on their work,
and has given us permission to include his results in this report. His
report follows (translated by Jacqueline Michel):
Impact of Pollution by the Amoco Cadiz in l'Aber Benoit
L'Aber Benoit can be divided into three geomorphological units:
Part A: from the entrance of l'Aber Benoit to Loc Majan (Fig. 4-28A),
a zone characterized by well-developed sand or pebble beaches.
Part B: from Loc Majan to Treglonou (Fig. 4-28B), a narrower zone with
midflats flanking a rocky shore.
Part C: from the port of Treglonou to the head of l'Aber Benoit (Fig.
4-28C); this zone is dominated by marsh grasses which become
more prevalent toward the head of the bay.
Oil Distribution in l'Aber Benoit
(1.1) Geographical distribution
Several aerial surveys (fixed wing and helicopter)
allowed us to map the oiled zones in l'Aber Benoit.
It appears that:
-past the port of Treglonou toward the head of
l'Aber, little pollution occurs.
-between the entrance of l'Aber Benoit and the
port of Treglonou, the orientation of the shoreline
with regard to the winds and currents explains the
geographical distribution of the oil and helps us
understand why certain areas are less polluted.
126
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Figure 4-28. Oil distribution within l'Aber Benoit: (A) at Loc
Majan, (B) Loc Majan to Treglonou, and (C) Treglonou to the head
of the Aber (from preliminary report by D'Ozouville).
(1.2) Distribution with depth:
variable depending on the nature of the substrate.
-sand: penetration occurs but it is hard to
say just how deep.
-mud: surficial, yet animal burrows permit,
some oil to penetrate.
-marsh grass: oil sits on the surface of the
grasses which are covered only during high tides.
127
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Figure 4-29. Oil reaction within l(Aber Benoit estuary during low
and high tides. Much of the oil was resuspended off the flat as the
tide flooded. (From a preliminary report by D'Ozouville )
(1 3) Study of the pollution along transverse cross-
sections (Fig. 4-29).
Oil which has accumulated in depressions in the
rocks and grasses flows downhill on the surface of
the mud during ebb tide. During flood tides, some
oil is resuspended and slowly removed. It should be
noted that a simple disturbance in the water causes
the resuspension of bottom-held oil. It appears
that the oil held in these depressions will have a
long residence time in l'Aber Benoit.
128
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Recommendation for Cleanup
Generally, it is necessary to prevent mechanical
equipment on the polluted areas, and even more so on the
marsh grasses.
(2.1)	Upriver of the port of Treglonou—this area is
covered by marsh grass and was not affected much by
the oil. It is best not to attempt to clean this
area except locally where the oil has accumulated in
gaps in the marsh grass.
(2.2)	Between Loc Majan and the port of Treglonou—this
zone is primarily rocky, and is best cleaned by
water spray and recovery of the oiled water.
(2.3)	From Loc Majan to the mouth of l'Aber Benoit—
cleanup consists of manual methods for the beaches
and water spray for the rocks.
(2.4)	Aerial observations showed that there were places of
preferential oil accumulation (indicated on Figure
4-26). At these sites, with well-placed booms, oil
could be accumulated rapidly and removed by pumps
much more easily.
After these reflections, it seems to us indispensabe to
continue the study of l'Aber Benoit. Through further study,
we will gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of
estuarine oil pollution and recovery. Also, the economics of
the oyster fisheries make it essential to follow the de-con-
tamination of the estuary in space and time.
Oil Impact on the Coast between F-36 and F-39
The area under discussion is the headland that separates l'Aber
Benoit from l'Aber Wrac'h. Initially, oil accumulation was very heavy
on the western side of the headland, while the eastern side (F-36)
escaped oiling entirely (Fig. 4-26). As a result of the strong westerly
winds, large oil pools formed at each indenture in the coastline.
Station F-38 was particularly interesting in that it contained several
thick layers of buried oil (Fig. 4-30), the deepest of which was 70 cm.
This was the deepest burial observed during our study.
A detailed study was conducted at station AMC-11, a medium- to fine-
sand pocket beach. A sketch of the area is provided in Figure 4-31. Sed-
iment data are presented in Table 4-6. This area was selected because of
its location with respect to the wreck site, the large amounts of oil
present in the area, and because it had an ongoing cleanup operation.
129
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Figure 4-30. At station F-38 on April 22, we found buried oil the
deepest of which was 70 cm (not pictured). This was the deepest
burial we observed at any site during the entire study. The sediment
is composed of well sorted coarse-sand.
On March 26, oil covered the entire beachface and much of the fine-
sand low-tide terrace (Fig. 4-31). We estimate that 175 tons of oil
were present at that time (Table 4-6). In an attempt to remove the oil,
a long trench was dug with a backhoe to collect the oil on the incoming
and receding tides. The trench system was necessary to operate the
suction hoses from tank trucks and honeywagons. Sand was taken from the
base of the dune scarp to form a barrier to direct oil runoff into the
trough.
Upon our return on April 1, some erosion had occurred at the upper
beach face, possibly in response to the previous sand removal. As is
shown in Figure 4-32, approximately 3 m of beach was lost. The upper 25
m of beach remained heavily oiled, up to 1.5 cm thick in some areas. A
newly formed neap berm buried oil 5 cm below the surface. The lower
part of the beach was clean, more likely due to wave and tidal current
action than to mechanical cleanup. The trench that had been dug earlier
was filled in. Unfortunately, the sand filling the trench was heavily
mixed with oil. This oil could be the source of the noticeable ground
water contamination in the area, and, hence, could have a long-term
impact on the biological productivity of the area.
130
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80 % OIL COVERAGE
THICKNESS: mm
ZO I	,
5 cm burial-*
1-1 ' 1
cr
>
1
Jo I
LU

0. 00
20 00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00
DISTANCE tM)
Figure 4-31. Topographic profile and oil coverage at station AMC-11 on
March 26. Heaviest oil accumulations occurred on the lower portion of
the beach.
When we returned to the site on April 22, we observed very little
oil on the beachface. By our calculation, only one ton of oil remained
on the whole beach (Table 4-6). Therefore, over 174 tons of oil was
removed during the month following the spill. The upper beachface was
extensively populated by amphipods, even in areas previously heavily
oiled, indicating a rapid recovery by that organism. Cleanup activities
had shifted from the beach to the still heavily oiled rocky areas on
either side. Cleanup consisted of blasting the oiled cobbles with water
under high pressure. The process was successful, though it mixed oil
into the cleaner sediments on the beach, but was very time consuming.
On the southern side, volunteers were scooping oil from between the
boulders by hand.
131
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Figure 4-32. About 3 ra of beach
erosion occurred at AMC-11 during
the week after mechanical removal
of sand from the base of the dune
scarp. Deposition on the lower
beachface caused oil to be buried
5 cm below the surface.
>
AMC-11
26 MAR 78
o.oo
1 APRIL 78
20.00 MO.00
DISTANCE
60.00
(M)
80.00
Table
4-6A. Grain
size data for stations AMC-11 and AMC-12 in


Section
III.

Sample
Graphic Mean
Size Class*
Skewness
Standard Deviation2
AMC-11A
1.947
MS
-0.116
0.536 (MWS)
AMC-11B
2.124
FS
-0.059
0.639 (MWS)
AMC-11C
1.798
MS
-0.117
0.690 (MWS)
AMC-12A
0.533
CS
0.168
0.531 (MWS)
AN1C-12B
0.106
CS
0.201
1.993 (PS)
AMC-12C
1.306
MS
-0.125
0.689 (MWS)
Size Class
CS • coarse sand
MS ¦ medium sand
FS - fine sand
"Sorting
MWS ® moderately well sorted
PS « poorly sorted
Table 4-6B. Change in oil quantity at stations AM0-11 and AMC-12.
Station Number
Date
Oil Present
(metric tons)
Date
Oil Present
(metric tons)
% Change
AMC-11
AMC-12
26	Mar
27	Mar
175.2
357.7
22	Apr
23	Apr
1.0
6.3
-99.40
-98.30
132
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Oil Impact on the Coast between AMC-12 and F-42
This west-facing shoreline (Fig. 4-26) was exposed to predominant
wave and wind approach during the early days of the spill. The area
between stations AMC-12 and F-7 was impacted by major concentrations of
oil, whereas the more northerly stations received lesss.
Station AMC-12, which was studied in some detail, is a coarse-to
medium-sand beach abutting an eroding, low-lying dune field (see Table
4-5 for sediment data). Rocky headlands flank both sides of the beach.
A sketch and topographic profile are presented in Figure 4-33.
QJ_
.O
—I o
							^	
'0.00 20.00 10.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00 140.00
DISTANCE (M)
Figure 4-33. Topographic profile and oil coverage at station AMC-12 on
March 27. The thickness of the oil coverage line is proportional to
actual oil thickness. Heaviest accumulations occurred on the low-tide
terrace in a low-relief runnel behind a ridge.
133
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On the date of our first survey (March 27), the beachface at AMC-12
was entirely coated with oil, as was much of the low-tide terrace. Oil
was ponded 4 cm thick in a runnel landward of a low-relief ridge on the
low-tide terrace. Our estimates indicate that 358 metric tons of oil
were present on the beach on March 27 (see Table 4-6)7. A large number
of dead cockles (Cerastoderma) had accumulated along the step of the
high-tide beachface (avg. of 6/m2; see Plate 4-25).
During our return visit on April 23, the beachface and low-tide
terrace were cleared of massive quantities of oil; however, 70% of the
beach sediments still appeared oil stained. Some slight burial (6 cm)
was observed. The hard gravel and clay base that underlies the beach
inhibited much oil penetration. On the low-tide terrace, oil was mixed
17 cm deep into the sand by the trucks used in the cleanup operation.
Interstitial waters were contaminated to as far as 50 m seaward on the
low-tide terrace. We estimate that 6.3 tons of oil remained on the
beach on April 23.
When we first viewed station F-41 (Kervenny Brag) on March 20, it
contained only light oil swashes. By March 27, it was extremely heavily
oiled. An extensive cleanup operation which began before March 27
continued past our visit of April 1. By April 23, the sand flat was 95%
cleared of oil. Only the seawalls retained oil. Unfortunately, the
tidal flat was badly churned up by the cleanup machinery.
Some of the areas north of F-41 were moderately oiled (F-112 and F-
113 in particular), but most areas only received light oil. These areas
appear to have escaped major oil damage because of the sheltering effect
of offshore islands.
Summary
Section III provided a number of interesting observations with
regard to oil deposition:
(1)	Oil booms across the mouth of l'Aber Benoit and l'Aber Wrac'h were
ineffective in preventing pollution in those rias, which were badly
damaged in places.
(2)	The maximum depth of oil burial observed in the study (70 cm)
occurred at the coarse-sand beach at F-38.
(3)	There was noticeable erosion of the dune scarps at beaches where
sand was removed by the cleanup operation.
7 This is a revised value from our preliminary field report, in which we
reported 538 tons on this beach.
134
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(4)	The trenching technique observed at AMC-11, while effective for
cleanup, probably increases the pollution of the interstitial water
of the beach.
(5)	Oil deposition is closely controlled by local beach morphology, as
was illustrated by oil accumulation in the runnel at AMC-12 (see
Fig. 4-33).
(6)	In general, most of the stations in this section located on the
exposed headlands were remarkably clean one month after the spill,
especially considering the large volumes of oil that came ashore
during the first few days of the spill. The rapid natural cleaning
of these areas is probably a function of the high degree of ex-
posure of the headlands to northwest winds and waves. The general
erosional nature of the area is evidenced by (a) the overall re-
treat of the shoreline (leaving behind a wide, wave-cut intertidal
platform), and (b) the thin, non-depositional character of many of
the beaches.
4.9.4 Section IV—Trouloc'h to Brignogan-Plage
The coastline of Section IV is oriented northeast-southwest (Fig.
4-34). Much of the coastline consists of depositional dune areas with
granitic bedrock outcrops. An exception to this general shoreline
orientation is the Neiz Vran peninsula (AMC-13), which is oriented
roughly north-south. Table 4-7 gives brief descriptions of the study
sites, and Table 4-8 presents sediment and oiling data.
Oil Impact
Little of the oil spilled by the Amoco Cadiz impacted this coast-
line. Oil impact during the first two weeks of the spill was generally
restricted to those areas that are aligned in a north-south direction
(e.g., stations F-44, AMC-13, F-48, and F-50; see Fig. 4-34).
One month after the spill, all major oil accumulations were dis-
persed. Only light oil swashes were visible at all stations. Sheltered
rocky areas commonly were more heavily oiled than neighboring sand
beaches.
Station AMC-13 (Fig. 4-34) was studied in detail. It consists of a
small medium- to fine-sand crenulate beach oriented north-northeast/
south-southwest. Rocky headlands are located on both sides of the
beach. Because of its orientation with respect to the wreck site, a
large quantity of oil estimated at 248 metric tons (Table 4-8B) accu-
mulated during the first two weeks after the spill. During our first
site visit on March 26 , most of the beachface and upper low-tide ter-
race was 100% oil covered. The topographic profile and oil coverage
diagram are presented in Figure 4-35. Thick (30 cm) mixtures of mousse
and algae accumulated at the upper portions of the beach and along the
135
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Table 4-7 Field observations of oil distribution at stations of Section
IV (Trouloc'h to Brignogan-Plage).
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil impact
F-115
P 116
F-43
F-117
F-44
F-118
F-119
AMC-13
F-45
F-46
F-120
F—47
23 Apr
23 Apr
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
23 Apr
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
23 Apr
23 Apr
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
27 Mar
23 Apr
27 Mar
Penn ar Strejou
Small sandy pocket beach fac-
ing north; sandy dunes backing
the beach; tidal flat in front
of beach.
Corejou
Neck of a peninsula,connects
an island offshore; embayments
north and south.
Mogueran
An embayment with a large tidal
flat (l-l^ km) in front; rocky
on both sides with much rock
debris on beach.
la Secherie
Large sandy beach with sand
dunes backing it.
Le Curnic
Contains a jetty separating
two sandy beaches; much rock
debris on the beaches.
Lerret
Near the head of a large es-
tuary/tidal flat.
Tress G'ny
Middle of a large estuary/
tidal flat.
Roc'h Quelennec
Medium- to fine-sand beach
and tidal flat with rocky
headlands on both sides;
large boulders on beachface.
Neiz Vran
Mixed sand and rock debris
beach with large tidal flat
in front.
Boutrouille
Well-sorted granule beach
(near) Louc'h an Oreff
Coarse-grained beach with a
fine-sand low-tide terrace.
(near) Kerlouarn
Steep, mixed-sand and gran-
ule beach.
The beach contains some light oil
swashes; rocky areas are moderately
oiled; some of the algae is coated
by a thick covering of mousse.
No oil on north side of jetty; lightly
oiled cobbles on south side.
-clean; no oil.
-some new oil has come onshore; very
light, a mousse froth that is on the
upper portions of the beach and is
mixed in with the algae.
Lightly oiled along the swash lines as
well as on some of the rocks.
-rocks on the jetty are lightly to
moderately oiled.
-light oiling of rocks on both sides
of jetty; beaches clean except for
light oil swash lines.
Marsh in the upper Intertidal zone is
moderately oiled; light oil swashes
on sand leading down from oiled seawall,
Lightly oiled rocks and seaweed swash
line.
-very heavily oiled beachface; oil
30 cm thick, mixed with algae along
upper swash zone.
-surface 99% clean, but deep 38 cm
burial along upper beachface; also
has oil contaminated interstitial
water.
-no oil.
-upper Intertidal algae and seaweed
lightly oiled.
Very light oil swashes.
Clean except for a few minor oiled
swash lines.
Lightly oiled rocks.
136
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Table 4-7 (continued)
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
AMC-14
F-48
F-49
F-121
F-122a
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
27 Mar-
23 Apr-
27 Mar
F-50	28 Mar-
23 Apr-
23 Apr
23 Apr
Kerlouarn
Sheltered, grassed, embay-
ment used as a small harbor.
Carrec zu
Sandy beach with large dune
system; relict marsh outcrop-
ping on beach - therefore,
an erosioral beach.
(near) Chapelle Pol
Sandy beach with large dune
system; some rocks and rock
debris scattered along beach.
Lighthouse at Pointe de Beg Pol
Rocky point sticking out
with sandy beaches on both
sides.
Kervernen
Rocky beach with some sand
underneath.
Brignogan Plage
Large harbor tidal flat.
-5 m wide heavily oiled grasses.
-a dirt road constructed over oiled
swash.
-1ight oil swashes.
-clean sand with light oil swashes.
Heavily oiled rocks.
-heavy oiling on both rocks and beaches.
•sand tinted brown, but now only light-
ly oiled; rocks also oiled lightly.
Sand is clean, but rocks are lightly
to moderately covered with oil; some
algae is clinging to rocks and sur-
viving the oil coverage.
Light oil swashes; light oil on algae;
some of the rocks are dark from light
oil staining.
Figure 4-34. Locations of stations in Section IV, from Trouloc'h to
Brignogan-Plage. Initial oil depositon was generally limited to those
areas trending perpendicular (north/south) to overall oil transport.
Initial oil depositon is indicated by the dark-stippled pattern. Oil
coverage during our second study period (April 20-28) was light in all
areas (indicated by the light-dot pattern).
137
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Table 4-8A. Grain size data for AMC stations 13	and 14 located in
Section IV of the	survey area.
Sample Graphic Mean Size Class1	Skewness	Standard Deviation2
AMC-13A 1.824 MS	0.116	0.640 (MWS)
AMC-13B 2.400 FS	-0.409	0.948 (MS)
AMC-13C 2.348 FS	-0.367	1.016 (PS)
AMC-14 1.468 MS	-0.245	1.210 (PS)
^ize Class	2Sorting
MS = medium sand	MWS = moderately well sorted
FS = fine sand	MS = moderately sorted
PS = poorly sorted
Table 4-8B. Estimated quantity of oil present during first and second
surveys. Unfortunately, station AMC-14 was destroyed by road buildina
and had to be discontinued.	a
Station Number Date (^Li^tons) Date (^r^tons) % Chan9e
AMC-13	27 Mar 248.3	23 Apr	0.6	99.97
138
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100
Figure 4-35. Topographic profile and oil coverage at station AMC-13 on
March 26. Thick oil and algae were found along the upper beach face.
joint pattern of the rocks (see Plate 4-17). Around some of the large
boulders on the beach, thick oil accumulations collected in the scour
pits (see Plate 4-16).
On our return visit on April 23, the beach had recovered remark-
ably. The sand was clean with only recent, very light oil swashes. The
rocks, previously dripping with oil, appeared only slightly blackened.
According to a person living in the area, there was a cleanup operation
during the first week in April. However, part of the visible recovery
was due to the burial (38 cm maximum) of some of the oil by new sand.
The comparison of our profiles (in Fig. 4-36) shows this deposition.
The interstitial water of the low-tide terrace remained noticeably oil
contaminated; however, castings of the worm Arenicola sp. were found in
abundance. We have estimated that the oil remaining on the beach on
April 23 was less than one metric ton. Altogether, an amazingly rapid
recovery of the area is indicated, due to a combination of natural and
man-engineered cleaning processes.
Station AMC-14 is located in a small embayment populated by marsh
grasses. On March 27, a 5-m-wide, 3-cm-deep band of mousse froth had
been deposited on the grass. However, by April 23, a dirt road had been
constructed over the oil, thereby destroying its value as a study area.
139
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AMC-13
Figure 4-36. Comparison of topo-
graphic profiles on March 26 and
April 23. Oil was buried to a
maximum depth of 38 cm by the
deposition of clean sand. There-
fore, the beach appeared unoiled.
20.00 40.00 60.00
DISTRNCE (M)
Summary
Section IV illustrates the following points:
(1)	There was a lack of significant oil deposition along those stretch-
es of coast oriented NE-SW, which were at an angle of 45° to the
primary oil transport direction. All areas trending roughly
north-south (perpendicular to oil transport) were heavily impacted
(particularly station AMC-14).
(2)	The burial of an oil layer by up to 38 cm of new sand at AMC-14
gave the beach a deceptively clean appearance on 23 April.
(3)	Oil was observed to accumulate in pools in scour pits around
boulders at station AMC-14.
4.9.5 Section V--Greve de Goulven to Plougoulm
Section V can be divided roughly into two sections, a depositional
section to the west, and an eroding granitic bedrock massif to the east
(Fig. 4-37). The depositional system is composed of an extensive dune
area and very wide fine-sand tidal flat (Greve de Goulven). Beaches
within the bedrock area are usually small and bounded by rocks. Most of
the oil passed by this coast. However, there were significant accumula-
tions during the first two weeks in those areas jutting north into the
channel, and those that had coves or crenulate features facing west. A
brief description of the individual study sites is presented in Table 4-g
140
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Table 4-9. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of Section
V, Greve de Goulven to Plouscat.
Station Number Date(s) Visited location and lype of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-122b
F-123
F-124
F-86
F-30
F-29
F-28
F-27
F-26
F-25
F-24
F-23
F-22
F-21
23 Apr
23 Apr
23 Apr
1 Apr-
23 Apr-
25 Mar-
23 Apr-
25 Mar-
23 Apr-
25 Mar
25 Mar
25 Mar
25 Mar-
23 Apr-
25 Mar
25 Mar-
23 Apr-
25 Mar-
23 Apr-
25 Mar
Gourven
Large tidal flat/estuary with
a fringing marsh.
Plage de Ker Emma
Wide sandy beach with dune
system; large rocks offshore
as well as on the lower por-
tions of the beachface.
Anse de Kernic
Large tidal flat with a har-
bor on one side; fringing
marsh on shoreline.
Plouescat
Marsh at head of estuary.
End of Spit at Porz Meur
Beach with rocky area to the
southwest.
Por au-Streat
Breakwater harbor with sea-
wall protecting it from
direct wave attack.
Frouden
Rocky cobble beach with
some sandy areas.
(near) Au Gered
Pocket beach.
Point at St. Eden
Pocket sand beach with rocky
headland on both sides.
Pornejen
High energy boulder beach.
Poulfuen
Pocket beach with rocks on
sides.
Kerfissien
Small pocKet beach with
rocks on sides.
Anameld
High-energy beach with erod-
ing dune scarp and rocky
headlands on both sides of
a small embayment.
Tavenn Kerbrat
Sandy beach with heavy rock
debris.
Very lightly oiled marsh grass.
Some light oil and small tar balls
aong the last high tide swash line.
Fresh mousse (moderate-heavy concen-
tration) coating on algae and rocks.
Some darkened marsh grass from light
oiling; a few mousse balls along the
high tide swash 1 ine.
-heavily oiled marsh
-oiled marsh grass all ripped out;
little marsh grass remains; still
some patchy oil.
-very light oil.
-rocky area moderately oiled; a lit-
tle mousse foam in the water; light
oil swashes on the last high tide line.
-beach heavily oiled; lots of clean-
up activity.
-just a little oil on beach with some
burial along the upper swash line.
The rocks are all lightly oil.ed.
Oil pools; clean-up operation in
effect.
Heavily oiled gravel beach and rocks.
Heavily oiled rip-rap seawall.
-heavily oiled rocks; 200 m slick of
mousse.
-light oil coverage on rocks; much of
the oil on rocks removed by high pres-
sure hoses.
Heavily oiled.
-moderately oiled especially 1n the
eastern zone.
-beachface was clean with half-burled,
discontinuous mottled oil zone along
the swash zone and a few burled tar
balls at 50-60 cm.
-beach is heavily oiled; heavy mousse
swash.
-area entirely clean.
Very light mousse in water.
141
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Table 4-9 (continued)
Sf-ation Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment	Description of Oil Impact
3La i iuii
F - 57
28 Mar-
26 Apr-
Plage de Trestrignel
Sandy shoreline with some
rocks sticking thru a muddy
sand flat at the center of
the tidal channel.
-1ight sheen in water.
-light oil swash lines along the upper
part of the shore; oil burial 6-8 cm
on the upper portion of the beachface-
live amphipods found along the high *
tide swash.
F-87
1 Apr
Kerbrat
Side of estuary.
Lightly oiled.
F-136
2b Apr
Kerbrat
Fine- to medium-sand tidal
flat
Very light oil swash along the high
tide swash line; no oil burial; live
amphipods on the beach.
F-137
26 Apr
Cantel
Marsh area at the mouth of
an estuary.
Marsh heavily oiled with 1 cm thick
coverage of oil over marsh; no clean-
up operation.
F-138
26 Apr
Traon Feunteun
Upper portion of marsh where
channel flows into the marsh.
Very lightly oiled; boom ineffectively
positioned.
Figure 4-37. Station locations and oil distribution for Section V
(Greve de Goulven to Plougoulra). Oil distribution for the first
(March 19 to April 2) and second (April 20-28 ) study periods is
indicated.
142
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Oil Impact
The nature of oil deposition was distinctly different in the two
morphological areas. Because the entire depositional system was shel-
tered by the Brignogan-Plage peninsula of Section IV, no oil reached the
beaches during March. On our return visit during mid-April, light oil
swashes were present on all beaches but no oil burial was found.
Beaches of the granitic massif were more exposed to the wind-
transported oil; however, most of the oil simply passed by this area
because of the general northeast/southwest orientation of the coast and
the lack of large catchment areas. Significant amounts of oil accumu-
lated only in those areas with crenulate shapes (crenulate beaches) or
on those areas oriented more directly into the westerly winds (see Fig.
4-37). Commonly, the northern end of the beach would be heavily oiled,
whereas the southern end would be clean.
During our site survey of late April, only a very light oil swash
was visible at most locations. Cleanup occurred rapidly because of the
exposure of most of the oiled areas to high wave energy. The exceptions
were the sheltered marsh environments, such as the one at Cantel (F-170).
Summary
Importantly, Section V illustrates the change in form that the oil
spill took after a period of one month. Originally, large oil masses
were trapped at specific locations, depending on local shoreline con-
figuration with respect to the wind. As the oil became worked into the
water column, and the winds shifted, oil was spread over almost every
inch of the shoreline in the form of light oil swash lines, which were
usually composed of very small mousse balls.
143
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Figure 4-38. Station locations and oil distribution for Section VI
(Foret Dom. de Santec to Roscoff). Oil distribution for period one
(March 19 to April 2) is indicated by the dark-stippled pattern.
Heavy and light oil coverage during period two (April 20-28) are
indicated by the plus and light-dot patterns, respectively.
4.9.6 Section VI—Foret Dom. de Santec to Roscoff
Geomorphologically, this section can be divided into two distinct
areas: (1) a large relict dune field with broad, flat fine-sand beaches
(between stations AMC-10 and F-17; see Fig. 4-38); and (2) the highly
embayed area around Roscoff. All the fine-sand beaches of the first
area were heavily contaminated because of their north-south orientation
and generally crenulate shape. Roscoff was one of the hardest hit areas
in the whole spill site during the first week after the spill and,
therefore, was studied more intensely than some of the other areas.
Summaries of field observations in section VI are listed in Table 4-10.
144
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Table 4-10. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of
Section VI (Foret Dom.de Santec to Roscoff).
Station Number Pate(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
AMC-10
F-20
F-19
F-18
AMC-9
F-17
F-139
F-140
AMC-8
24 Mar (F)
25 Mar (AMC)"
1 Apr-
26 Apr-
24	Mar
25	Mar"
1 Apr-
26	Apr-
24 Mar-
26 Apr-
24 Mar-
26 Apr-
24 Mar (F)
25	Mar
1 Apr-
26	Apr-
24	Mar-
26 Apr-
26 Apr
26 Apr
24 Mar (F)-
25	Mar-
1 Apr-
26	Apr-
Forft Dom. de Santec
Eroding dune scarp with wide
fine-sand beach grading into
a broad low-tide terrace.
Dossen
Wide fine-sand beach/low-tide
terrace behind an island.
Port au Vil
Small pocket sand beach
Tevenn
Large sand beach oriented in-
to direct wave attack; has a
marsh deposit outcropping on
the beachface.
Cough ar Zac'h
Broad medium- to fine-sand
beach backed by eroding dune
scarp; some rip-rap.
Centre Helio-Marin
Wide fine-sand beach backed
by eroding dunes.
Ruguel
Large sand flat with seawall.
Lagadenou
Small beach with seawall
fronting a large sand flat.
Roscoff - West
Small mixed-sand and gravel
beach leading onto a very
broad sand flat with some
algae coated rocks; seawall
and park back the beach.
-contains a 20 m band of oil along
the upper beachface; 12 cm burial.
-light oil swashes on beach surface;
a discontinuous layer buried 8 cm.
-very light oil swashes on beach sur-
face; discontinuous layer buried a
maximum of 23 cm.
-tombolo effect; heavy oiling of en-
tire area behind island.
-surface of low-tide terrace clean;
oiled rocks along shoreline; signs of
a clean-up operation.
-rocks still moderately to heavily
oiled; some burial 10-12 cm along
upper beachface.
-very heavily oiled.
-clean beach surface and rip-rap, but
12 cm burial of 4 cm thick oil layer
by spring berm deposition; signs of
clean-up operation.
-very heavily oiled.
-oil well mixed into the beachface by
heavy machinery and trenches used in
clean-up operation; men working to
spray clean rocks to south.
-very heavily oiled beachface and up-
per low-tide terrace; 8 cm burial
along upper beachface.
-heavy oiling restricted to 12 m along
upper beachface; 8 cm burial.
-only light swashes along beachface;
burial to 25 cm; clean-up by raking.
-very heavy oiling of the entire
beachface.
-no oil on beach surface or buried,
but has oiled interstitial water; evi-
dence of mechanical clean-up effort.
Light oil swashes and lightly oiled
rocks.
Very heavily oiled during March; now
has buried oil (3 layers; along beach-
face; tidal flat still oiled and has
oil contaminated ground water.
-heavy oil coverage of beach, tidal
flat and seawall; oil thrown over sea-
wall and Into park; oil boom in place
across sand flat.
-decreased
flat; the rest
f oil on the tidal
-very light olllnfjp th« beach; oil
burled under 20 of if cobbles; park
heavily oiled, but walkway clean.
-oil stained cobbles and wall, but
beach appears clean; park 1s replanted.
145
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Table 4-10 (continued)
station Number
AMC-7
Datefsl Visited
24	Mar-
25	Mar-
1 Apr-
26	Apr-
Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
Roscoff - central harbor
Small medium-sand beach be-
tween rocks on both sides;
backed by a seawall.
-pooled oil 6 cm deep by seawall; rest
of beach 70-90% oil covered.
-an approximate 70% reduction in oil
coverage.
-some oil-bound sediment on low-tide
terrace; oily sheen present; beachface
clean; cleaning wall with detergents.
-clean beachface; very minor amount of
oil buried at 22 cm.
AMC-6
24 Mar-
25 Mar (F)-
1 Apr-
26 Apr-
Roscoff - East
Small coarse-sand and gravel
beach grading onto a fine-
sand tidal flat;' rocks are
found on both sides; seawall
abuts the shore.
-the entire beachface and low-tide
terrace had 35-10055 oil coverage.
-total oil coverage decreased to approx-
imately 20°/».
-beachface very lightly oiled; seawall
and rocks on tidal flat still oil
blackened; oil contaminated intersti-
tial water.
-still lightly oiled rocks and seawall;
cobbles of beachface are oil stained;
interstitial water still contaminated.
Oil Impact in Western and Central Areas
Station AMC-10. This station, which is located at Foret Dora, de
Santec, is a very broad fine-sand beach backed by an eroding dune scarp.
The total length of beach is 1250 m. A sketch of the area on March 25
is presented in Figure 4-39. Sediment data are listed in Table 4-11.
During our site visits on March 24 and 25, oil was deposited along the
uppermost 20 m of beachface. Because of the compact nature of the fine-
grained sediments, heaviest accumulations occurred along the upper swash
zone. The quantity of oil present determined the total amount of sur-
face area coverage. Some burial of oil was observed (see Fig. 4-39)
illustrating that minor deposition had occurred since oil first came
onshore. The quantity of oil present along this beach was estimated at
446 metric tons (Table 4-12).
146
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AMC-IO
Figure 4-39. Sketch and topographic profile for station AMC-10 on
March 25. All oil deposition was along the upper beach face. The
total width of oil deposition on similar fine-sand beaches depends on
the total quantity of oil within the area. Greater quantities will
cover more of the beach face. Two distinct oil layers were buried,
illustrating deposition of new sand since initial oil impact.
On our follow-up survey of April 26, only lightly oiled seaweed
debris, and a series of light oil swashes remained on the beach surface.
A 5-cm-thick oil/sediment layer was buried 10 to 15 cm below the surface
by a newly formed berm. This recent deposition of clean sand gave the
beach the appearance of being completely unoiled. We estimated that 6
tons of oil remained in the area, a net decrease of 87%. Approximately
half of this oil was buried.
147
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Table 4-11. Sediment data for AMC stations in Section VI. All values
are calculated according to Folk (1968).
Sample Graphic Mean Size Class1 Skewness Standard	Deviation2
AMC-6A	0.306	CS	-0.129	1.601	(PS)
AMC-6B	1.007	MS	-0.813	2.670	(VPS)
AMC-6C	2.597	FS	-0.678	1.275	(PS)
AMC-7A	1.887	MS	-0.291	0.733	(MS)
AMC-7B	1.538	MS	-0.393	1.339	(PS)
AMC-7C	2.495	FS	-0.161	0.901	(MS)
AMC-8A	no sample
AMC-8B	2.536	FS	-0.545	1.103	(PS)
AMC-8C	2.158	FS	-0.235	0.728	(MS)
AMC-9A	1.959	MS	0.010	0.434	(WS)
AMC-9B	2.112	FS	-0.049	0.459	(WS)
AMC-9C	2.197	FS	-0.011	0.486	(WS)
AMC-10A	2.955	FS	-0.095	0.358	(WS)
AMC-1OB	3.005	VFS	-0.093	0.389	(WS)
AMC-IOC	3.017	VFS	-0.123	0.419	(WS)
*Size Class
CS = coarse sand
MS = medium sand
FS * fine sand
VFS = very fine sand
2Sorting
WS = well sorted
MS = moderately sorted
PS s poorly sorted
VPS = very poorly sorted
148
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Table 4-12. Estimates of the quantity of oil present at AMC stations in
Section VI during first and second field surveys.
Station Number One	Date	t Chan9e
AMC-6
24 Mar
51.8
26 Apr
1.0
-98.10
AMC-7
24 Mar
102.5
26 Apr
1.7
-98.30
AMC-8
25 Mar
9.6
26 Apr
0.4
-96.50
AMC-9
25 Mar
1039.4
26 Apr
10.6
-99.00
AMC-10
25 Mar
46.3
26 Apr
6.0
-87.00
Coast between Stations F-20 and F-18. Station F-20 provided another
example of the tombolo effect. Waves coming around both sides of the
offshore island caused a large amount of oil to accumulate at Dossen.
Follow-up surveys showed that the surface of the area was cleaned, but
some oil still remained on the rocks as well as buried along the upper
beach face. There were signs of cleanup at each station (F-18, 19 and
20); however, we saw none in operation.
Stations F-19 and F-18 proved to be very similar. Each initially
had very large oil accumulations. During the mid-April survey, the
surface of each area was generally clean, but some oil was buried.
Station F-18 remained slightly more oiled than the other.
Station AMC-9. This station is a 2.0 km long, very broad medium-
to-fine-sand beach. Sediment data are presented in Table 4-11. As at
Station AMC-10, the beach area is backed by an extensive dune field.
The waves are eroding the dunes at high tide forming a steep scarp. A
sketch and topographic profile of the area are presented in Figure 4-40.
At the time of our survey on March 25, much of the beach face and
low-tide terrace were covered with oil. Thickness of the oil varied
from 6 m along the mid-beachface to 3 mm along the low-tide terrace.
There was some oil burial along the upper beach face. An estimated
total of 1039 metric tons of oil was on the beach on March 25.
By April 1, heavy oiling was restricted to the uppermost 12 m of
beach. Oil thickness varied from 2 cm to 3 mm. Oil was found buried in
a discontinuous layer 10 to 15 cm below the surface (Plate 4-26).
Natural processes were responsible for the cleansing of the lower beach-
face, since there had been no signs of beach cleanup effort.
149
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Figure 4-40. Topographic profile and oil coverage of Station AMC-9 on
March 25. Oil covered most of the beach face and upper low-tide
terrace. The profile is compressed, compared with the computer
plot.
On April 25, only light oil swashes remained on the beachface.
However, a good deal of oil was buried in two layers up to 25 cm deep.
Comparison of beach profiles show that the formation of a neap berm
caused the burial of the oil (Fig. 4-41). The rip-rap wall to the south
continued to be heavily oiled. An estimated 11 metric tons of oil
remained in the area. This comparatively large amount of oil is essen-
tially due to the exceptional length of the beach over which the calcu-
lation was made.
150
-------
o
o
Figure 4-41. Although the beach at
AMC-9 appeared clean on April 1,
oil had been buried in two layers
beneath the surface by formation
of the neap berm.
o
o
0.00 20.00 40.00' 60.00 80.00
distance: cm)
The coast from F-17 to F-140. Station F-17 was very similar to the
others of this coastline (e.g., AMC-10, F-18 and AMC-9). Backed by a
small dune field, it contains a broad fine-sand beach and low-tide
terrace. This area was initially very heavily oiled. Plate 4-10 shows
this area on March 21. On April 26, little evidence could be found to
indicate how extremely contaminated this area had been.
Station F-139 is located in a sheltered sand-flat embayment.
Because of the prevailing westerlies during the first two weeks of the
spill, no oil came into this area. During our second site inspection on
April 26, minor oil swashes were found along the upper portions of the
sandflat, and the rocks were lightly oiled.
Across the bay at site F-140, it was a different situation. This
area was very heavily oiled during the first days of the spill. Skim-
mers and tank trucks worked to remove some of the floating oil. During
site inspection on April 26, we found several layers of oil buried in
the beach, and a surface film of oil on the sand flat. The interstitial
water of the flat was noticeably contaminated.
Oil Impact in the Roscoff Area
Station AMC-8. This station is located on the west side of Roscoff.
It consists of a steeply dipping mixed coarse-sand-and-gravel beach
leading onto a sandy tidal flat. Grain size data are presented in Table
4-11. Behind the beach is a large seawall with a small park located at
street level. We observed that the beach and most of the sand flat were
oil covered during the flight of March 21 (see Plate 4-32). Our station
is located along the seawall at the upper right of this photograph.
151
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By March 25, much of the oil on the tidal flat was gone. However,
the lower beach face remained oiled. An estimated 10 tons of oil
remained (Table 4-12). Figure 4-42 and Plate 4-33 show the extent of
the surface oiling. A hard, sandy gravel substrate prevented deep
penetration of the oil. The walkway and park above the beach had re-
ceived heavy oiling due to overwash by large, mousse-laden waves on
March 24. Over 3 cm of oil was on the walkway at that time (Fig. 4-43).
By the first of April, little oil remained on the beach face. A
minor amount was found buried by pebbles along the upper beach face.
The walkway was cleared of oil, but the park was still blackened. By
April 25, the park had been restored. Only the lightly stained cobbles
and blackened sea wall (which was being cleaned with pressurized steam)
remained as evidence of the spill. We estimated that less than 0.4 ton
of oil remained in this particular area on April 25(Table 4-12).
Station AMC-7. This station is located within the jetties at
Roscoff harbor (Fig. 4-44). The site is pictured in the background of
Plate 5-17A. It is a small medium-sand beach bounded on both sides by
large rocks. A fine-sand tidal flat is located seaward of the beach,
while in back is a high seawall. Sediment data are presented in Table
4-11.
Out observations indicate that the heaviest accumulations of mousse
arrived in Roscoff on March 20. On March 24, there was heavy oil
coverage over most of the intertidal area at low tide (see our survey of
that day, Fig. 4-45). Only where the ground water rills cropped out on
the beachface did oil coverage reduce (to 70%). Some oil was also found
buried. Returning the next day (two tidal cycles later), 60%-70% of the
oil in the area had been removed. Comparing the two beach profiles
presented in Figure 4-46, it can be seen that a large amount of material
had been er
-------
Figure 4-43. More than 3 cm of oil was thrown up onto the walkway at
station AMC-8 in Roscoff on March 24. The small part to the right
was also heavily oiled. Most of the oil was cleaned up before
April 1. The park was restored a short time after.
Figure 4-44. Aerial photograph of the harbor at Roscoff on March 21.
Station AMC-7 is the beach to the center-left of the photograph.
Station AMC-6 is located at the far left.
153
-------
100
90 * OIL COVERAGE
i-"h.
5 cm burial
RMC7
150Q
24 3 78
O.DD	20.00 U0.00 60.00 80.00
DISTANCE (M)
Figure 4-45. Topographic profile
and oil coverage for station AMC-7
in Roscoff on March 24. A sig-
nificant portion of the oil was
removed by erosion of the beach
during the following two tidal
cycles (see Fig. 4-46).
On our return on April 1, we found that the entire beachface was
clean. However, there was some burial of oil on the lower beachface (to
depths of 3 cm). By comparing profiles (Fig. 4-46), it can be shown
that new sand had been deposited between March 23 and April 3, thereby
burying some of the oil. In total, nearly 30% of the original volume of
sediment previously lost had been returned.
By April 26, only very light oil swashes were found on the beach.
In addition, slightly oiled sediment was found 22 cm below the beach
surface in one locality. The walls had been cleaned in some spots. The
remaining oiled rocks and walls were being cleaned with high pressure
water and detergents. This is the only place where we saw detergents
applied to any oiled area. The total amount of oil present on April 26
was estimated at 1.7 tons (Table 4-12).
Another cleanup instrument, a vortex skimmer, was moored at this
locality, but was seen being towed only once, and then it did not have
the hoses connected for actual operation.
Station AMC-6. This station is located on the eastern side of
Roscoff next to the lobster pens shown in Plate 5-17A. It consists of a
small, 150 m gravelly sand beach that grades into a fine-sand low-tide
terrace. Rocks are located on both sides of the beach. A seawall abuts
the upper beach (see Fig. 4-47).
The oil pollution history of this area is very similar to that of
AMC-7. During our overflight on March 21, the entire intertidal zone
was covered with oil (Plate 5-17A). At the time of our survey on
March 24, a considerable amount of oil remained on the beach face and
low-tide terrace. Figure 4-47 shows oil coverage superimposed on the
beach profile. We estimate that 52 metric tons of oil were present,
excluding oil within the rocky areas. After a storm on the night of
March 24, approximately 80% of the surface oil was removed. Once the
oil drifted into the main channel, swift currents, aided by strong
winds, carried it further to the east, towards lie Grande.
154
-------
=4—
¦O.OD
AMC-7
EROSION
20.00 40.oa
DISTANCE (Ml
60. OO
SC. 0
AMC-7
?D. 00 10.00
DISTANCE Iff]
Figure 4-46. Extensive erosion occurred at station AMC-7 during the
night of March 24. During this time, 60%-70% of the oil in the
area was removed. The partial recovery of the beach on April 1, by
the deposition of new sand on the beachface, caused a 3 cm burial
of old oil.
A follow-up survey on April 1 showed a further diminution of the
oil. On April 26, the beach still remained lightly oiled and the rocks
and sea wall were still oil-blackened. The interstitial water was also
contaminated. Approximately 1 metric ton of oil was still in this
particular area on April 26. Limpets on the rocks seemed to be healthy,
illustrated by their being able to hold firmly to the rocks when prodded
Summary
(1) Exposed fine-sand beaches were cleaned rather rapidly (2-3 weeks]
by natural processes. Only where oil was artificially worked deep
into the beach sediments by cleanup machinery, did major contamina-
tion remain.
(2)	Another example of the tombolo effect on oil accumulation was
observed at station F-20 (Dossen).
(3)	Tremendous quantities of oil were removed from the beaches of
Roscoff overnight during a period of high wave intensity (March 24
and 25). Even though the large majority of oil was removed natural-
ly, total recovery of the environment at Roscoff still seems some-
what distant. Oil that was naturally removed probably drifted
eastward and contaminated other environments to the east.
(4)	The use of sprayed detergents to clean the rocks at AMC-7 was the
only use of chemicals we saw during our field studies<,
155
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Figure 4-47. Sketch, topographic profile, and oil coverage for station
AMC-6 in Roscoff on March 24. On the evening of March 24 approxi-
mately 80% of the accumulated oil was removed from the area by natural
processes.
156
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4.9.7 Section VII—Roscoff to Pte. de Plestin
A location map for Section VII is given in Figures 4-48 and 4-49.
The coastline is oriented roughly east-west. Geomorphologically, the
coastline is quite similar to Section IV, with a depositional, estuarine
(ria) area to the west and a granite massif to the east. In this case,
there are two large fine-grained tidal flat systems in the west sepa-
rated by a bedrock headland, Locquirec peninsula. Another difference is
that this bedrock area (between Locquirec and Primel-Tregastel) forms
steep cliffs often over 20 m in height. The individual stations in the
section are described in Table 4-13.
Oil Impact
The coast from F-147 to F-96. This entire section of coastline was
sheltered from initial oiling by the Roscoff peninsula. No oil was
found in this area during our first survey, which ended on April 2.
There was a very long floating oil boom located across the eastern side
of the estuary at this time (indicated in Fig. 4-48). The effectiveness
of the boom could not be determined.
Since much of the large oil pools had shifted location with the
changing wind direction of early April, we remonitored the area on
April 27 in greater detail than before. During this survey, light oil
swash lines were found at stations F-147, F-13, F-ll, and F-96 (see Fig.
4-49). The rest of the area continued to be unoiled.
The coast from F-96 to F-89. This area was more exposed to the oil
drifting over from Roscoff in the early days of the spill. Many areas
became heavily oiled. Stations F-94 and F-95 were among the hardest
hit. The latter consists of a large heavily oiled cobble beach. Be-
cause oil sank deep into the sediments, tractors and high pressure hoses
were being used to clean the area. A tractor cut across the upper
beachface creating a trough in front of the heavily oiled section (see
Fig. 4-50). Water under high pressure was then applied to the oiled
cobbles. The oily runoff drained into the trough and was later collect-
ed.
Station F-94 at Primel-Tregastel is a sheltered rocky environment
which acted as a perfect sink for the oil. Even after an extensive
cleanup of the area, it was still heavily oiled on April 27.
Along the cliffed rocky coast between F-92 and F-91, mousse string-
ers were still seen floating on the water surface on April 27, more than
5 weeks after the beginning of the spill. Wave reflection kept most of
the oil a short distance offshore (Plate 4-28). However, some small
cobble coves became heavily oiled. Oil is not expected to remain in
this area because of the highwave energy conditions.
157
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Figure 4-48. Location of stations in Section VII, Roscoff to Pointe de
Plestin (F-142). Oil distribution during the first study session,
March 19 to April 2, is indicated by the dark-stippled pattern.
Figure 4-49* Oil distribution along the coastline of Section VII during
the second study session, April 20-28. Heavy and light oil coverage
are indicated by the plus and light-dot patterns, respectively.
158
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Table 4-13. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of
Section VII, Roscoff to Pte. de Plestin.
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-147
F-14
F-13
F-12
F-n
F-10
F-9
F-8
F-146
F-96
F-95
F-94
F-145
27 Apr
24 Mar-
27 Apr-
24 Mar-
27 Apr-
24 Mar
24 Mar-
27 Apr-
24 Mar-
27 Apr-
24 Mar-
27 Apr-
24 Mar
27 Apr
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
27 Apr
Port de Pem Poul
A seawalled harbor; coarse-
sand tidal flat.
Pont de la Corde
Tidal flat/estuary with
small channel; station at
bridge over river.
Carantec - West
A harbor with a sandy beach
and large tidal flat.
Carantec - North
Near the mouth of a large
estuary and tidal flat.
Carantec - East
Granule beach.
(near) Ty Nod
Gravel beach.
East toward Dourduff
Tidal flat/estuary.
(near) Morlaix (2 km downriver)
Small tidal flat with channel.
Dourduff en Mer
Wide tidal flat area.
Terrenez
Small harbor with cobble
beaches on both sides.
le Diben
Cobble beach gently sloping
onto a very rocky low-tide
terrace.
Primel Tregastel - West
Sheltered harbor; cobble
and boulder beach.
Primel Tregastel - East
Gravel beach with a large
sand tidal flat fronting 1t;
backed by a seawall; upper
beach portion consists of
cobbles and boulders.
Light oil swashes.
-no oil.
-no oil.
-no oil.
-light oil swashes.
No oil.
-no oil.
-very light oil on rocks; sand was re-
moved to protect it from being oiled -
it will be pushed back later; some
light discontinuous burial.
-no oil.
-no oil.
-no oil.
-no oil; possible light sheen in the
water.
No oil
Clean except for an occasional mousse
glob on the upper portion of the tidal
flat (3 mousse globs/m2); algae very
productive.
-no oil; boom deployed offshore.
-light oiling of cobble beaches.
-heavily oiled.
-beach and rocks on low-tide terrace
heavily oiled; extensive clean-up
operation - tractors pushing oiled
cobbles into lower swash zone to be
cleaned by the waves; high pressure
water also being used.
-very heavily oiled; extensive clean-up.
-moderately to heavily oiled; rocks
are extensively coated with oil.
Upper beach 1s moderately to heavily
oiled.
159
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Table 4-13 (continued)
Station Number Pate(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F - 93
F - 92
F-91
F-90
F-144
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
27 Apr
St. Jean de Doigt
Cobble and gravel beach.
West of St. Jean de Doigt
Small rocky indentation of
the coast.
Poul Rodou
Pocket beach surrounded by
rocky headlands.
le Moulin de la Rive
Cobble and gravel beach.
les Sables Blancs
Small sandy beach backed by
dunes; algal covered rocks
on low-tide terrace; rocky
headlands on both sides.
-1 ight oi 1 on rocks.
-rocks and gravel all heavily oiled;
oil has sunk into the gravel beach;
signs of previous clean-up effort.
-no oil on shore; mousse streaks
offshore.
-some mousse still in the water and
now the rocks have a light coating
of oi 1.
-no oil.
-moderate to heavy oil on the rocks
along the shoreline; light oil swashes
on the beachface.
-moderately oiled rocks; clean low-
tide terrace.
-rocky area heavily oiled; low-tide
terrace moderately oiled; active clean-
up operation - a tractor is pushing
oiled cobbles onto the lower beachface;
also use of a high pressure hose.
Headlands moderately oiled; light oil
swashes on beach; location of an oil
storage pit.
F-89
F -143
F-51
F-52
F-142
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
27 Apr
28 Mar-
27	Apr-
28	Mar-
27 Apr-
27 Apr
Locqui rec
Rocky and sandy beach with
a similar low-tide terrace.
Locquirec Port
Small jetty protecting a
little harbor.
Toul an Hery
Upper part of tidal flat in
harbor.
(near) Kerdrehoret - West
Beach and tidal flat in harbor.
(near) Kerdrehoret - North
Small fine-sand pocket beach.
-moderately oiled rocky area.
-rocks are moderately to heavily oiled;
even the rocks on the low-tide terrace
are oiled; a very small clean-up attempt
is in effect - mainly steam cleaning.
Both sides of jetty clean and no oil
in the water; boom in place at front
of the port; this area is very bio-
logically productive.
-no oil.
-light coating of mousse globs along
the shoreline; some very light oiling
of the seaweed.
-no oil.
-very light oiling here - one small oil
glob for each 2 square meters; other-
wise, completely clean.
Some oil droplets on the surface of the
rocks; beach is entirely clean; no
burial.
160
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Figure 4-50. Oil clean-up at the cobble beach at station F-95 on
April 27. A tractor created the runoff trench at the foot of the
beach. High pressure water helped remove the deeply penetrated oil
from the cobbles. The method is sound from a coastal geomorphic
standpoint since beach sediment is not removed. Reworking by waves
will re-establish the normal beach profile.
Closer to Locquirec, most of the rocks were still moderately oiled
on April 27. At F-90, a tractor was pushing oiled gravel into the swash
zone, and a small steam cleanup operation was in effect at F-89.
The coast between F-143 and F-142. This large embayment reacted
similarly to those at the western side of Section VII. No oil was
initially deposited along the shoreline, since the Locquirec peninsula
acted as a barrier. However, during the survey on April 27, light swash
lines of small mousse balls (less than 1.0 cm in diameter) were found
throughout the area. These mousse balls apparently drifted in as a
result of shift in wind direction.
Summary
Two points of interest are illustrated in Section VII:
(1)	It is possible to use tractors and high pressure water to clean
heavily oiled coarse gravel beaches without removing the gravel.
(2)	Thick mousse stringers remained in the nearshore water more than 5
weeks after the beginning of the oil spill. Therefore, previously
unoiled areas were still subject to potential pollution, depending
upon the vagaries of the winds and currents.
161
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Figure 4-51. Location of
survey stations in Sec-
tion VIII (St. Efflam to
Kerhellen). This sec-
tion included the large
sand flat at St. Michel-
en-Greve. Oil distri-
bution for study period
one is indicated by the
dark-stippled pattern.
Heavy and light oil cov-
erage during the second
study period are indi-
cated by the plus and
light-dot patterns,
respectively.
4.9.8 Section VIII--St. Efflam to Kerhellen
This section includes the broad sandflat called the Greve de St.
Michel, as well as a cliffed, north-south trending bedrock shoreline
fv-i ~ /._C1\ TU.	jfl . - ~ .....
•		. 			 tituu"'8 U.CULOL-K snorem
(Fig. 4-51). The sandflat of St. Michel, which extends for over 2 km
from the high tide line to the low tide line, was the scene of a massive
oil-caused kill of most of the shelled infaunal organisms. For this
- -—	— -	vj.gauj.auia . r or LD.1 s
reason, this area will be discussed in detail. The extent of oilins
along the bedrock system was generally heavy, increasing toward the
north. The summary of our field observations for this serf-inn is
presented in Table 4-14.	*«-tion 18
162
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Table 4-14. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of
Section VIII, St. Efflam to Kerhellen.
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-141
F-53
F-54
AMC-19
(F-55)
AMC-15
27 Apr
28 Mar-
27	Apr-
28	Mar-
2 Apr-
27 Apr-
28 Mar (F)-
2 Apr (F)-
25 Apr (AMC)-
28 Mar-
25 Apr-
Pointe de Plestin
Exposed pocket beach consist-
ing of medium- to coarse-
grained shell material.
les Carrieres
Large tidal flat embayment.
St. Michel-en-Grfeve (South)
Large tidal flat embayment.
St. Michel-en-Grive
Very large sand flat/embay-
ment.
St. Michel-en-Gr^ve (NE corner)
Mixed sand and gravel beach
on edge of very fine-sand
tidal flat.
No oil except for very light oil
splattering along the high tide
swash lines.
-no oil
-some heavily oiled rocks; no oil
at the lower portion of the tidal
flat.
-oiled swash lines and some small
mousse pools.
-millions of dead organisms.
-light sheen on upper tidal flat;
no oil on the lower portion.
-heavily oiled along upper portion
of beach; large clean-up operation
with much manpower and many tractors;
oil contaminated interstitial water.
-millions of dead organisms.
-light swashes on beach; oil buried
(30 cm) in infilled collection troughs;
interstitial water still oil contami-
nated.
-80 to 100% oil coverage of the beach-
face and near edge of tidal flat.
-still heavily oiled beachface and
rocky edge of tidal flat; signs of an
extensive clean-up operation; inter-
stitial water oil saturated.
AMC-16
F-56
F-80
F-79
F-78
28 Mar-
24 Apr-
28 Mar
31 Mar-
25 Apr-
31 Mar-
25 Apr-
31 Mar-
25 Apr-
Pointe de Sehar
Large pebble beach between
two bedrock areas.
Plage de Notigou
Sandy pocket beach with out-
cropping rocks.
Plage de Tresmeur
Cobble beach leading onto a
sandy low-tide terrace.
Plage de Porz Termen
Medium- to coarse-grained
beach within a harbor.
Kerhel1 en
Coarse sandy beach with
rocks on both sides.
-very heavily oiled; 30 cm penetra-
tion of oil into the gravel along
the upper beachface.
-still oil soaked; at least 15 cm
penetration over entire beachface;
presence of a bulldozer pushing
oiled gravel into furrows to be re-
washed by incoming tide and waves.
Heavily oiled beach and rocks.
-heavily oiled.
-cobble moderately oiled; low-tide
terrace very clean; tractor pushing
cobbles seaward so as to allow nat-
ural cleansing; high pressure hoses
also 1n use to clean the rocks.
-heavily oiled.
-beachface 1s clean but the r1p-rap
walls behind the beach are heavily
oiled.
-heavily oiled.
-rocks on both sides moderately oiled;
light oil along the last high tide
swash line; also much burial along
the upper beachface.
163
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Oil Impact
St. Michel-en-Greve. Observations at St. Michel-en-Greve present
one of the most massive kills of infauna by oil ever recorded. The
initial site visit on March 28 showed extensive oil coverage within the
southeast pocket of this tidal flat/fine-sand beach. A large cleanup
operation was underway (see Plates 4-4, 4-5, 6-8, 6-9, 6-24), but no
biological damage was evident.
By the time of our return visit on April 2, the entire 2 km of sand
flat was littered with millions of shells, including empty shells of
heart urchins, tissue-laden shells of razor clams, and many small bi-
valves (see Plates 4-6, 4-7, 5-10, 5-11, 5-12, 5-13).
Approximately 1 km from the beach, samples were taken for infaunal
analysis. Living annelids and polychaetes were found. Shelled infauna
were not present. The ground water was contaminated with oil.
Three estimates of numbers of dead organisms were made:
(1)	A swash line of dead heart urchins (Echinocardium sp.) 300 m long
and 25 m wide was counted, based on the number of dead organisms
occurring within a one-meter wide swath measured perpendicular to
the swash line. The total arrived at was 120,000 dead urchins
within that one swash line.
(2)	A swash line (250 m long and 6 m wide), made up predominantly of
dead razor clams, was also measured using the same method as in 1.
According to our estimate, there were 45,000 dead razor clams
within that single swash line.
(3)	At evening low tide (7:00 p.m.) on April 2, the entire intertidal
area was littered with shells of dead organisms (Plate 4-4). As
the tide fell, a cover of approximately 3 to 5 dead organisms/m2
was left behind. Heart urchins were by far the dominant species.
At that time, the intertidal zone was measured to be 570 m wide.
Assuming that each square meter contained four dead urchins (based
on several counts), a 500 m long section of the beach would have
contained 1,140,000 dead urchins. Therefore, several million dead
urchins were present on the surface of the intertidal zone at that
time, in addition to hundreds of thousands of dead clams and worms.
Claude J. M. Chasse of the University of Brest completed an exten-
sive Ph.D. study of this flat (and other areas) in 1972 (Chasse, 1972).
Apparently, follow-up studies will be carried out under his direction.
W® revisited the St. Michel-en-Greve sandflat on April 25. All
dead organisms had been collected and removed from the surface of the
flat- Approximately 1 km from shore, oiled rubble (mostly coarse gravel)
164
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had been placed on the flat apparently to be cleaned by wave action
(similar to that illustrated in Plate 6-30). Interstitial water in the
area was still contaminated with oil.
Because we wanted to monitor the effects of the cleanup operation,
particularly the digging of numerous trenches in the intertidal zone, we
established a new profile site (AMC-19) at St. Michel-en-Greve. The
topographic profile of the beach is shown in Figure 4-52. Sediment data
are presented in Table 4-15A. At the time of our survey, light oil
swash lines were found on the surface of the flat. However, the oiled
remains of three cleanup trenches were located (Fig. 4-52, see also
Plate 6-23). A maximum of 35 cm depth of oiled sediment was measured.
This profile site will be reoccupied to determine the persistence of the
remaining oil. As at other sites, this could prove to be a long-term
source of interstitial water contamination.
Station AMC-15 is a mixed sand and gravel beach located at the
northeast edge of the St. Michel sandflat. In some parts of the beach,
a thin veneer of fine sediment was deposited over compact coarser mate-
rial. The beach profile and oil coverage for the station on March 28
are presented in Figure 4-53.
During the site survey on March 28, the beach at AMC-15 was heavily
contaminated (see Plate 4-13). We estimate that 83 metric tons of oil
were in the area (Table 4-15B). Oil extended approximately 50 m onto
the sandflat. During our second survey, April 25, the beachface was
still blackened in appearance, although the thick accumulations of oil
were gone. The remaining quantity of oil was estimated at 4 metric
tons. There were signs of a cleanup operation, so natural processes
were not completely responsible for the oil removal. No oil burial was
in evidence; however, the interstitial water was noticeably contami-
nated.
St. Michel-en-Greve to Pte. de Sehar. The coastline directly north
of the St. Michel-en-Greve sand flat consists of steeply dipping, 70 m
cliffs, half of which border the sandflat. Because of its north-south
orientation, it became heavily oiled during the first two weeks of the
spill. It was still oiled on April 28.
Station AMC-6, which is located at the northmost end of the bedrock
cliffs, consists of a long, steeply dipping pebble beach (mean grain
size = -4.690; Table 4-15). The topographic profile and areas of oil
coverage for this site are presented in Figure 4-54. On March 28, the
area was heavily oiled (see Plate 4-14). Digging into the beach, we
found that taffy-like mousse had penetrated over 20 cm into the sediment
(Plate 4-15). The estimated quantity of oil in the area was placed at
81 metric tons, much of which was incorporated into the beach sediment.
Returning to the site on April 24, we found the area to be little
different from before. Oil was still on the beach surface and had
165
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AC 19
1830
25 4 76
'1 V
oil*d tr*nch«t
o o
35 cm burial
OIL CONTAMINATED INTERSTITIAL WATER
40.00 60.00 60.00
DISTANCE CM)
3 THICKNESS = MM
RC15
1540
28 3 78
to.00 60.00 80.00
0 15TRNCE (Ml
100.oo
1?0
Figure 4-52. Topographic beach pro-
file of station AMC-19 on April 25.
Oiled trenches remaining from the
clean-up operation are indicated.
Figure 4-53. Topographic profile
and oil coverage of the beach at
site AMC-15 on March 28. Oil was
restricted to the beach face and
uppermost portion of the sand
flat.
penetrated 15 to 20 cm into the sediment over the entire beachface. Our
calculated tonnage of oil present was 66 metric tons, indicating little
change from the previous visit.
During our earlier studies of the Metula spill site in Patagonia,
we had seen similarly oiled gravel completely cemented as the mousse
dried and turned to asphalt. In an apparent effort to avoid a similar
situation at AMC-16, the cleanup crews used a bulldozer to push the
oiled gravel seaward into furrows where the waves (at high tide) could
rework the sediment, thus removing some of the oil (Fig. 4-55A). This
is a valid method since sediment is not removed from the beach and it
provides an artificial mechanism of mixing the oiled gravel before it
becomes cemented by asphalt. In the future, wave action will probably
restore the normal beach profile without marked erosion. The rapidity
of beach cleaning will depend upon the amount of wave action.
The coast from Pte. de Sehar to Kerhellen. This section of coast
consists of small beaches, steep cliffs, and a large ria. Some of the
oil that passed by Roscoff was deposited in this area. Most of this
coast was observed to be heavily oiled at the end of March. During the
site surveys and aerial reconnaissance of late April, most of the area
was still moderately oiled. The tidal flat leading toward Beg-Leguer
was heavily oiled. Cleanup activity similar to that at AMC-16 was in
progress at F-80. Oil-soaked cobbles along the seawall were being
pushed onto the low-tide terrace to be cleaned by natural wave action
(Fig. 4-55B).
166
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Table	4-15A. Sediment data for AMC stations	in Section VIII.
Sample	Graphic Mean	Size CI ass 1 Skewness	Standard Deviation2
AMC-15A	3.136	VFS	-0.057	0.461 (MS)
AMC-15B	0.926	CS	-0.633	2.819 (VPS)
AMC-15C	3.277	VFS	-0.052	0.363 (WS)
AMC-16A	-4.693	P	0.149	0.330 (VWS)
AMC-19A	3.220	VFS	-0.217	0.393 (WS)
AMC-19B	3.319	VFS	-0.124	0.353 (WS)
AMC-19C	3.310	VFS	-0.141	0.336 (VWS)
^ize Class
VFS = very fine-sand
CS = coarse-sand
P = pebbles
2
Sorting
VWS = very well sorted
WS - well sorted
VPS = very poorly sorted
Table 4-15B. Estimates of oil tonnage for AMC stations in Section VIII.
Station Number
Date
Oil Present
(metric tons)
Date
Oil Present
(metric tons)
% Change
AMC-15
28 Mar
83.3
25 Apr
3.9
95.30
AMC-16
28 Mar
81.2
24 Apr
66.3
184.00
AMC-19
NO DATA




167
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Figure 4-54. Topographic beach pro-
file and oil coverage for station
AMC-16 on March 28. Our return
site survey on April 24 indicated
that oil had penetrated 15 to
20 cm across the entire beach face.
Summary
The most striking observation in this area was the tremendous
biological damage at the sand flat at St. Michel-en-Greve, even though
it was located 87 km from the wreck. Also, the technique used to clean
the heavily oiled gravel beaches may have applicability in New England
and Alaska where similar beaches are prevalent, should oil spills occur
in those areas.
4.9.9 Section IX-~Ile Grande area
This section is one of the more important ones, because it includes
a heavily impacted marsh area (Figs. 4-56 and 4-57). The general
orientation of this shoreline is northeast-southwest. A large sandflat
with scattered bedrock outcrops makes up most of the area. Except for
the outer beaches of He Grande, the area is exposed to very little wave
action. On a large scale map, it can be seen that this entire area
protrudes out from the general shoreline trend (Fig. 4-1) making it a
perfect interception point for the oil that bypassed Roscoff. Descrip-
tions of the study sites are given in Table 4-16.
Oil Impact
All areas, except station F-76, were observed to be heavily oiled
during site visits at the end of March and April. Station F-76 is an
exposed, high-energy beach composed of large granitic boulders that was
only lightly oiled. Sheltered areas at F-88, F-77, and F-75 had been
cleaned or were in the process of being cleaned, but still appeared
heavily oiled on April 25. Heavy machinery often mixed the oil deep
into the beach or tidal flat sediments, which made it impossible to
remove all the oil.	r
168
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Figure 4-55. (A) Heavily oiled cobbles of station AMC-16 were pushed
into furrows to aid cleaning by wave action. (B) At station F-80, a
similar method of clean-up was in operation.
169
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SECTION K
>75
I Km
Figure 4-56. Locations of observation stations in Section IX. Oil
coverage for the second study period is indicated as follows: heavy
oiling—pluses, light oiling—dot pattern, and oiled marshes—circled
M's.
~ UNOILED TIDAL HAT
£3 OILED TIDAL FLAT
63 OILED ROCKS	0
2S OlLEO MARSH
£2 LAND
500 m
Figure 4-57. The lie Grande marsh
area observation stations and
oil distribution on the tidal
flat and marsh.
170
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Table 4-16. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of
Section IX, the lie Grande area.
Station Number Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-77
F-135
31 Mar-
25 Apr-
25 Apr-
AMC-18
F-134
F-133
F-132
F-88
F-76
F-75
29 Mar-
2 flpr-
24	Apr-
25	Apr-
25 Apr-
25 Apr-
25 Apr-
2 Apr-
25 Apr-
29 Mar-
25 Apr-
29 Mar-
25 Apr-
Run igou
A sand flat with a rip-rap
wall along the sides of the
flat. A small marsh is also
in the area.
All£e Couverte
South side of lie Grande
Marsh; vegetation mainly
Juncus marsh grass.
lie Grande Marsh, and
west side of D21 bridge to
lie.Grande
Large marsh with a wide,
muddy sand channel.
West Road to Rulosquet
Part of lie Grande Marsh
area.
East Road to Rulosquet
Part of lie Grande Marsh
area.
Oourlin
Western side of lie Grande
Marsh--a narrow fringing
marsh beside a sand flat.
He Grande Beach (East Facing)
Sheltered sandy pocket
beach; wave energy usually
low due to an island directly
offshore.
Northwest lie Grande
Boulder beach.
(Near) Kerenoc
Small marsh in northeast
corner of large sand flat,
with some rocks.
-heavily oiled.
-sand flat all clean; rip-rap wall
still heavily oiled; marsh remains
moderately oiled.
-very heavily oiled, cleanup oper-
ation in progress; 5 cm of oil on
much of the marsh; soldiers using
squeegees to push the oil into the
channels where it is being pumped
out.
-very heavily oiled; oil pools to
27 cm deep; average coverage about
3 cm; thousands of polychaetes
worms crawling over the surface of
the oil to escape.
-oil in same condition; polychaetes
all dead and often found in small
water pools on the surface of the
oil.
-visit at hightide; only a light
sheen visible on water surface.
-area has been manually cleaned;
large oil pools drained; marsh still
very black but some new green grass
shoots appearing.
-area oiled; extensive clean-up
operation underway: light sprinkler
system rinsing the marsh as well as
high-pressure hosing.
-still completely oiled; many trenches
dug to drain oil; blackened; large
clean-up underway.
-section 20 m wide remains thinly
oiled after clean-up; numerous tire
tracks, ditches, trenches on the
sand flat as a result of clean-up.
-heavily oiled.
-heavily oiled shoreline and tidal
flat.
-lightly oiled boulder beach.
-light oil coverage on boulders.
-small marsh and rocks heavily
oiled.
-very heavily oiled marsh grasses;
some rocks with algae are completely
oil covered; a large trench, dug to
collect oil, causes serious oiling
of the surface of the tidal flat.
171
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The marsh at lie Grande presents the most striking effects of oil
impact in the entire spill site, especially considering that the oil was
transported at least 86 km (53 miles) before it came ashore. During our
first survey on March 29, we found oil on the marsh grasses as well as
on the tidal flat surface. Plate 4-1 shows the oil coverage at that
time. Both the marsh and tidal flat were heavily oiled (Fig. 4-57).
Several ground-level photographs are presented in Plates 4-2, 4-3, 5-7,
5-8 and 5-9.
This area provides an excellent opportunity for U.S. scientists to
study the effects of oil on a large marsh, tidal flat ecosystem, inas-
much as the types of marsh grasses and infaunal assemblages are similar
to those in the eastern U.S. The marsh grasses are distinctly segre-
gated by topography. Figure 4-58 (station AMC-15) gives a sketch of the
area, as well as the marsh plant zonation. Briefly, from the high tide
line seaward, the grasses consist of Juncus sp., Spartina patens and a
succulent common to northern Europe called Sesuvium sp.
At the time of our first site visit on March 29, 3 to 5 cm of oil
covered the entire marsh area. Oil thickness and surface area coverage
as measured along our profile line are shown in Figure 4-59. On the
tidal flat surface, oil was approximately 1 cm thick. Within many tidal
pools (approx. 3 m x 1 m) on the surface of the flat, oil reached 15 cm
in thickness. In our calculations of the approximate quantity of oil
within the marsh system, we assumed an average value of 3 cm of oil over
most of the oiled marsh and an avera-ge of 1 cm on the flat surface. An
average thickness of 5 cm was measured for the marsh at F-135. By
measuring the area of each marsh as marked in Figure 4-57, we estimate
that 7400 metric tons of oil were present on March 29 (Table 4-17).
At the time of our first site inspection on March 29, thousands of
moribund polychaetes were found on the surface of the marsh. Many were
observed wriggling on the surface of the oil pools. By the time of our
return visit on April 2, the marsh was dead. Thousands of dead poly-
chaetes littered the surface of the marsh, and collected in small salt-
water pools within large (2 m x 1 m) oil pools. Crabs were found dead.
Grasses were completely blackened. Four oil-covered, dead cormorants
were also found.
Our third site visit, on April 25, proved to be most interesting.
The French military had begun an enormous cleanup operation within the
area and about 80% of the marsh on the north side had been cleaned in
some manner. In addition, 90% of the tidal flat was free of oil.
Cleanup activities as observed at sites F-133, F-134 and F-135 (AMC-18
and F-132 had been cleaned already), consisted of high-pressure hosing
(Figure 4-60A), low-pressure sprinkling, trenching of the thick oil
pools, placement of oil into buckets, and use of tank trucks to remove
oil from trenches or newly created pits. Over 200 men were working when
we were there. The operation was successful in ridding the marsh and
tidal flat of an enormous quantity of oil. Measuring along our profile
172
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Figure 4-58. Topographic profile and oil coverage for station AMC-18
(lie Grande marsh) on March 29. Oil distribution along the profile is
indicated in Figure 4-59.
100 %
MARSH
XT
AMC-18 29MAR
'0.00	20.00 110.00
DISTANCE
Figure 4-59. Oil coverage along
profile AMC-18 (lie Grande marsh)
on March 29. The thickness of
the depicted oil coverage line is
roughly proportional to actual
thicknesses.
173
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Table 4-17A. Grain size data for station AMC-18 in Section IX
(He Grande marsh).
Sample Graphic Mean Size Class1 Skewness Standard Deviation2
AMC-18A	4.613	CS	-0.295	1.863 (VPS)
AMC-18B	2.100	FS	-0.134	0.934 (MS)
1Size Class	2Sorting
CS = coarse silt	VPS = very poorly sorted
FS = fine sand	MS = moderately sorted
Table 4-17B. Calculations of oil quantity at AMC-18 during first
(March 19-April 2) and second (April 20-28) study periods.
...	n . Oil Present	Oil Present 0/ ru
Station Number Date (metric tons) Date (metrlc tpns) j, Change
AMC-18	29 Mar	7400	25 Apr 2761.8	63.00
(station AMC-18), we found an average oil layer of 4 mm mostly coating
the bottom sediments and grasses. We calculated the oil tonnage at this
time on the following basis:
(1)	20% of the original oiling (3 cm) remained on the north side, with
80% being lightly oiled (4 mm);
(2)	5 cm oiling at F-135; and
(3)	10% of the original 1 cm oiling on the tidal flat.
On the basis of these assumptions, we estimate that 2762 metric tons of
oil remained in the He Grande marsh area on April 25. This is a 63%
reduction from our estimate for March 29 (before cleanup).
Cleanup techniques could have been improved had personnel and
machinery been directed to maintain a single road or work path. The
unrestricted movement of men and machinery on the surface of the marsh
and tidal flat caused extra destruction of vegetation and churned oil
deep into the underlying sediment (Figure 4-60B).
174
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Figure 4-60. (A) High-pressured hosing of the lie Grande marsh on
April 25 (station F-134). (B) The use of heavy machinery on the
tidal flat at lie Grande tended to churn up much of the area and mix
oil deep into the sediment (station F-133, April 25).
175
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One of the best opportunities for study in this area would be a
time-series investigation of biological recovery. For example, although
almost all of the marsh grasses were still blackened by oil on April 25
newly sprouted green marsh grass was already visible. Live fish and • '
crabs were also seen in tidal pools within the main channel.
Summary
The lie Grande marsh area has illustrated the enormous impact a
massive oil spill can have on a thriving marsh/tidal flat ecosystem.
This marsh in particular offers an excellent opportunity to monitor
marsh recovery after a major spill. It would also be of interest to
compare the recovery of this marsh with that of the marsh at Punta
Espora, Chile, which was impacted by a heavy dose of Metula oil in
August 1973. That marsh, which was not cleaned, has been very slow to
recover (Hayes and Gundlach, 1975).
4.9.10 Section X—Landrellec to Trestel
Section X is the northernmost extension of the granitic plateau of
which lie Grande is a part (Fig. 4-61). Much of the area near the coast
is less than 20 m above sea level except by Ploumanac'h, where cliffs
over 40 m are present. Major depositional embayments with large sand
flats are located at Ploumanac'h and Perros-Guirec, where the mean tidal
range has increased to 8 m. This is one of the more popular tourist
Figure 4-61- Locations of observation stations in Section X, Landrellec
to Trestel- Oil distribution for the first study session is indicated
by the dark-stippled pattern. For the second study period, heavy and
light oil coverage are indicated by the plus and light-dot patterns,
respectively.
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Table 4-18. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of
Section X, Landrellec to Trestel.
Station Number Date(s) Visited location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-131
25 Apr-
la Greve Blanche
Sandy beach with a large tidal
flat and outcropping rocks.
-the beach is very clean with a clean
tidal flat; the rocks are somewhat
oiled, and are presently being cleaned
by a power hose from a water tank-truck.
F-60
F-130
F-59
F-58
F-129
F-57
F-128
F-74
F-73
28 Mar-
25 Apr-
25 Apr-
28 Mar-
25 Apr-
28 Mar-
25 Apr-
25 Apr-
28	Mar-
25 Apr-
29	Mar-
24 Apr-
24 Mar-
24 Apr-
Coz Porz
Coarse-sand beach with large
rocks offshore.
Ploumanac'h - South
Harbor with a sandy beach.
Ploumanac'h - North
Protected small pocket beach;
coarse-sand and gravel.
East of Ploumanac'h
Rocky coast with some small
gravel and cobble pocket
beaches,
Plage de Trestraou
Large fine-sand pocket beach
located between two rocky
headlands which project almost
due north.
Plage de Trestraou
Sandy pocket beach.
Perros-Guirec •
Jetty and harbor.
Nanthouar
Large gravel beach.
Plage de Trestel
Medium-sand tidal flat and
beach.
-lightly oiled; sand removed from
beach as protection measure.
-a few isolated mousse balls on the
beach; a light oiling on the offshore
rocks.
-clean except for a few oil globs;
the rocks have been artificially
cleaned.
-moderately oiled.
-a clean beach; no buried oil layers,
but the groundwater is oil saturated.
-rocks clean; an oil sheen is on the
water.
-the pocket beaches are heavily oiled;
exposed headlands are very lightly
oiled; clean-up in progress.
-some light oil swashes on the beach;
also some oiled cobbles being burled
by the fine sand; a tractor is digging
up the cobbles and pushing them seaward
so that the waves can clean them.
-very clean except for a light sheen
in the water.
-jetty lightly oiled on the ocean
side; no oil In the interior of the
harbor; boom across harbor.
-rocky area heavily oiled.
-lightly oiled swash line on the
beach; rocks to the west are moder-
ately to heavily oiled.
-beach 1s clean; a new seawall Is
covered with plastic so as to pre-
vent Its oiling.
-seawall still covered with plastic,
so far unoiled; a few light oil
swash lines on the beach.
177
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Oil Impact
Initial oil impact for most of the area was very light to moderate
(Table 4-18). Only Stations F-74 and F-73 received major accumulations.
Most of the oil still in the water drifted by without hitting the coast.
Station F-60, which would have been expected to be oiled, was apparently
protected by offshore rocks (see Figure 4-61). All areas on the east
side of the Ploumanac'h peninsula were on the sheltered side during the
westerly wind and were not initially oiled.
However, during our second study session, April 23, the coast was
much more heavily oiled. Apparently, the wind shift caused the oiling
of the previously clean areas on the lee-side of the headlands. Rocky
areas were particularly hard hit, especially at stations F-57 and F-58.
The area from F-74 to F-73 also was more heavily oiled than during the
first study session. As was common at the other sections, the oil spill
changed from having large oil pools at particular areas to being spread
in varying quantities over the entire coastline. In many localities,
the beach had become cleaner, but the rocks alongside the beach were
more heavily oiled. A definite shift of oil from the beaches to within
sheltered rocky areas had taken place.
Summary
Section X illustrates a standard pattern of oil dispersal for the
oil spill area. Sites previously sheltered from oil deposition (e.g. F-
57 and F-58) during the first two weeks of the spill, became heavily
oiled after the wind shift. Beaches were cleaned much more rapidly than
sheltered rocky areas. In fact, the rocks probably act as a sink for
some of the oil washing off the beaches.
4.9.11 Section XI—Port Blanc to Sillon de Talbert
Section XI represents the farthest easterly extent of oil coverage
that we observed (Fig. 4-62). The base of Sillon de Talbert is 130 km
from the wreck site (by the most direct ocean route). On March 30, we
flew the section of coast from Mont St. Michel Abbey to Sillon de
Talbert and found no oil along the coast. Only a few small mousse
patches were seen in these waters. Table 4-19 contains descriptions of
the individual study sites.
The coastline in Section XI consists of two large granitic head-
lands separated by a large tidal flat/estuarine system. The tidal range
reaches between 8>5 and 9.0 m. Many beaches of the area are naturally
crenulate in shape (F-66, F-68 and AMC-17). The role of crenulate
beaches as a localized control of oil deposition will be discussed in
the following section.
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Table 4-19. Field observations of oil distribution at stations of
Section XI, Port Blanc to Sillon de Talbert.
Station Number	Date(s) Visited Location and Type of Environment
Description of Oil Impact
F-72
F-71
F-70
F-69
F-127
F-68
F—67
F-66
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
29 Mar-
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
24 Apr
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
Les Dunes near Port Blanc
Sand and gravel beach with
a large tidal flat and dunes.
Crech Aral
Sandy beach with low-tide
terrace.
(Near) Pellinic
Marsh.
Bugelos - Coz Castel
Tidal flat surrounded by
large rocks.
Anse de Gourme?
Large sandy tidal flat.
(near) Kergonet
Sandy beach with large tidal
flat.
Porz Scaff
Small pocket beach with a
seawall behing it.
Castel Meur
Gravel and cobble beach with
a large tidal flat; many
cobbles outcrop on the tidal
flat.
-heavily oiled gravel and rip-rap
near dune area.
-minor oiling along the high tide,
swash line; the tidal flat is very
clean.
-clean beach but some oiled rocks,
-oiled marsh covered by an average
3 cm of oil.
-still very heavily oiled; no
clean-up.
-oiled rocks surrounding large tidal
flat.
-rocks still appear heavily oiled;
no oil on tidal flat itself; marsh
grasses appear oiled; clean-up
operation has left area completely
dug-up.
Sand flat is very bioproductive;
thousands of worm burrows and many
cockles; beach and tidal flat are
clean except for a minor oiled sea-
weed swash line along the last high
tide swash; rocky areas on both sides
of this sand area are heavily oiled.
-tidal flat-and rocks both oiled.
-very heavily oiled along the upper
portions of the tidal flat as well as
the beachface; tidal flat Itself is all
soaked with oil; trenches dug to trap
and pump out the oil remain heavily
oiled.
-oiled gravel and rocks.
-all the cobble on the beach are
heavily oiled as is most of the lower
beachface.
-heavily oiled grave! beach; large
clean-up operation underway.
-very heavily oiled here; mousse 1s
1-2 cm thick on much of the beach;
some of the limpets have survived but
many dead cockles and crabs are seen
floating 1n oil pools; straw used to
absorb some of the oil is still on
the beach and tidal flat.
F-65
F-64
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
29 Mar
Porz Bugale
Small, mixed sand and cobble
beach.
Treguier
Estuarine tidal flat with a
major channel flowing north.
-no oil.
-light oiled swash line along the last
high tide line.
No oil.
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Table 4-19 (continued)
jitation Number
F-126
F-63
F-62
AMC-17
F -12 5
F-61
natefsi Visited
24 Apr
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
29 Mar
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
24 Apr
29 Mar-
24 Apr-
Location and Type of Fnvironment
Luzuret
Broad rocky tidal flat.
Plage de Beni
Sand and cobble beach.
Kermagen
Boulder and cobble beach.
Port la Chaine
Coarse-sand crenulate-shaped
beach between rocky headlands.
1 e Quebo
Mixed sand and gravel beach.
Si 1 Ion de Talbert
A flying gravel spit.
	 Description of Oil Impact
Beach area clean; rocks very lightly
oiled.
-no oil.
-lightly oiled swash lines.
A little oil on the boulders.
-very thick oil accumulations on beach;
oil contaminated interstitial water.
-light oil staining of beach sediments;
some oil buried on beachface (15 cm)
and on low-tide terrace; interstitial
water still contaminated.
Some minor oil blotches on the rocks;
otherwise completely clean.
-lightly oiled rocks; clean beach.
-rocks lightly oiled; this is the
furthest eastern extent of the oiling.
Figure 4-62. Locations of observation stations in Section XI. Port
Blanc to Silion de Talbert. Oil at the base of SiUoHe Talbert
the eastern-most extent Qf oil coverage observed. It is
130 tan (77 miies) from the wreck site. Oil distribution for the first
study session is indicated by the dark-stippled pattern. For the
second study period, heavy and light oil coverage are indicated by
plus and light-dot patterns, respectively.
180
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Oil Impact
The coast from F-72 to F-66. Oil impact increased toward the north
in the areas not shielded by the peninsula at Ploumanac'h (Section X).
Initially, moderate to heavy oil accumulations occurred on most of these
beaches. Particularly hard hit was the headland at Castel Meur (F-66)
which is located at the end of the peninsula. The cobble beach and
adjacent sand flat were very heavily oiled. A large cleanup operation
was active during our site visit on March 29. Oil was being pushed into
newly dug trenches on the low-tide terrace so it could be suctioned-up
by honeywagons. Two large oil storage pits were dug nearby as collect-
ing ponds. Upon our second visit on April 24, the area was still
heavily oiled, although most of the thick oil accumulations were gone.
The cobbles and boulders of the beach were still oil-blackened. The
tidal flat was severely dug up. The trenches had infilled but remained
severely oiled. An oil sheen was common throughout the area. Live
limpets were observed on the rocks, but many cockles and crabs were
found dead.
Speaking to a woman who lives by this beach, we learned that she
depended on two things for her livelihood: summer tourists who come to
the beach, and the collection of algae from along the swashline. Both
sources of income were at least temporarily destroyed by the spill.
The coast from F-65 to Sillon de Talbert. This segment includes a
large estuarine sandflat system plus the rocky coast up to the Sillon de
Talbert gravel spit. To our knowledge, no oil entered the estuary
during the first two weeks of the spill. During our second survey,
April 24, a light oil swash was present on all these beaches.
Station AMC-17 had the heaviest deposition of oil within this sec-
tion and represents the major accumulation farthest from the wreck site.
It has a poorly sorted, mixed sand and gravel beachface leading onto a
very coarse-sand low-tide terrace. Sedimentary characteristics are
presented in Table 4-20A. The overall shape of the beach is crenulate
in nature, which served as a trap for the wind-transported oil. Oil was
thickly deposited (up to 12 cm) at the northern end of the beach on
March 29, whereas the beach to the south was free of oil. Plate 4-31
shows the beach at this time. Oil coverage as measured along the topo-
graphic profile is presented in Figure 4-63. Penetration of oil into
the beach was greatly inhibited by the compact substrate. The inter-
stitial water of the low-tide terrace was noticeably contaminated. We
estimate that 126 metric tons of oil were present at this time (Table 4-
20B). The military began to clean up the beach as we finished our
survey. The hard substrate made it relatively easy to shovel up the oil
into buckets to be carted away by tractors.
On our second survey, on April 24, the major oil accumulation was
gone, but the beach sediment and rocks appeared heavily oil-stained. In
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Table 4-20A. Grain size data for station AMC-17 in Section XI.
Sample
Graphic Mean Size Class1 Skewness Standard Deviation2
AMC-17A
-0.174
VCS
-0.238
2.236 (VPS)
AMC-17B
1.461
CS
-0.266
0.713 (MS)
AMC-17C
-0.577
VCS
-0.498
2.000 (VPS)
!Size Class
VCS = very coarse sand
CS = coarse sand
'-Sorting
VPS = very poorly sorted
MS = moderately sorted
Table 4-20B. Calculations of oil quantity at AMC-17 during first
(March 19-April 2) and second (April 20-28) study periods.
Station Number Date	Date (^tr^tons) * Change
AMC-17	29 Mar	136.4	24 Apr	1,6.	98-80
5 X OIL COVERAGE
1 THICKNESS AAM
20. QQ 40.00
DISTANCE IM)
60.00
ao.oo
Figure 4-63. Topographic profile
and oil coverage for AMC-17 on
March 29.
182
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addition, some oil was buried 15 cm by new sediment along the upper
beachface. A large (100 m2) mass of mousse also remained mixed into the
low-tide terrace. The interstitial water was still contaminated, but
healthy algae, snails, and limpets were found in abundance. We estimate
that 1.6 metric tons of oil remained in the area (Table 4-20B). It was
interesting that a large cobble beach directly to the south was signifi-
cantly oiled on the second visit, whereas it had not been during the
first. Apparently, some of the oil from AMC-17, or from other beaches,
was redeposited in this area during the weeks between our first and
second surveys.
Summary
Section XI encompasses the westernmost extent of oil pollution from
the Amoco Cadiz (a distance of 130 km from the wreck). Station AMC-17
illustrates the importance of the trapping of oil along the northeast
side of a crenulate bay during the first oiling and the eventual oiling
of the southwest side as a result of a change in the wind direction.
(According to C. J. M. Chasse, personal communication, the same thing
happened on this coast during the pollution by the Torrey Canyon oil in
1967).
4.10 Preliminary Conclusions
When our second site visit ended on April 28, significant quanti-
ties of oil remained in the water and on the shoreline of the Amoco
Cadiz oil spill site. It may take several years, or at least several
months, for the remaining oil to be fully degraded. Therefore, any con-
clusions drawn at this early date will have to be considered prelimi-
nary. However, the complexity of the coastal system, plus the unusually
large quantity of oil, provided a hitherto unequaled opportunity to
learn about the behavior of spilled oil in the coastal zone.
4.10.1 Influence of Coastal Processes and Coastal Morphology
Oil Dispersal Processes
The spill of the Amoco Cadiz provided a classic field -experiment
for the demonstration of the effects of dynamic coastal processes and
coastal morphology on oil deposition along the coast. Strong, almost
unidirectional winds from the west rapidly forced the oil eastward
during the first few days of the spill. The rugged and indented top-
ography of the coast then played a major role in determining where the
oil would be deposited. The shorelines facing west were hardest hit,
whereas those facing east, particularly those within the larger embay-
ments, were mostly unaffected. This process is depicted diagramatically
in Fig. 4-64A. During early April, the dispersal pattern of the oil
changed. Major oil accumulations were broken up and dispersed. Because
of the wind shift at the beginning of April, the oil was spread far into
183
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Figure 4-64. (Top) Oil pushed by
strong westerly winds during the
first two weeks was mainly depos-
ited along westerly-facing head-
land areas. Interior embayments
generally remained free of oil.
(Bottom) A wind shift during the
beginning of April spread a light
layer of oil deep into the embay-
ments. Previously deposited oil
along the exposed headlands was
greatly reduced in quantity.
many of the large embayments, thereby oiling previously clean areas.
However, instead of single large oil masses, only thin bands of small
mousse balls or oiled algae were deposited along the swash lines. Oil
dispersal during this time period is illustrated in Fig. 4-64B.
Effects of Wave Action
During our earlier studies of the Metula and Urquiola oil spills,
we observed that the degree to which an area is exposed to wave action
greatly influences the longevity, or persistence, of oil within that
area. Similar observations were made at the Amoco Cadiz site. Rocks
heavily oiled south of Portsall were clean a short time later because of
high wave energy at that locale. Many of the exposed environments along
each northward jutting peninsula were generally free of oil within 1
month. Conversely, as wave energy decreases, oil persistence increases.
Very little change in oil coverage was noted inside the harbor at
Portsall, at Castel Meur (F-66), or at Primel-Tregastel (F-94). The
marsh environment at lie Grande illustrates an area with very low expo-
sure to waves and, consequently, one with potential duration of oil
effects.
Beaches vs. Sheltered Rocky Areas
In general, the sand beaches responded to natural cleansing much
faster than sheltered rocky areas. Beaches undergo natural erosion and
184
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depositional cycles in which large amounts of sediment are continuously
reworked by waves. This action removes much of the oil within a rela-
tively short period of time. In contrast, sheltered rocky areas and
coarse-cobble beaches undergo change only during great storms. Also,
oil seeping between rocks or into crevasses will be removed from direct
wave attack. Thus, under similar conditions of wave exposure, a sand
beach is much more likely to be cleaned by natural processes than is a
rocky area.
Localized Geomorphic Controls of Oil Deposition
Within the areas receiving the oil, specific morphological features
influenced the oil distribution pattern. Included among these features
are (1) crenulate bays, (2) tombolos, (3) low-tide terrace, ridge, and
runnel systems, (4) scour pits around boulders, and (5) regional bedding
and joint patterns in the bedrock.
The catchment of oil by crenulate bays is illustrated in Fig. 4-65.
Where crenulate bays occur on west-facing shorelines, as at Stations
F-39, -62,-68 and AMC-9 and -17, they tend to trap oil at the head of
the bay (northeast end), where the shoreline has its maximum curvature.
The tail or southwest portion was usually free of oil during the first
days of the spill (when winds were westerly).
Another morphological feature, the tombolo (Plate 4-21), also had
a marked influence on the initial.deposition of oil. As illustrated at
stations AMC-5 and F-20, oil became trapped behind rocks or a small
island because of the convergence of wave fronts around the offshore
rocks. This process is illustrated in Fig. 4-66.
Other small-scale features that tended to cause localized oil
deposition included scour pits around boulders, and jointing and bedding
patterns in bedrock, both of which were observed at station AMC-13 (see
Plates 4-16 and 4-17). An oil pond 5 cm deep was observed in a runnel
on the low-tide terrace at station AMC-12.
Oil Response to Beach Cycles
Beaches undergo a cycle of erosion and deposition in response to
changing wave conditions. By making repeated measurements of our per-
manent beach profiles, we were able to observe the effect of the beach
cycle on erosion and retention of the oil. The recovery of the beaches
(by berm formation) after the initial period of high wave activity
(during the early days of the spill) commonly caused deep burial of oil
layers in the beachface. The removal of 80% of the oil from the Roscoff
area during two tidal cycles can be attributed partly to the erosional
phase of the beach cycle. Therefore, a basic understanding of the beach
cycle provides a good foundation for interpreting the behavior of oil on
the beaches.
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Figure 4-65. Entrapment of oil by
crenulate bays. Generally, the
southerly section of each bay re-
mained free of oil.
Figure 4-66. Illustration of the
tombolo effect causing localized
oil deposition behind offshore
rocks.
4.10,2 The Vulnerability Index
On the basis of studies of the Metula and the Urquiola oil spills,
we have developed the vulnerability index, a system of classifying
coastal environments with respect to oil spill impacts (Hayes, Brown,
and Michel, 1976; Gundlach and Hayes, 1978). The index is based mostly
on predicted longevity of oil within each environment, but it has some
biological criteria. Data derived from the study of this spill support
some of our earlier conclusions and allow for further refinement of
others.
Following is a summary of the oil spill vulnerability index with
particular reference to the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. The order listed (1-
10) is toward increasing vulnerability to oil spill damage; the higher
the index value, the greater the long-term damage. A summary is pre-
sented in Table 4-21®.
8 It should be noted that the vulnerability index was developed in areas
that could be readily classified as erosional or depositional. The
Brittany coast presents a variety of sand beaches which show deposi
tional cycles, but which, for the most part, are undergoing long-term
erosion. Scarps of either bedrock or dune material occur back of most
of the beaches, partly inhibiting formation of a truly depositional
beach profile (which normally has a well-developed berm, berm-runnel,
and back-beach area). This affects the classification system by some
what limiting our original estimates of oil penetration and burial,
and generally reducing the overall persistence of oil in these areas.
Still, in terms of general oil persistence, the basic order of the
index holds true.
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Table 4-21. The Oil Spill Vulnerability Index with particular reference
to the Amoco Cadiz oil spill. Higher index values indicate greater
long-term damage by the spill. For further information, consult Hayes,
Brown, and Michel (1976) or Gundlach and Hayes(1978).
Vulnerability Shoreline Type; Example	Comments
Exposed rocky headlands;
Douarnenez to Pte. du Raz and
Primel-Tr£gastel to Locquirec
Eroding wave-cut platforms;
south of Portsall and F-l to
F-82
Fine-grained sand beaches;
stations south of Roscoff
(AMC-9 & 10) and east of
Portsall (AMC-5)
Coarse-grained sand beaches;
AMC-stations 4 (near Portsall)
& 12 (St. Cava) and F-38
Exposed, compacted tidal
flats; La Greve de St. Michel
Mixed sand and gravel beaches;
no really good example of this
beach type
Gravel beaches; stations F-80,
95 and 129, also AMC-16
Sheltered rocky coasts;
common throughout the study
area.
Sheltered tidal flats;
behind lie Grande and at
Caste! Meur
10	Salt marshes
lie Grande marsh
Wave reflection kept most of the oil
offshore; no clean-up was needed.
Exposed to high wave energy; initial
oiling was removed within 10 days.
All only lightly oil-covered after
one month, mainly by new oil swashes.
Oil coverage and burial after one
month remains at moderate levels.
No oil remained on the sand flat but
did cause the enormous mortality of
urchins and bivalves.
The index value is due to rapid oil
burial and penetration; all areas
had compacted subsurface which in-
hibited both actions.
Oil penetrated deeply (30 cm) into
the sediment; clean-up by use of
tractors to push gravel into surf
zone seemed effective and not dam-
aging to the beach.
Thick pools of oil accumulated in
these areas of reduced wave action;
clean-up by hand and high pressure
hoses removed some of the oil (this
process is valid in non-biologically
active areas.
Tidal flats were heavily oiled; clean-
up activities removed major oil accu-
mulations but left remaining oil deeply
churned into the sediment; biological
recovery has yet to be determined.
Extremely heavily oiled with up to 15
cm of pooled oil on the marsh surface;
clean-up activities removed the thick
oil accumulations but also trampled
much of the area; biological recovery
has yet to be determined.
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(1)	Exposed steeply dipping or cliffed rocky headlands
Two areas in particular fit into this category: (1) the
cliff between Douarnenez and Pointe du Raz (Section I), and (2) the
cliff between Primel-Tregastel and Locquirec (Section VII). In
both areas, most of the oil was held approximately 10 m offshore by
waves reflecting off the steep scarps. Some oiling did occur where
reflected waves were dampened, as in small coves or pocket beaches.
However, this is only a short-term condition since high-wave condi-
tions will rapidly remove the oil.
(2)	Eroding wave-cut platforms
A good example of this coastal type is located along the ex-
posed coast between Tremazan (F-l) and Pointe de Landunvez (F-82)
in Section II. Heavy oil accumulations that were originally found
at Tremazan rapidly dissipated under repeated wave attack.
(3)	Flat fine-grained sandy beaches
Fine-sand beaches are located to the southwest of Roscoff
(stations AMC-9, AMC-10, F-17,-18 and-20) and to the east of
Portsall (AMC-5). Each has a very broad beach/low-tide terrace.
The beach profile is essentially flat. Within 1 month after being
heavily oiled, each was categorized as having a light oil coverage,
usually with only a minor oiled swash line. Cleanup activities at
AMC-5 appeared to have caused little damage.
(4)	Steeper, medium- to coarse-sand beaches
Beaches at stations AMC-4 and AMC-12 provide good examples of
heavily oiled coarse-sand beaches. One month after heavy oiling,
each still contained moderate to heavy oiling. Overall recovery
was somewhat slower than at areas with index values of 1 to 3.
Much of the beachface still contained oil or was oil-stained.
Burial was also more common, but somewhat inhibited by underlying,
relict marsh or compact sandy gravel material. Again, this illus-
trates the complexity of the Brittany coast with regard to its
erosional history. The coarse-sand beach at F-38, with no under-
lying base material, had 70 cm of oil burial.
(5)	Exposed, compacted tidal flats
The large sand flat at St. Michel-en-Greve falls under this
classification. Most of the oil was pushed across the tidal flat
onto the beach at its edge. The flat itself was not significantly
oiled; however, the enormous biological destruction caused by the
oil supports its central position on this list. Perhaps, in terms
of a truly biologically oriented oil spill index, this type of en-
vironment should be placed higher.
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(6)	Mixed sand and gravel beaches
There were no truly depositional mixed sand and gravel beaches
in the spill area. Our original designation of this beach type as
(6) was based on expected deep oil penetration. Each mixed sand
and gravel beach in the spill area (AMC stations 1, 2, 6, 8 and 17)
had an underlying material of compacted sediments that totally
prevented oil penetration. Of these beaches, three were heavily
oiled after 1 month, but two had only light coverage. The dif-
ference in remaining oil content is more attributable to variations
in wave energy than to sediment type.
(7)	Gravel beaches
All gravel beaches of the area remained heavily oiled 1 month
after the spill. Typical examples are provided at F-stations 80,
95, and 129 and at AMC-16. In each case, oil penetrated deep into
the beach sediment. Had cleanup not been started, it could be
expected that the sediments would have become cemented together as
the mousse turned to asphalt. This process was observed at the
Metula site where no cleanup took place (Hayes and Gundlach,
1975).
(8)	Sheltered rocky coasts
After 1 month, many sheltered rocky areas remained heavily
oiled. Cleanup by hand and bucket and with water under high
pressure reduces the amount of oiling but it is a slow and very
tedious process.
(9)	Sheltered estuarine tidal flats
Examples of this environment type are best illustrated by the
sheltered environments behind lie Grande and at Castel Meur (F-66).
Oil coverage at both localities was exceedingly heavy. Clean-up
activities succeeded in removing 80%-90% of the oil on the surface,
but also extensively dug up the tidal flat. A large quantity of
oil remains mixed into the sediment, and the interstitial water
remains severely contaminated. The biological recovery of each
area should be monitored.
(10)	Sheltered estuarine salt marshes
The marsh at lie Grande provides a classic example of the
worst effects of an oil spill. A very extensive cleanup removed
most of the 5 to 15 cm of pooled oil from the marsh, but overall
biological recovery cannot yet be guaranteed.
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Summary
Although the coastline of Brittany is exceedingly complex, the
vulnerability index of coastal environments to oil spill damage, which
was developed through studies at other spill sites, would have predicted
the short-term behavior of Amoco Cadiz oil in each environment reason-
ably well. Environments rated high on the scale generally remain more
highly oiled today (and generally represent more severe environmental
damage) than those areas with low values. Thus the utility and applica-
tion of this scale as part of a contingency plan for threatened areas
(e.g., the coast of Alaska) seems to be clearly justified.
4.10.3	Oil Response to Tide-Level Changes
One of the questions raised by our previous oil spill studies
(mainly those of the Metula and Urquiola spills) is whether the oil
lifts off the bottom with every flood tide or instead becomes sediment-
logged and remains on the bottom. At Portsall (AMC-1) and Les Dunes-
East (AMC-5), we monitored oil reaction during a flooding tide. At AMC-
5, we also watched oil reaction during the ebb cycle. During the
initial oiling, the first week after the grounding, oil definitely
lifted off with the incoming tide, and was redeposited on the ebb.
However, during the second study period of late April, a large patch of
sediment-bound oil was found on the tidal flat at Portsall. Some oil
had mixed with the sediment and had sunk. Therefore, as has been
hypothesized by others, a possibly significant percentage of the oil
spilled by the Amoco Cadiz may have actually surlk to the bottom.
4.10.4	Oil Contamination of Interstitial Ground Water
After visiting a number of oiled areas, it became obvious to us
that the problem of oil contamination of the ground water within the
beach may be a cause of death to organisms living within the sediment.
In many sites, even though the surface of the beach or tidal flat ap-
peared completely clean, the interstitial ground water was severely
oiled. Localities such as Portsall (AMC-1), Roscoff (AMC-6), and St.
Michel-en-Greve (F-55) provide typical examples.
The ground water within a beach rises and falls with each tidal
cycle. On the receding tide, large quantities of the ground water flow
out of the beach, creating a series of ground water rills. However a
significant portion remains tied up within the sediment by capillary
forces.
Oil may enter the ground water directly from the ocean water itself
or through solution along the upper part of the beach. Contaminated
ground water has an obvious oil sheen and often has visible droplets of
mousse. If the concentration of oil in the ground water reaches lethal
proportions, then death of infauna (cockles, heart urchins, razor clams
and worms) may result, even though the surface of the area is not vis-
ibly oiled.
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A question that remains to be answered concerns the longevity of
this type of oil contamination: Is the ground water periodically
flushed clean, or will it remain contaminated for months or even years?
Unfortunately, some of the methods now being employed to clean up
the beach undoubtedly intensify the pollution of the ground water by the
oil. The digging of large pits and trenches into the beach surface to
use as catchment basins, such as those we witnessed at St. Michel-en-
Greve, can only increase the contamination. Follow-up studies of beach
processes and water chemistry are needed for a better understanding of
this problem.
4.10.5 Cleanup Activities
Our perspective of the cleanup operation is from a geomorphological
standpoint and not from the technical side. (See Chapter 6 for details
on engineering techniques.) We are fortunate that our co-participant,
Dr. Laurent D'Ozouville, has maintained contact with the Department of
Equipment concerning the types of cleanup operations in force. Our
combined suggestions follow:
(1)	Restrict vehicular traffic on the beach, especially on the low-tide
terrace. Oil often became deeply churned into the sediment as a
result of heavy tractor usage. If tractors and trucks must be
used, a single lane of traffic should be utilized.
(2)	The removal of oil by manually scraping the surface layer with wood
squeegees into trenches, to be suctioned off, is a valid method.
However, natural infilling after abandonment of the pit often
caused the deep burial of large amounts of oil. This oiled sedi-
ment should be dug up and placed in the surf zone so it can be
cleaned by wave action. Long-term contamination of the inter-
stitial water may otherwise result.
(3)	The use of front-end loaders to scoop up thick layers of oiled
sediment is valid in low-populated dune areas. This practice in
areas that lack a readily replenishable sand supply may cause
serious beach erosion problems. In general, any removal of sedi-
ment from the beach should be avoided.
(4)	The use of bulldozers to plow oiled gravel into the surf zone is an
excellent method for oil removal, because the sediment balance on
the beach is maintained and the normal beach profile can be re-
established by natural wave action.
(5)	In general, the clean-up effort at lie Grande marsh was laudable.
The removal of oil from the marsh was necessary to establish any
sort of biological recovery. The use of trenches to drain oil
pools, as well as squeegees, buckets, and pressurized water, all
seem valid from an environmental point of view. However, a problem
191
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did arise by not limiting vehicles and personnel to certain access
roads. The extensive walking and driving over the marsh may have
further inhibited its recovery.
4.10.6 Where did the oil go?
Two of the primary questions usually raised during an oil spill are
"Where did the oil go?" and "How did it change?". In a very hasic
attempt to answer these questions, we have made extrapolations from our
areas of detailed study to the entire oil-affected coastline. This
method has two weaknesses:
(1)	Our study areas were generally limited to beaches. Thus, extrapo-
lations to rocky areas may not be valid.
(2)	We may be counting the same oil twice. For example, most of the
oil within our Roscoff stations was removed by erosion on the night
of March 24. This could be the same oil that we encountered in the
lie Grande area on March 29.
Calculations of oil coverage were made for the morphological
sections (I-XI) of the coast during each of the two study periods. The
results of this calculation are presented in Table 4-22. Using 17 of
the 19 AMC stations as a basis (AMC stations 14 and 19 were eliminated),
we calculated the average oil quantity per km of coast.
Table 4-22. Extent of oil coverage during study periods one and
two. Oil is described as heavy only during study one (March 19-
April 2). During study two (April 20-28), it is described as light
or moderate-to-heavy.
Section Study Period 1	Study Period 2
of Coast
(km oiled) km lightly km heavily total km
	oiled	oiled	of coastline
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
0
11
16
4
4
8
4
9
5
2
9
52
5
15
30
43
10
24
10
4
12
8
39
8
8
0
0
4
9
20
4
6
9
280
24
43
38
43
27
76
35
16
35
36
Total
72
213
180
653
192
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The results of these calculations are presented in Table 4-23. In
order to determine the total amount of oil on the coast, the amount of
oiled coastline (Table 4-22) was multiplied by the quantity of oil per
km of coastline (as determined from the individual study sites; Table
4-23). The values used were 886.5 tons/km for all oiled areas during
the first study, and 55.4 tons/km for moderately to heavily oiled
areas, and 5.2 tons/km for lightly oiled areas during the second study.
The results are presented in Table 4-24.
Table 4-23. Oil quantity per length of beach for 17 AMC stations during
study period one (March 19-April 2) and study period two (April 20-28).
OIL	CONTENT (metric tons)
LENGTH
AMC-STATION OF BEACH SESSION ONE	SESSION TWO
			Light Coverage	Heavy Coverage
1
500
50.2

7.3
2
250
1.8

2.4
3
250
44.6

5.5
4
200
284.1

2.5
5
1250
1146.9
2.5

6
200
51.8
1.0

7
200
102.5
1.7

8
200
9.6
0.4

9
2000
1039.4
10.6

10
1250
46.3
6.0

11
450
175.2

1.0
12
400
357.7

6.3
13
55 0
248.3
0.6

15
300
83.3

3.9
16
400
81.2

66.3
17
300
136.4
1.6

18
4000
7400.0

500.0*
SUB TOTAL
12.7 km
11259.1
24.4/4.7 km
595.2/10.75
TOTAL (metric tons)/km
886.5
5.2
55.4
*After clean-up
193
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Table 4-24. Summary of data concerning shoreline coverage by oil and
estimated total quantities for study sessions one and two.
Session one (19 Mar - 2 Apr)	Session two (20 - 28 Apr)
km shoreline heavily	72
oiled
km shoreline lightly
oiled
total shoreline	72
oiled km
total quantity of	63,828 m tons
oil along shoreline
Total reduction between sessions = 83%
During the first 2 weeks of the oil spill, a total of 72 km of
coast was heavily oiled. Using our estimated quantity of oil per km of
shoreline (886.5 tons) yields a total of 63,828 metric tons of oil
(rounded to 64,000) that we are able to account for. This is approx-
imately one-third of the total amount of oil lost from the tanker. The
remaining two-thirds must be accounted for by evaporation loss, oil
masses remaining on the water's surface, sinking to the bottom, and
mixing into the water column.
During the second study session, 213 km of coastline were lightly
oiled and 107 km were heavily oiled. Using our oil estimates for ses-
sion two (Table 4-22), we can account for 10,310 metric tons of oil (a
loss of 84% of the oil on shore during the first visit). This continued
loss of oil from the shore can be attributed to a combination of natural
cleaning processes and a very active cleanup program.
In conclusion, approximately one-third of the oil spilled from the
Amoco Cadiz (estimated at 64,000 metric tons) went aground on 72 km of
shoreline during the first 2 weeks of the spill. During the following
3 weeks, the quantity of oil along the shoreline was reduced by 84% (to
approximately 10,310 metric tons). This reduction was due to natural
dispersion and to cleanup activities by man. On the other hand, the
amount of shoreline visibly contaminated by the oil increased to 320 km
by late April. This increase was due to the break-down and dispersion
of the large oil masses by waves and currents and to a major shift in
wind direction (from westerlies to easterlies).
180
213
393
11080 m tons
194
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4.11 References
Chasse, Claude J. M. (1972): Economie sedimentaire et biologique
(production) des estrans meubles des cotes de Bretagne: These,
L'Universite de Paris VI, 293 pp.
Debelmas, Jacques (1974): Geologie de la France: Vol. 1 - Vieux
Massifs et Grands Bassins Sedimentaires: DOIN Editeurs, 8, Place
de l'Odeon, 75006 - Paris, 293 pp.
de Martonne, Emm. (1903): Le developpement des cotes bretonnes et leur
etude morphologique: Bull. Soc. Sc. Medic. Quest (Rennes), 12:244
260.
de Martonne, Emm. (1906): La peneplaine et les cotes bretonnes: Ann.
Geog., 15:299-328.
Emery, K. 0. (1961): A simple method of measuring beach profiles:
Limn, and Ocean.t 6:90-93.
Folk, R. L. (1968): Petrology of sedimentary rocks: Hemphill's,
Austin, Texas, 170 pp.
Guilcher, Andre (1948): Le relief de la Bretagne meridionale de la Baie
de Douarnenez a LaVilaine: These, L'Universite de Paris.
Guilcher, Andre (1958): Coastal and submarine morphology: translated
by B. W. Sparks and Rev. R. H. W. Kneese, Methuen & Co., Ltd.,
London, 274 pp.
Gundlach, E. R., and M. 0. Hayes (1978): Vulnerability of coastal
environments to oil spill impacts: accepted for publication by
Marine Tech. Soc. Jour.
Hayes, M. 0., E. H. Owens, D. K. Hubbard, and R. W. Abele (1973):
Investigations of form and processes in the coastal zone: in
Coastal Geomorphology (D. R. Coates, ed.), Proc. Third Ann.
Geomorph. Symp., Binghampton, New York, 11-41.
Hayes, M. 0., and E. R. Gundlach (1975): Coastal geomorphology and
sedimentation of the Metula oil spill site in the Straits of
Magellan: Final report to NSF-RANN, Coastal Research Division,
Dept. of Geology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South
Carolina, 103 pp.
Hayes, M. 0., P. J. Brown, and J. Michel (1976a): Coastal morphology
and sedimentation, Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska: with emphasis on
potential oil spill impacts: Tech. Rept. No. 12-CRD, Coastal
Research Division, Dept. of Geology, University of South Carolina,
107 pp.
195
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Haves M. 0., C. H. Ruby, M. F. Stephen, and S. J. Wilson (1976b):
Geomorphology of the southern coast of Alaska: 15th Conf. on
Coastal Eng., Proc., 2:1992-2008.
196
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5. BIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS
F. A. Cross,1 W. P. Davis,2 D. E. Hoss,1 and D. A. Wolfe3
This report is a compilation of our own observations and data,
combined with those of other NOAA/EPA specialists, and also includes
information obtained from investigators at the Centre Oceanologique de
Bretagne (COB), the Universite de Bretagne Occidental (UBO), the Station
Biologique Roscoff, and others as noted. Observations by U.S. biolo-
gists began March 26 following briefings from the NOAA Spilled Oil
Research Team which had been conducting overflights and beach surveys
since March 19—two days after the Amoco Cadiz went aground.
The information presented in this chapter does not reflect the
results of a pre-planned biological study. Instead, predominantly
qualitative observations were made by NOAA/EPA biologists from late
March until late May while observing the development of French programs
designed to assess the biological impact of the spill.
During this time, selected sites were chosen to develop familiarity
with the diverse ecological habitats involved and to gather as much
early event information as possible in an effort to obtain a general
understanding of the effects of the oil spill on marine organisms in-
cluding commercial species. These activities included (1) observing and
photographing biological effects along the coast and, in some instances,
making repeated observations at the same site over a period of about six
weeks, (2) visiting two bird hospitals and a marine bird sanctuary, and
(3) conducting interviews with representatives of various segments of
the fishing industry. The geographical range of observations extended
from le Conquet to Perros-Guirec—a distance of approximately 200 kilom-
eters by coastline. In addition, a quantitative study on benthic organ-
isms from three typical intertidal habitats was conducted by Jeff Hyland
of the EPA, and his report is appended to this chapter.
We hope that the following information will serve as a reference to
assist in planning for ecological impact assessment research on oil
spills and will prove useful until more in-depth collaborative studies
by French, Canadian, and U.S. scientists are completed.
1N0AA/NMFS, Southeast Fisheries Center, Beaufort Laboratory, Beaufort,
NC 28516.
2U.S. EPA/ERL, Bears Bluff Field Station, Johns Island, SC 29A55.
3N0AA/ERL, OCSEAP, Boulder, CO 80302.
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5.1 General Field Observations
5.1.1, Impact on Intertidal Communities
The portion of the Brittany coast impacted by the oil spill con-
sists of diverse ecological habitats and biological communities, includ-
ing exposed sandy beaches, rocky headlands, protected bays, estuaries,
and marshes. Biological communities in all these habitats were sub-
jected to stress by the oil.
As discussed in the previous chapter, shorelines facing westward
were the first to be oiled and received the largest amounts. Although
wave action effectively "cleaned" or removed much of the oil from ex-
posed rocks on the open coast, a considerable amount of oil was trapped
in tidal pools, or remained on macroalgae such as Ascophyllum. Pelve-
tiopsis, and Fucus which are attached to rocks. On exposed sandy
beaches, oil often was covered by a layer of sand that gave the beach
the appearance of being clean (see Plate 4-26). In reality the buried
oil contaminated interstitial water throughout the entire area of impact,
and a visible sheen could still be observed in the interstitial water in
late May.
Impact of the oil on intertidal communities in general was quite
severe (also see the Appendix, this chapter). As discussed above, macro-
algae on exposed rocks tended to retain the oil long after it had been
removed from bare rocks by wave action (Plates 5-1 and 6-10). In addi-
tion to potential adverse effects of the oil on the macroalgae, reten-
tion of oil by this material undoubtedly increased contact time between
the oil and organisms living beneath the algae. Although many of the
macroalgae had, at least, a thin coating of oil, they did not appear to
be dead except in a few areas that were extensively and repeatedly
oiled, such as the upper intertidal beaches directly inshore from the
wreck. More chronic effects may be occurring, however, as several
preliminary bioassays by R. Steele on these plants indicate that the
fertilization process failed to occur in exposed algae (EPA Progress
Report on Amoco Cadiz Oil Spill, May 2, 1978). In previous work Steele
(1977) found that exposure to crude oil prevented germination in Fucus
edentatus. In addition, preliminary studies by scientists at COB in-
dicate that growth of some macroalgae (Laminaria) has been affected by
exposure to oil, erosion of the edges of the blades of these plants
has been observed.
Adverse effects from exposure to oil were noted on limpets (Patella
vulgata and P. aspera) over most of the impacted coastline. We observed
limpets with shells covered with oil (Plate 5-3) as well as limpets in a
recently dead or moribund condition. As seen in Plate 5-5, mousse was
trapped under the shell and retained there even after the surrounding
rock had been cleansed by wave action or clean-up operations. The oil
trapped under the shell caused these animals to lose contact with the
rock, fall onto the sand and die, after which many of them were eaten by
198
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seagulls (Plate 5-4). This sequence of observations was not uncommon,
and the sensitivity of limpets to oil has also been noted by other
investigators (Baker et al., 1977).
Nearly complete mortality of limpets and periwinkles occurred in
the rocky intertidal zone immediately inshore of the wreck, just north
of Portsall. At most other locations, however, live limpets, many
heavily oiled on the shell, could still be found 5 to 8 weeks after the
spill. Many of the oiled limpets had moved to tidepools where the rock
surfaces had not been oiled. At Roscoff there was clear evidence by
May 20 that the limpets were grazing over lightly oiled rocks and con-
tributing to the cleanup process.
As the oil penetrated into the sand, molluscs and polychaetes
emerged to the surface where they were more susceptible to wave action
and predators (Plates 5-2 and 5-6). Live cockles (Cerastoderma-Cardium
edule), in particular, were observed on the surface in sandy environ-
ments all along the affected coast. The valves of many of these ani-
mals could be pulled apart easily, which indicated their weakened condi-
tion prior to death.
The mortality of intertidal organisms (e.g., cockles, limpets and
snails, Littorina), in general, did not occur as soon as mousse entered
their environment but was observed over a period of two months following
the wreck. Heaviest mortalities probably occurred in the first 2 to 3
weeks. Six to 8 weeks after the spill most of the heavily impacted,
sandy beaches had undergone extensive cleaning both from the concen-
trated efforts of cleaning crews and from tidal and wave action. Large
numbers of dead and moribund organisms were not seen at this time and
many of the sandy intertidal areas appeared superficially "normal".
Large numbers of Arenicola marina could be found actively extruding
fecal matter from their burrows on most beaches. At two sites, however,
we attempted to locate other living infaunal organisms with little
success. On the beach at Dunes de Ste. Marguerite (AMC-11)* on May 7,
5 to 6 square meters were raked by hand for cockles and clams. None
were found, although the dead shells on the beach suggested that they
had previously been present in large numbers. Identical sampling of a
similar but unaffected area on the south coast of Brittany produced 3 to
20 cockles per square meter along with associated clams (mainly Venerupis
aurea).
Exceptions to these observations did occur. The beach at St.
Efflam is one notable example which is discussed later in this chapter.
The intertidal sand beach at Corn ar Gazel, which was sampled for species
composition of infauna, is another (see Appendix, this chapter). On
March 31 the water of this embayment had a strong odor of oil and was
*AMC designations represent geological stations; see Fig. 3-1.
199
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milky-colored. A variety of freshly killed or moribund organisms was
found (see Fig. 5A-1, Appendix)* the most notable of which was Arenicola
marina. Several individuals of this species were observed extending ~
part-way out of the sand, yet Arenicola has been generally shown to be
resistant to at least low concentrations of oil (Gordon et al. 1978,
Baker et al. 1977).
The acute situation at Corn ar Gazel may have been related to the
recent use of dispersants since the milky color of the water could have
been due to droplets of emulsified oil. This milky water was very
localized; a small embayment less than one-half kilometer to the west
had normal-looking seawater, and relatively few dead organisms were
observed. Although it is possible that the milky water came from
offshore where ships of the! French Navy were actively discharging dis-
persants, these chemicals were also used by clean-up crews along the
shore. In late April, a clean-up crew was observed using dispersants
and the nearby water turned a milky color that could still be seen
several hours later. Clean-up crews also had been working on the beach
at Corn ar Gazel just prior to our arrival and may have been using
dispersants as well.
We observed dispersants being used to clean seawalls at Roscoff on
April 1 and rocks near Santec on April 8 and between Ploumanac'h and
Perros-Guirec on April 30. The operation at Roscoff consisted of men
spraying the solution from canisters strapped to their backs prior to
washing with water under high pressure. From discussions with the
clean-up crew we learned that a much stronger dispersant had been used
earlier but it irritated their eyes and skin and they had switched to a
milder one. With this milder dispersant it was often necessary to use
two treatments to remove the oil. On the beach directly below this
cleaning operation, dead and dying cockles, nereid polychaetes, and
periwinkles were observed. To what ^extent the use^of di spersants con-
tr-i^iitAd »» thosp mortal i t.i ps-is^ JlPj^Jyinwn^ but thie toxicity of dispers-
ants and dispersant-oil mixtures has been previously documented (Wilson,
1974; Nelson-Smith, 1968; Smith, 1968). Near Santec and Ploumanac'h,
firetrucks containing mixtures of water and dispersants were being used.
An empty drum at Santec was labeled Treatolite demulsifer, Petrolite
Corporation, London.
In some locations, part of the observed mortality could probably be
related to cleanup activities. For example, intertidal rocks on the
beach at Meis-Vran had been cleaned prior to May 7 with water under high
pressure or more probably with steam. These rocks retained none of the
typical molluscan fauna. Shell of limpets (Patella)t periwinkles
(Littorina), and trochid snails (Gibbula and Monodonta) were washed into
drift rows streaming down from the rocks into the adjacent sand. In the
lower part of the intertidal zone, however, limpets were still living
beneath seaweed attached to rocks.
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Other mortalities were related to specific events. Large kills of
amphipods (Talitrus saltator) were observed by the geological team at
several locations. These kills can be related to the spring tides in
late March which deposited oil high on the beach or at the base of
dunes, thus impacting the habitat of this species on a single occasion
(see Plate 4-24).
The extent of petroleum impact on more protected environments such
as estuaries, bays, and marshes was determined primarily by the config-
uration of the coastline. Estuaries or bays facing west were much more
heavily impacted by oil than those facing east (see Chapter 4). The
Aber Benoit and Aber Wrac'h estuaries near, the wreck site and Rulosquet
marsh at lie Grande (AMC-18), about 90 kilometers by air from the
wreck, acted as catchment basins, and relatively large volumes of oil
were funneled into these habitats (see Chapter 3 for results of chemical
analyses).
Rulosquet marsh at lie Grande, the beach at St. Efflam, and the
Aber Benoit estuary, were the most impacted environments observed. A
description of the extent of oiling in the marsh and associated biologi-
cal communities is given in Chapter 4 and the Appendix to this chapter
(also see Plates 4-1 and 6-16). Observations made on March 30 indicated
that the entire community of the macrofauna was in the process of dying
since the entire marsh was covered with a thick layer of oil. Crabs
(Carcinus maenus), polychaetes (Nereis diversicolor), and cockles were
the most abundant animals affected (Plate 5-7). Still live but heavily
oiled crabs sought refuge on seagrasses and debris and were sluggish
upon being touched. Polychaetes were emerging from the sediments and
attempting to remain in small patches of unoiled seawater (Plate 5-8)
but often were observed struggling in the oil. Three days later (April
2) the NOAA geological team revisited the marsh and it appeared that
virtually complete mortality of macrofauna had occurred. Thousands of
dead polychaetes were observed in small saltwater pools contained within
larger pools of oil (Plate 5-9), and many dead crabs were on the marsh
surface. Live, struggling animals were not observed as on March 30.
(For additional description of these observations, see Chapter 4.)
Initially we considered this location as an area for potential study of
long-term effects of oiling on marsh ecosystems. Studies will not be
possible at lie Grande, however, since cleaning crews have removed the
top 20 to 25 cm of marsh over most of the affected area. This removal
started on April 30 and was done with heavy equipment which generally
excavated the marsh plants including the entire root system, leaving a
bare sand-clay surface. On May 19 the marsh was revisited, and at this
time, heavily oiled high marsh grass (Juncus?) was observed around the
perimeter of the excavated area. Many of these plants had 4 to 6 cm of
new bright green growth beneath the blackened and dead oiled portion of
the stem.
The most dramatic biological effects of the oil spill that were
observed occurred along a sandy beach near the village of St. Efflam on
201
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April 2. This beach is located on the western side of an embayment
(Lieue de Greve) approximately 84 km by air from the wreck site. The
geological station (AMC-15) is on the eastern side of this same embay-
ment near St. Michel-en-Greve. On April 2, approximately 2\ km of beach
at low tide were covered by seven swash lines of dead organisms, predom-
inantly urchins and molluscs, which extended for several hundred meters
from the high tide line seaward (Plates 5-10 and 5-11; see also Plates
4-6 and 4-7). These organisms consisted primarily of tests of heart
urchins (Echinocardium cofdatum), razor clams (Ensis siliqua and Pharus
legumen), cockles, and small surf clams (Mactra cinerea). in addition,
many polychaete tubes (simil31* to Djopatra along the east coast of the
United States) were found along the lower swash lines.
Several attempts were made to quantify the extent of mortality.
One approach was to mark off one-square-meter sections in several swash
lines and count all dead organisms within each square (e.g., Plate 5-
12). Because the animals were not evenly distributed along the swash
lines, we attempted to select areas that appeared to represent average
concentrations of dead organisms within a swash line. One square meter
that was counted contained 93 urchins, 52 razor clams, 75 cockles, and
39 surf clams. Another square meter yielded 14 razor clams, 33 surf
clams, 56 cockles, and numerous worm tubes that we did not count. Other
organisms also present along the beach but in lesser numbers included
mussels (Mytilus edulis), small clams (Venerupis decussata. Venerupis
pullastra, Tellina tenuis and Lutraria lutraria) and several unidenti-
fied tunicateF! One dead cormorant was observed as well (Plate 5-13).
Three estimates of the number of dead organisms were made along
this beach on April 2 by the NOAA team studying the effect of coastal
processes on oil-sediment interaction. The following estimates appeared
in the preliminary NOAA report on the Amoco Cadiz oil spill, Appendix B.
(1)	"A swash line of dead heart urchins (Echinocardium sp.)
300 m long and 25 m wide was counted, based on the number of
dead organisms occurring within a one-meter wide swath meas-
ured perpendicular to the swash line. The total arrived at was
120,000 dead urchins within that one swash line."
(2)	"A swash line made up predominantly of dead razor clams
250 m long and 6 m wide was also measured using the same
method as in (l). According to our estimate, there were
45,000 dead razor clams within that single swash line."
(3)	"At evening low tide (7:00 p.m.) on April 2, the entire
intertidal area was littered with shells of dead organisms.
As the tide fell, a cover of approximately 3 to 5 dead
organisms/m2 was left behind. Heart urchins were by far the
dominant species. At that time, the intertidal zone was
measured to be 570 m wide. Assuming that each square meter
contained 4 dead urchins (based on several counts), a 500 m
202
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long section of the beach would have contained 1,140,000 dead
urchins. Therefore, several million dead urchins were present
on the surface of the intertidal zone at that time, in addi-
tion to hundreds of thousands of dead clams and worms."
In contrast to these massive mortalities, deposit-feeding poly-
chaetes (probably Arenicola) appeared to have tolerated the elevated
levels of hydrocarbons. Relatively high populations of these worms were
actively pumping fecal material onto the surface of the sand in the
region between the last swash line and the low water mark. An estimate
placed their abundance at 15/m2. This observation was not unique to
this beach; we also observed active deposit-feeding polychaetes on
beaches where cockles and clams, in the process of dying, were emerging
from the sand.
Although this kill was observed 16 days after the wreck, there is
evidence that suggests that the die-off was recent and catastrophic in
nature. This same beach had been visited at low tide by NOAA and EPA
scientists on March 28 and on March 30, and this massive mortality was
not then observed. We were told of the kill on April 1 while in Roscoff,
so several million dead organisms were washed up on the beach over a 2
to 3 day period. Many of the dead molluscs had soft body tissues still
attached to the shells (Plate 5-13); others appeared normal except that
the valves could be pulled easily apart.
On a follow-up trip made to the same beach on April 14, freshly
dead clams were found, indicating that mortality was continuing among
the clam populations. In addition, some mussels were observed to be
dead or dying in the area at this time. Thousands of tests of dead
heart urchins and the shells of razor clams were still present, but it
was obvious that they had been dead for some time and no freshly killed
specimens were observed. The polychaete population, on the other hand,
appeared not to be acutely affected, as indicated by the large number of
mounds of fresh fecal material in the lower tidal areas.
By April 30, clean-up crews and wave and tidal action had removed
nearly all traces of this earlier mortality from the beach. Only oc-
casional urchin tests and razor clam shells could be found, half buried
in the sand. Shells of the clam, Tellina tenuis, with the ligaments
still intact, were abundant. Several shovelfuls of sand were shifted by
hand and only one live Tellina was found.
The onset of mortalities in the St. Efflam area could have been
triggered at least two ways. First, this region received massive
amounts of oil that were trapped by the coastline extending from St.
Michel-en-Greve to Perros-Guirec. Retention of oil in these waters,
particularly the Bay of Lannion, was probably high and a latent period
was required for the dissolved concentrations of hydrocarbons to reach
toxic levels, mix to the bottom (which may have been to depths of 40 to
60 m), and penetrate into the sediment. The other possibility is that
203
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the use of dispersants in coastal waters accelerated the dissolution and
vertical movement of the oil. Whatever the cause, oil was effectively
mixed to the bottom in the Bay of Lannion; large numbers of dead urchins
were photographed at 20 m depth during cruises of the CNEX0/C0B ship R/V
Thalia, and grab samples of sediment from this same area had extremely
high concentrations of total hydrocarbons (Dr. L. Laubier, personal
communication).
The presence of polychaete tubes on the beach may have been caused
by physical processes rather than by toxicity. The tubes appeared to
have been broken or torn with the top portion being transported to the
beach. Such an occurrence can be more easily explained as resulting
from the heavy wave action that pounded the coast following the wreck
than from toxic effects of the oil. We would not expect the latter
process to result in the breaking of the parchment-like tubes.
This area of the coast is the site of proposed long-term studies by
scientists at UBO and COB. Dr. C. Chasse (UBO) had previously conducted
an intensive ecological study of benthic fauna at Lieue de Greve as part
of a doctoral dissertation (Chasse, 1972) that will provide baseline
information for future studies. In addition, scientists at COB have
begun to obtain quantitative data on benthic fauna in the Bay of Lannion,
as well as to photograph benthic epifauna and measure hydrocarbon levels
in the water and sediments at regular intervals.
5.1.2 Impact on Marine Bird Populations
The oil spill occurred at a time of year when many species of
marine birds were in the process of migrating to summer nesting grounds.
Some species that winter in this area were in the process of leaving
(e.g., loons, ducks); other species that winter to the south or at sea
(e.g., gannets and auks) were arriving to begin the nesting season. Two
organizations were responsible for tabulating kills by species (Plate 5-
15) as well as operating bird hospitals to treat live oiled birds. The
Societe pour l'Etude et la Protection de la Nature en Bretagne (S.E.P.N.B.) ,
associated with UBO, was responsible for coastline west of Locquirec,	*
and the Ligue Francaise pour la Protection des Oiseaux (L.P.O.), a
private organization, was responsible for coastline east of Locquirec.
The tabulated kill by April 14 was about 3,200 birds consisting of
about 33 species. Four species, however, accounted for about 90% of the
kill reported by S.E.P-N-B* an
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Table 5-1. Predominant species of birds impacted by oil as of
April 14-16, 1978.
Species	Reporting Organization
L.P.O.	S.E.P.N.B.

No. of
Dead
Bi rds
% of Tabulated
Kill for
All Species
No. of
Dead
Birds
% of Tabulated
Kill for
All Species
Guillemot
302
28
513
24
Shag
162
15
415
20
Razorbi11
183
17
379
18
Puffin
205
19
679
32
Estimating the total kill of birds along the section of coast
impacted by the oil, on the basis of the above figures, would be dif-
ficult for the following reasons:
(1)	Variations in wind and current patterns following the wreck
affected the numbers of birds brought ashore or carried to
sea.
(2)	Some parts of the coast are not readily accessible.
(3)	An unknown number of birds reportedly were picked up in the
clean-up operations and not tabulated.
(4)	Species-specific behavioral patterns (e.g., those birds that
spend most of their time swimming and diving rather than
flying were most affected).
A potential chronic impact on marine bird populations may result
from feeding on contaminated prey. Sea gulls were observed feeding on
freshly-killed intertidal organisms at a number of locations along the
coast. This was particularly true on sandy beaches or intertidal flats
that were not heavily covered with oil. Shorebirds and seagulls were
conspicuously absent, however, in areas heavily covered with oil, such
as,the Aber Benoit estuary and the marsh at lie Grande, although many
recently killed invertebrates were present on the sediment surface.
The single most important nesting area for marine birds within the
area of impact is Les Sept Isles Bird Sanctuary. This sanctuary, com-
posed of seven islands and many rocky outcroppings, is located about 3
miles .off the coast of Brittany near the town of Perros-Guirec (Figs.
1-3 and 5-1). These islands, which are about 100 km by air from the
wreck site, are a natural reserve under government control and are
managed by L.P.O. They are restricted from human activity except for
lie Aux Moines, which can be visited only with special permission from
L.P.O.
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SE12H ENEZ
(Lfs sen ilisJ
^ *OViK
COST AN
P .
JLi PL*T£
1LC 0
MX HATS
C^>
JllMXHWKS
AT

i/tfCOQ
&
,<*4ius ce/trs
Figure 5-1. Islands constituting Les Sept lies (From Milon, 1972)
Although many species of marine birds nest or feed on and around
the islands, this sanctuary provides protection for three species of
marine birds now considered rare or threatened in France. These are the
puffin, the razorbill, and the guillemot, which represent three of the
four most impacted species relative to total numbers of birds killed
along the coast.
Two of the islands, Rouzic and Melban, support the southern-most
nesting colony of the puffin in Europe (Plate 5-23). These islands are
normally visited only once per year when two scientists conduct a census
of nesting birds. Prior to the wreck of the Torrey Canyon, which occurred
at the same time of year as the Amoco Cadiz, over 2000 nesting pairs of
puffins inhabited these two islands. Some of the oil from the Torrey
Canyon reached this section of the Brittany coast and the number of
nesting pairs on these islands dropped dramatically the next year. It
had stabilized at about 800 during the past several years.
Other marine birds that inhabit this sanctuary are the razorbill
(less than 100 pairs), guillemots (about 300 pairs), kittiwakes (20-100
pairs), storm petrels, herring gulls, greater and lesser blackbacked
gulls, and fulmars (100 pairs). After the Torrey Canyon incident the
number of nesting razorbills and guillemots in this sanctuary also
decreased sharply, from 250 to 90 and 400 to 150 breeding pairs respec-
tively (Milon, 1972).
This sanctuary received a considerable amount of oil since it was
directly in the path of the main flow coming from the Amoco Cadiz. The
occurrence of the spill at this time of year was unfortunate because
206
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many of the birds, particularly puffins, were just arriving at the
sanctuary from their wintering grounds. Upon arrival the puffins ini-
tially spend their time swimming and diving around the islands before
moving onto them to nest. This behavior pattern made the species par-
ticularly susceptible to oiling.
We visited the sanctuary by boat on April 2 accompanied by two
ornithologists from I.P.O. This was the first visit to the islands by
I.P.O. since the wreck. High seas and a fear of scaring birds from the
islands into the oil-covered water had prohibited earlier visits.
According to our colleagues from L.P.O., 200 to 300 puffins would nor-
mally be present in the water or on rocks around Rouzic and Melban at
this time of year. Only one puffin, however, was observed as we circled
both islands, although several hundred dead puffins had been found along
the mainland. It is not yet possible to know the impact of the oil on
this nesting colony since the dead puffins found along the beach in-
cluded members of other colonies that were in the process of migrating
to more northern nesting grounds. As of April 14 more than 850 dead
puffins had been reported (Table 5-1). What percentage these birds
represent of the total puffin kill or of those that would have remained
at Les Sept lies is not known.
A gannet colony of about 4,000 breeding pairs also inhabits the
island of Rouzic (Plate 5-14). These birds did not appear to be acutely
affected by the oil spill. Only 2% of bird mortalities reported by
S.E.P.N.B. were gannets. Potential chronic effects may exist for this
population, however, since oil-contaminated debris and seaweed may have
been used to build nests.
Another likely mechanism for impact of the oil upon marine birds is
the surface contamination of incubating eggs, either from fouled materi-
als used for nesting or from contamination of the brood patch of the
parent. Microliter quantities of fuel oil supplied to the surface of
mallard and eider eggs caused significant mortality of embryos (Albers,
1977; Szaro and Albers, 1977), and similar results have been obtained
with Alaskan crude oil or gull eggs (Patten and Patten, 1977). Further-
more the gulls tended the oiled eggs for an extended period and then
abandoned their nests, failing to produce a second viable clutch.
Evidence of such reduced hatching success should be watched for at Les
Sept lies.
Marine mammals also were affected by the oil in the vicinity of the
sanctuary. In addition, a small population of grey seals inhabits the
islands, and efforts are underway to determine if they are an independ-
ent reproducing colony. If so, it will be the second such colony along
the coast of France. As of April 2 three dead seals were found along
the northwest Brittany coast.
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5.1.3 Potential Impact On Coastal Fisheries
The region of the Brittany coast impacted by the oil spill is one
of both traditional and developing fisheries. Like most coastal fish-
eries, they are very diverse and the effect of the oil on them will be
species-specific. The full impact may never be known. The nature of the
effects will be complex and will vary from short-term impacts on popula-
tion size and availability to fishermen to potential chronic effects on
year-class. In addition, the future marketability of coastal fishery
products with elevated levels of hydrocarbons is not known. In this
section we will provide a brief overview of some of the more important
fisheries along this part of the Brittany coast that may be impacted by
the spill.
Coastal waters from Le Conquet to St. Malo support a diverse com-
mercial fishery for seaweed, crabs, clams, oysters, scallops, and
several species of finfish. Mariculture is important in the commercial
production of some of these species. Fishermen operate out of several
small ports along the coast (e.g., Le Conquet, Portsall, Brignogan,
Roscoff, and Perros-Guirec).
The Amoco Cadiz went aground in an area where marine algae have
been harvested for many years. This fishery is concentrated in coastal
waters from Le Conquet to Brignogan (near AMC-14) and produces about 75%
of the total seaweed harvest in France. The algae are harvested from
the high tide mark to depths of 25 meters and consist primarily of
Laminaria digitata, Laminaria flexicaulis, Fucus vesiculosus. Fucus
serratus, and Ascophyllum nodosum. After the harvest the material is
air-dried on meadows along the coast and shipped to factories for
processing. Approximately 200 fishermen and 150 boats are involved in
this fishery. One factory that we visited in Landemeau processed 6,000
dry metric tons per year and produced alginates, flours, powders and
liquids for baths and shampoos, and a jelly used by the cosmetic indus-
try.
The subtidal or Laminaria fishery harvests from 4,000 to 6,000 dry
metric tons per year in a season from April 15 to September 30. The
principal product is alginates which are used as thickening and stabil-
izing agents in foods and industrial products. During the first week of
May, we observed Laminaria being unloaded from boats at l'Aber Wrac'h
and at Roscoff. It is not known if this crop had been affected by
accumulated oil from the Amoco Cadiz. Laminaria also has been tradi-
tionally gathered from the beaches at Santec (about 6 kilometers west
of Roscoff) as it washes ashore in late spring and summer. On May 18,
the beaches in this area had visible sheens of oil in the interstitial
water, and small quantities of mousse were still coming ashore. Thus
the harvest of this beached material also may be affected.
The attached algae in the intertidal zone (Fucus and Ascophyllum)
are hand-picked at low tide or gathered on the beaches. The harvest is
90fl
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estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 dry metric tons per year, and is used pri-
marily to produce a flour used as a supplement for cattle feed.
Because of the location of the wreck, a significant portion of both
the subtidal and intertidal algae important to the seaweed industry was
exposed to large amounts of oil and its dissolved fractions. This
exposure occurred just prior to the opening of the harvesting season,
and the effects on the industry are now being determined in terms of
growth, reproduction of plants, and accumulation of hydrocarbons. Large
amounts of potentially harvestable seaweed were removed from the beaches
during cleanup operations because of heavy oiling, particularly near
Portsall. In the harbor of Portsall, oiled Fucus and Ascophyllum
were systematically hand-picked in late May from intertidal rocks and
jetties by military cleanup crews.
Adverse effects on the mollusc fishery will probably be most
significant for oysters and clams. Rearing of oysters (Crassostrea
gigas and Ostrea edulis) on racks is an important aspect of Brittany's
shellfish industry, and several commercial operations were impacted by
the spill. Most notable were those located in and just off the mouths
of the Aber Benoit and Aber Wrac'h estuaries. As discussed earlier in
this chapter, these estuaries received large amounts of oil because they
were directly downwind from the wreck. Although some oysters were
removed from gardens or holding pens prior to the arrival of oil, most
of the crop was either killed or heavily contaminated both in the
estuaries (Plate 5-16) and in adjacent waters (Plate 5-21). One dealer
interviewed in St. Pabu on the Aber Benoit estuary stated that he had
released 119 of 125 employees as of April A. In the Aber Wrach estuary,
oysters contained visible oil around the fringes of the mantle in mid to
late May, and the oyster industry was still shut down. A dealer inter-
viewed at that time indicated that he may be required to dispose of his
remaining stock of contaminated oysters.
Another important culturing area is located in the Bay of Morlaix.
Because it is farther from the wreck, dealers had time to remove and
transport some of the oysters to beds in southern Brittany, although we
understand that some mortalities and/or contamination of oysters did
occur. We have no information at the present time relative to the total
impact of the spill on the commercial oyster industry, nor the time that
will be required for the re-establishment of an acceptable water quality.
In addition to the oyster culture operations, a small clam fishery
is located at Perros-Guirec. We observed dead and dying clams of com-
mercial importance (Venus verrucosa, Venerupis pullastra and Venerupis
descussata) on beaches near Perros-Guirec, but do not know what the
impact will be on this fishery.
The impact of the spill on the scallop (Argopecten) fishery may be
minimal. This industry is centered in and near the Bay of St. Brieuc,
which yields about 10,000 metric tons/year. This region was not heavily
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contaminated by the spill. A small scallop fishery (about 100 metric
tons per year) is located in the Bay of Morlaix and could be affected.
Divers from the Roscoff Biological Station have observed mousse on the
bottom of the Bay of Morlaix. This could affect either the scallops
themselves, or could interfere with fishing for them.
Two species of crab are fished in the impacted area, Cancer
pagurus and Maia squinado (spider crab). As with the other fisheries
it is too early to assess effects. Spider crabs were in the process of
migrating into shallower coastal waters when the spill occurred. In
the nearshore areas between Roscoff and the Bay of Morlaix, many
fishermen were observed running their traplines during May, and spider
crabs were being landed at Roscoff and at Le Diben (2 km SSW of Pointe
de Primel).
The Societe Langouste at Roscoff is a specialized commercial
operation that deals primarily with lobsters (Plates 5-17 and 5-17a).
It imports lobsters (both Homarus and Palinurus) from around the world
(e.g., Canada, United States, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina), holds
them in pens exposed to natural seawater, and sells several hundred tons
per year to dealers in France. In addition, oysters and clams caught
locally are held and sold depending on price fluctuations. The oil
arrived at this facility at 2:00 a.m. on March 21 just 2 hours after all
the lobsters were removed to tanks with a closed cycle recirculating
system. An oil control boom was placed in front of the pens (Plate 5-
17A) but high winds and tides drove the oil across the booms and into
the pens (Plate 5-18). The oiling of this facility was so extensive
that it is expected to be out of operation for at least a year. All
wood will be replaced and oil will be burned off the concrete, which
will then be recemented. Some spiny lobsters and oysters were being
held in the closed recirculating system on the day of our visit (April
1) and the seawater was being transported from Brest by truck.
Although some fish, such as rock fish, gobies, and one species of
gadidae (Plate 5-20), were killed within a 10 km radius of the ship-
wreck, there is very little known as yet about the effects of the oil
spill on the commercial fishery of the area. Few dead commercially-
important fish, such as mullet, mackerel, pollock, bass or flatfish
species, were collected. Flatfish such as plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
may suffer from adverse effects on year-class strength since larvae and
juveniles were concentrated in estuaries and bays that were heavily
oiled. What effect the oil suspended in the water column will have on
the survival of the larvae of these species is unknown, but contamina-
tion at this critical phase could have serious consequences (Michael,
1977). Mackerel (Scomber scombrus), on the other hand, spawn elsewhere
and migrate into these waters to feed during the spring and summer.
Adverse effects on this species may be minimal except for possible food
web contamination. In any case, there are few data on fishing effort in
the impacted area, and this will make it difficult to determine impacts
on coastal fisheries in future years. If significant quantities of oil
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are present on the sediment in traditional fishing area, both gear and
catch may be fouled and economic losses will be incurred. A fisherman
at l'Aber Wrac'h indicated that gear fouling was a problem in offshore
areas that he had fished in late April and early May.
5.1.4 Potential Impacts on Terrestrial Communities
Although we have focused upon marine communities, terrestrial
communities must be considered as well. Volatile fractions of the
petroleum, strongly evident to the human observer, caused dizziness,
headaches, and nausea. The lobster dealer at Roscoff noted that song
birds left that area 2 to 3 days before arrival of the oil. These birds
may have been responding to the presence of air-borne hydrocarbons.
They reportedly began to return 1 to 2 weeks later.
Transport of airborne fractions of petroleum to farm crops may have
been substantial. In a few instances crops directly adjacent to the
coast were oiled and had to be destroyed (Plate 5-19). The process of
assimilation of volatile fractions of petroleum by crops and transport
of measurable fractions of these compounds to humans either directly by
consumption of the crops or indirectly by consumption of livestock may
be unique to this oil spill.
5.1.5 False Color Photo Infrared Pictures
Infrared pictures were taken by the SOR team on an experimental
basis as a possible aid in identifying beached oil and documenting
changes in the flora. Kodak Ektachrome infrared film was used with a
wratten #12 filter as recommended by Kodak for biological work. As seen
in Plate 5-24a, Amoco Cadiz oil on the rocks and on the beach (not
shown) appears greenish. Also apparently healthy Fucus can be seen in
the background appearing red. In normal light, fucus and oil are hard
to distinguish, especially from the air. Also, live and dead seaweed
appear the same in normal light, whereas the "healthy" red color in
infrared is lost when the plant dies. Most plants will show changes in
infrared when under stress, before any change is detectable in normal
light. Fig. 5-24b shows the greenish color of oil mixed with the red of
the grass in the area that has been covered with oil.
5.2 Summary
Adverse biological effects of oil spilled from the Amoco Cadiz were
observed along the northwest coast of Brittany ranging from Portsall to
Perros-Guirec—a distance of about 150 km of coastline with numerous
rocky outcroppings and islands. Habitats impacted by the spill con-
sisted of exposed sandy beaches, rocky headlands, bays, estuaries,
marshes, subtidal areas, and neretic waters. Biological communities in
these habitats were subjected to varying degrees of stress depending
upon type of habitat, distance from the spill, and location relative to
the configuration of the coastline.
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Intertidal communities on coastlines facing west, as well as the
Aber-Benoit estuary and Rulosquet marsh near lie Grande, were severely
impacted by the petroleum. The effects were maximized by spring tides
which occurred just after the wreck. Massive mortalities of intertidal
communities occurred near St. Efflam and at Rulosquet marsh over a
relatively short time (a few days) whereas mortalities of other pop-
ulations were observed to occur more gradually (over several weeks).
Populations of intertidal crabs, nereid worms, bivalve molluscs and
limpets were much more acutely affected by the spill than was the
deposit-feeding polychaete Arenicola. For epifauna, mortality appeared
to be related to physical coating by the oil. The dissolved fraction of
oil that penetrated into the interstitial water was probably the primary
factor contributing to mortalities of infauna. Acute effects generally
were not observed on attached macroalgae although some evidence obtained
in an independent study indicated that the fertilization process of
exposed plants may be impaired.
Extremely large concentrations of dead and dying organisms were
observed at two locations 16 days after the wreck. On April 2, several
million dead molluscs and urchins were present along 2\ km of beach near
the village of St. Efflam. These organisms consisted primarily of heart
urchins (Echinocardium cordatum), razor clams (Ensis siliqua and Pharus
loguma), cockles (Cerastroderma edule) and surf clams (Mactra cinerea).
At Rulosquet marsh near lie Grande on the same day, thousands of dead
polychaetes (Nereis diversicolor) and large numbers of dead crabs
(Carcinus maenus) covered the marsh surface.
Although some fish kills were reported in the general vicinity of
the wreck prior to the time our observations began (March 29), we rarely
observed dead fish. Larval fish populations of certain species present
in the area at the time may have been affected but the specific effects
will be difficult to determine. Some fish species may become contamin-
ated by the transfer of hydrocarbons through the food chain.
Dispersants, which were used both in coastal waters and in shoreline
cleanup operations, may have contributed to the fish mortalities observed
at Corn ar Gazel and St. Efflam. The use of dispersants in cleanup
operations varied along the coast but they were used extensively near
Roscoff in early April. To what extent these chemicals contributed to
mortalities in intertidal areas is not known.
The oil spill occurred at a time when many species of marine birds
were migrating from wintering to nesting grounds. Over 3,200 deaths
were recorded which consisted of more than 30 species. About 85% of
these deaths, however, consisted of four species (shag-cormorant,
guillemot, razorbill) and puffin), the last three of which are consid-
ered rare or threatened in France. More chronic effects on marine birds
may occur from feeding on contaminated prey. For example, seagulls were
observed feeding on freshly killed intertidal organisms all along the
impacted coastline.
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The Sept lies Bird Sanctuary near Perros-Guirec provides important
nesting grounds for several species of marine birds along the northwest
coast of Brittany, particularly for puffins, razorbills, and guillemots.
Two islands in the sanctuary support the southernmost nesting colony of
puffins in Europe. This colony was severely reduced as a result of the
Torrey Canyon oil spill and may be further reduced by the Amoco Cadiz
incident.
Coastal waters along the northern coast of Brittany support a di-
verse commercial fishery for seaweed, crabs, clams, oysters, scallops,
and several species of finfish. The Amoco Cadiz went aground along the
section of the coast that produces about 75% of the seaweed harvested in
France. Both subtidal (Laminaria) and intertidal (Fucus and Ascophyllum)
species were exposed to extremely high concentrations of oil just prior
to the opening of the harvesting season. The effects on the industry
are now being determined in terms of growth and reproduction of plants,
and accumulation of hydrocarbons. Mariculture operations for oysters
were severely affected in the Aber Benoit and Aber Wrac'h estuaries and
the Bay of Morlaix. Large numbers of oysters were either killed or
contaminated by the spill. The holding pens of the commercial lobster
operation at Roscoff was heavily oiled and probably will be out of
operation for a year. The main scallop fishery in Brittany is located
east of the impacted area and adverse effects may be minimal. At the
present time, we have no information on the impact of the spill on the
crab industry.
Little is known as yet about the effect the oil spill on the com-
mercial finfish industry although few dead commercially-important fish
were reported. Obviously those species whose young inhabit bays and
estuaries (e.g., plaice) will probably be affected more severely than
species that spawn in offshore waters and migrate into coastal waters to
feed (e.g., mackerel).
The transport of oil or its volatile fractions to terrestrial com-
munities may have been substantial. In late March gale-force winds and
spring tides combined to deposit oil above the high tide mark. More
importantly, some of the airborne fractions of the petroleum can adhere
to plants and be transported to humans through farm crops or livestock.
A coordinated program to assess the biological consequences of the
Amoco Cadiz oil spill is currently being developed by French scientists
from Roscoff, UBO, and COB. For example, proposals have been made to
study the repopulation of intertidal communities in areas where pre-spill
baseline information exists; the occurrence of neoplasms in shellfish
(some oysters and cockles were collected shortly after the spill for
this purpose); the effects of the oil spill on the year-class strength
of plaice; the effects of growth and reproduction of attached micro-
algae; and the accumulation of hydrocarbons by a variety of species
including birds. In addition research programs between French scientists
and scientists from other countries, such as the United States and
Canada, have also been planned.
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5.3 References
Ablers, P. H. (1977): The effects of external applications of fuel oil
on. hatchability of mallard eggs. In: (D. A. Wolfe, ed.). Fate
and effects of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine organisms and eco-
systems , Pergamon Press, New York, 158-163.
Baker, J., J. Addy, B. Dicks, S. Hainsworth, D. Levell, G. Crapp and S
Ottway (1977): Ecological effects of marine oil pollution. Rapp.
P.-V. Reun., Cons. Int. Explor. Mer, 171:196-201.
Chasse, C. J. M. (1972): Economie, sedimentaire et biologique (produc-
tion) de Bretagne. Ph.D. Thesis, Station Biologique de Roscoff,
Faculty of Sciences, UBO. 293 p.	'
Gordon, D. C., Jr., J. Dale, and P. D. Keizer (1978): Importance of
sediment working by the deposit-feeding polychaete Arenicola marina
on the weathering rate of sediment-bound oil. J. Fish. Res. Board
Can., 35:591-603.	~		
Michael, A. D. (1977): The effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on marine
populations and communities. In: (D. A. Wolfe, ed.), Fate and
effects of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine organisms and ecosys-
tems , Pergamon, New York, 129-137.
Milon, P. (1972): La mort sur 1'ile, Crepin-Leblond et Cie, Paris,
France, 107 p.
Nelson-Smith, A. (1968): The effects of oil pollution and emulsifier
cleaning on shore life in southwest Britain. J. Appl. Ecol.,
5:97-107.
Patten, S. M., Jr., and L. R. Patten (1977): Effects of petroleum expo-
sure on hatching success and incubation behavior of the Gulf of
Alaska herring gull group (Larus argentatus X Larus glaucenscens).
NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories, OCSEAP Principal Investi-
gator Reports, Boulder, Colo., 22 p.
Smith, J. E> (ed.) (1968): "Torrey Canyon" pollution and marine life.
Cambridge Univ. Press, 196 p.
Steele, R* L. (1977): Effects of certain petroleum products on repro-
duction and growth of zygotes and juvenile stages of the alga Fucus
edentatus de la Pyl (Phaeophyceae: Fucales). In: (D. A. Wolfe,
ed.)F^te and effects of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine organ-
isms and ecosystems, Pergamon Press, New York, 138-142.
Szaro, R. C. and. P. H. Albers (1977): Effects of external application
of No. 2 fuel oil on common eider eggs. In: (D. A. Wolfe, ed.).
Fate and effects of Petroleum hydrocarbons in marine organisms and
ecosystems. Pergamon Press, New York, 164-167.
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Wilson, K. (1974): Toxicity testing for ranking oils and oil dispers-
ants. In: (L. R. Beynon and E. B. Cornell, eds.)• Ecological
aspects of toxicity testing of oils and dispersants. Applied
Science Publishers Ltd., Essex, England, 11-22.
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APPENDIX, CH. 5
ONSHORE SURVEY OF MACROBENTHOS
Jeffrey L. Hyland*
Introduction
An onshore preliminary survey was conducted March 27 to March 31,
1978 along the northern Brittany coast from Argenton east to lie Grande
for the purpose of evaluating the extent of the oiling and the magnitude
of onshore ecological impact. General ecological observations and
photographs generated along route have been incorporated into various
other sections of this report. The following section summarizes results
relevant to two specific objectives: (1) to observe and photograph
obviously oiled, dead, or moribund organisms found on contaminated
beaches, and (2) to develop a general understanding of the spatial and
numerical distribution of benthic macrofaunal species considered at
risk. Results reflecting these two objectives are discussed for each of
several habitats investigated.
Sampling Techniques and Treatment of Data
The types of habitat of research stations included an intertidal
sandy cove with algal-coated rocky zones (Roscoff—EPA station 1); a
salt marsh (lie Grande-EPA station 2); and a high energy, ocean-exposed
sandy beach backed by steep dunes (Corn ar Gazel—EPA station 3). Each
station was photographed, and samples of dead, moribund, and oil-coated
organisms were returned to the laboratory for gross observation and
species identification.
Routine techniques of field sampling and data reduction were
employed for describing the distribution of species at risk. Sampling
was conducted during low tide, 3 to 5 days after the arrival of spring
tides. In the rocky intertidal zone at Roscoff, density estimates of
macroepifauna were made at five substations using 0.25 m2 quadrats. The
*U.S. EPA/ERL, Narragansett, RI 02882.
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macroinfauna was sampled at Roscoff from three additional sandy substa-
tions (high water mark on beach at Mariner's Home--substation 1-1; mid-
dle of cove between Roscoff and tip of Perharidic peninsula—substation
1-2; and low water mark at mouth of cove, near edge of channel between
Roscoff and lie de Batz--substation 1-3). The macroinfauna alone was
sampled from one substation at lie Grande (on a mud flat along southern
edge of main channel intersecting highway D21) and from three sandy
substations at Corn ar Gazel (10 m above low water mark--substation 3-1;
low water mark—substation 3-2; and 5 m below low water mark—substation
3-3). Each infaunal substation was represented by 10 pooled, replicate
samples collected with a 0.01 m2 polyvinyl chloride corer to a depth of
20 cm and rough sieved through a 2.0 mm screen. Contents on the screen
were preserved in a 10% formalin solution in the field and returned to
the laboratory for identification and enumeration of all macroinverte-
brates. Most organisms were identified to the species level with the
aid of the following literature:
Polychaeta: Fauvel (1923, 1927), Clark (1960), Day (1967)
Mollusca: Cornet and Marche-Marchad (1951), Allen (1962),
Tebble (1966)
Crustacea: Sars (1890), Truchot and Toulmond (1964),
Bourdon (1965), Allen (1967), Barnard (1969),
Bouvier (1940), Chevereux and Fage, (1925)
Other general works that were useful included Barrett and Yonge (1958),
Eales (1967), Day (1969), and Gosner (1971). Data analysis included the
generation of preliminary species lists with numerical abundances and
the calculation of species diversity (H*, in bits per individual) with
its components, species richness (Gleason diversity, Dp) and evenness
(J*).	G
Additional samples of sediment and organisms were collected from
each station for routine hydrocarbon analysis, the results of which are
discussed elsewhere in this report.
Field work was facilitated through the services of Jim Lake (EPA,
Narragansett, Rhode Island) and Bud Cross (NOAA, Beaufort, North Caro-
lina). Taxonomic assistance was provided by Sheldon Pratt (U. of Rhode
Island, Oceanography Dept.), Robert Bullock (U. of Rhode Island, Zoology
Dept.) and John Scott (EPA, Narragansett, Rhode Island).
Rocky Intertidal Zone at Roscoff
Table 5A-1 lists macroepifaunal species identified and enumerated
within the five rocky intertidal substations. The species are con-
sidered members of the mesolittoral zone and were found attached or
crawling on bare rock or on dense patches of algae (mostly Ascophyllum
nodosum and Fucus spp.) at approximately 0.5 to 1.5 m above the base of
217
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the substrate. The list includes only the obvious species that were
large enough to recognize and enumerate in the field, and is therefore
exclusive of the smaller organisms, particularly amphipods and small
gastropods, associated with microhabitats. Limpets fPatella vulgata)
and periwinkles (Littorina obtusata and L. littorea) were the most
numerous. Other species included the gastropod, Gibbula umbilicalis;
the chiton Lepidochitona cinereus; the tube dwelling polychaete,
Spirorbis borealis; and the barnacle, Elminius modestus.
Table 5A-1. Species list for rocky intertidal quadrats at Roscoff.
Species
Quadrats (no.'s per 0.25 m2)
Gastropoda
Patella vulgata
Littorina obtusata
Littorina littorea
Gibbula umbilical is
4
1
1
16
6
16
Polychaeta
Spirorbis borealis
occasional
calcerecMs
tubes
occasional
calcareous
tubes
Amphineura
Lepidochitona cinereus
Ci rripedia
Elminius modestus
Algae
Mostly Ascophyllum
nodosum & Fucus spp.
dense
population
80 to 100% cover
All species within these quadrats were exposed to the oil, because
thick layers of oil were still heavily concentrated on the rocks and
algae. Consequently, most organisms were considered at risk and some
were in the process of being eliminated at the time the survey was
conducted on March 29. Limpets and periwinkles, for example, were
218
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particularly affected, and dead and moribund individuals were observed
at the base of the rocks. Some limpets were beginning to lose purchase
on the rocks and were easily removed with the flick of a finger. Lim-
pets are unable to hold their shells firmly against the substrate for
long periods of time, since the adductor muscles must relax occasionally
allowing the shells to lift slightly. When this occurs in heavily oiled
areas the oil may penetrate beneath the shell margin, thus contaminating
the gills and other delicate tissues. Close examination of the limpets
revealed contamination of the soft body parts and deterioration of the
flesh. Shore birds were observed pecking the upturned shell contents.
Other epifaunal species not necessarily occurring within the five
quadrats were found dead or moribund in the immediate vicinity. These
included the topshells (Gibbula cineraria, G. umbilicalis, and Calli-
ostoma zizyphinum) and the green crab (Carcinus maenus) (Fig. 5A-1).
Close examination of dissected crabs revealed that the oil had formed a
thick coating around the gills.
Figure 5A-1. Dead and moribund organisms at EPA Station 1, Roscoff. Left
to right: Top-row—Venerupis descussata, Cardium edule, Patella vulgata,
and Littorina littorea (with attached Elminius modestus). Middle row--
Littorina obtusata (one black and one yellow specimen), Gibbula
umbilicalis, Gibbula cineraria, and Calliostoma zizyphinum.
Bottom row—Nereis diversicolor and Carcinus maenus.
219
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These same rocky inter*.ida! species were similarly -sffecre-l along
Cojriist coasts in 1S£7 attsr exposure ta a nubctare of "detergents and
ccute oil spi-Llecl frcue the Torrcy Caayon (Smith, 1366-t JlsI&on-s.wi.vVj
196Sa), However, it cfrsX-ta/sA. Vo "iTJiit'ir s account that oil alone had
¦caused little harm to shofe life, effects on roclcy intertidal organisms
were observed in an area where detergents were .allegedly not used prior
to sampling-
JfasselS) fiytilus epulis^ were net observed on xbe rocks at Roaccff,
However, .lease popalations were found s&bteqjEttly at I^oC^uire-c iEPA
sta'ioa 4). The jnussfls vetrt ciie^. yet tivzf. »kpeait& "jxiiiannefl at that
tin®.
Intertidal 3 and Cove at Bc-geoff
Tfce sat^y cove between Soscoff aid the Perfiaridic peninsula is
almost entirely exposed at low tid£- Consequently, oil ni>t only concen-
trated in thick layers high u-jp on the beaches, but with. receding spriag
tides was si so dispersed throagibia a a" in larg£ nurtar^.
Quantitative sejrfpiitg of the tiiree saa	however these species
wfete not well represented in the infauaal samples.
220
-------
Table 5A-2. Species list and associated structural indices for the various
research stations.
Species


Research
Stations





Roscoff

He Grande
Corn
ar Gazel

1-1
1-2
1-3
Z
3-1
3-2
3-3
Polychaeta



14



Nereis rfivevsico^or
52
1
-
-
-
-
Scoloplos armiger
17
12
15
-

-
2
Polycirrus aurantiacus
1
1
1
—
-
w
-
Notoinastus latericeus
2
5
20
-
~
-
-
flrenicola mari na
-
1
-
1
-
-
1
JYephtys bambergii
-
1
X
-
3
-
-
Spio filicornis
-
1
5
-
1
-
1
Nicomache sp.
-
5
-
-
-
-
-
Aonides oxycephala
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
Nephtys sp.
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
Perinereis ctltrifera
-
-
3
-
-
-
-
Lanice conchilega
-
-
3

-
-
-
Syl1is sp.
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
Phyllodoce sp. A.
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
phyllodoce sp. B.
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
Clymene sp.
-
-
13
-
-
-
-
Harmothoe lunulata
-
-
'
-
1
-
-
Glycera corvoluta
-
-
-
-
-
"
2
Audouinia tertaculata
-
-
'
-
-

4
Umphipoda







Wanst-crius aremrivs
2
-
-

-
-
-
Phoxocephalopsi s.
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
de-cept-1 on is







Qecapaata







Carcinus maenus
'
1
1
-
-
-
-
Cancer pagurus
'
-
-
-
-
1
1
Bivalvia







Tellina tenuis

1
-

-
-
-
Loripes lucinalis
-
4
1
-
-
-
-
Loripes sp.
'
~
6

1
-

Gastropoda







Littorina obtusata
"
""

-
1
1
-
5 (no. species/0,Ira2
6
12
15
2
5
2
7
N (no. indi vidwaWG. lw2 } 75
34
73
15
7
2
12
H'
1.30
2.90
3.34
0-35 2
.13
1.00
2.58
dg
2.66
7.18
7,51
0.85 4
.71
3.33
5.56
J1
0.50
0.81
0.85
0.35 9
.91
1.00
0.91
221
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Since such large numbers of organisms were found still living
within the sediments at the time of stapling on March 29, it appeared
that up to this time isany of the infaunal species had escaped initial
impact. Perhaps the surrounding sediment provided a blanket of protec-
tion against immediate impact, vhereas rccjty intertidal organisms suc-
cumbed to the effects of direct physical contact with heavy oil slicks.
These infaunal species are nonetheless considered at risk in view of
several observations including the visible levels of sediment and ground
water contamination throughout the study area, and the observed death of
member organisms (e.g., cockles, cl-aafs, and polychaetes) ia the immedi-
ate vicinity. Subsequent surveys of neighboring localities (e.g., at
St. Michel-en-Greve four days later) revealed massive kills of infauna,
particularly heart urchins (Echi nocardicin! cordatmn) and razor clams
(Pharus leguxnen and Ensis siliqua). Dead urchins and razor clams were
similarly reported along the Cornish coast after the Torrey Canyoti spill
(Smith, 1968). Also, impact of oil spills on soft-bottom intertidal
communities has been reported elsewhere by Sampson &ad Sanders (1969),
Thomas (1973), and Bender et al. (1974).
A striking observation was that of reproductively active poly-
chaetes throughout the infaunal samples, Periaereis cultrifera was
found in its heteronereid stage,.and other polychaetes including Phylio-
doce sp, , Glycera convoluta, and Nephtys hombergii were carrying numer-
ous ripe ova. It is possible that adult mortality at such a sexually
productive period could have an effect oa the recruitment of young, thus
significantly altering the numerical distribution of species for some
time to come. Larval forms are also known to be extremely sensitive to
petroleum pollutants.
Salt Marsh at lie Grande
Oil coverage of the marsh at lie Grande was extensive, contamin-
ating vegetation (Juocus sp., Spartina patens, and Salicornia sp.) and
leaving most mud surfaces coated with several centimeters of mousse.
Dead and moribund invertebrates were commonly found in large numbers on
the oil-soaked mud flats, and included polychaetes (Nereis diversieolor
and Arenicola marina), cockles (Cardinal edule)and green crabs (Carci-
aus maenus) (Fig. 5A-2).
Quantitative sampling of the infauna was conducted on March 30
along a aiud flat immediately adjacent to the main channel. Sampling was
nearly impossible because of the nature of the soft sedijwents coupled
with the extent of oiling- Therefore only one substation was sampled,
and this became feasible only after large areas of surface oil were
scraped away. Table 5A-2 reveals the extremely low diversity at this
site, with only two species present, Hereis diversieolor and Areaicola
marina. Although Nereis was the most abundant, neither was found alive
in large numbers.
222
-------
Figure 5A-2. Dead and moribund organisms at EPA Station 2, lie Grande.
Left to right: Top row—Nereis diversicolor and Cardium edule.
Bottom row—Carcinus maenus and Arenicola marina.
It is not uncommon to find low species diversity in salt marshes.
However, many characteristic marsh species large enough to be sampled in
a 2.0 ram sieve (e.g., larger gammarid amphipods, capitellid and spionid
polychaetes, and lamellibranch molluscs) were absent from the collec-
tion. It is believed that the observed absence of species is not only a
result of the natural tendency for marshes to exhibit low numbers of
species, but also a result of the demise of organisms as a result of the
spill. Prior to this survey, Eric Gundlach at the same site reported
thousands of moribund polychaetes attempting to escape their oily envi-
ronment, only to end up on the surface of oil pools. Ecological damage
to salt marsh communities has been reported previously as a result of
the Chryssi P. Goulandris spill in Milford Haven, England (Nelson-Smith,
1968b); the Arrow spill in Chedabucto Bay, Canada (Thomas, 1973); and
the West Falmouth spill in Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Michael et al., 1975).
223
-------
Intertidal Sand Beach, at Corn ax Gazel
Station 3 was situated on a high energy, ocean-exposed sandy beach,
located approximately 500 an N.W. of the small town of Corn ar Gazel and
6 km S.E. of the wreck site. The beach was apparently once well coated
with oil, since at the time of sampling on March 31 occasional stains
and droplets were still visible both on the surface and at depth in the
sediment. Also, grass growing on the sides of the steep dunes still
showed traces of oil. For the most part, though, the waves and tides
effectively removed the bulk of surface oil from the beachface. Oil the
other hand, seaward the oil was still heavily concentrated and appeared
as an oil-in-water emulsion throughout the water column. Nearby boul-
ders located just offshore were still heavily oiled.
Toxicity was apparent. The jetsam line was littered with a large
number of dead and moribund organisms, many of which revealed visible
quantities of oil. Species included the edible crab, Cancer pagurus; an
unidentified fish; the lugworra, Arenicola marina; an unidentified Holo-
thuroidean (sea cucumber); the gastropods, Patella sp., CalliostQgia
zizyphinum, Oibbula cineraria, and G. umbilicalis; and the bivalves
Dosinia exoleta, Venerupis pullastra, and Venus verrucosa (Fig. 5A-3).
Some of these washed up from the neighboring rocks (e.g., Patella and
Gibbula); others arrived from the soft-bottom intertidal and subtidal
areas. Oil was also lethal to organisms living higher up on the shore.
For example, Eric Gundlach observed on a similar beach 5 km west thou-
sands of dead sand hoppers, Talitrus saltator, which normally live among
the deposited jetsam. Many of these species were similarly affected
after the Torrey Canyon spill (Smith, 1968).
Table 5A-2 reveals the results of the quantitative sampling of
infauna. There were no apparent patterns in the distribution of species
between substations and variation was most likely attributable to normal
spatial patchiness. In general, values for the number of species,
species diversity, and richness were between those observed at the two
remaining stations. Values for J' for all three substations were par-
ticularly high, revealing an even distribution of the relatively few
individuals among the species present. The presence of fewer species
(particularly at substation 2), in comparison with the situation at
Roscoff, was most likely a result of natural factors, such as a less
stable physical environment (e.g., shifting sands and exposure to wave
action). However, oce should not rale aut the possibility that some
iafannal species were eliminated as a result of the oil, since visible
oil levels were observed both in the water column and in the sediments.
Also, many dead and moribund organisms were observed on the sediment
surface in the immediate vicinity.
Here, as elsewhere, several species of palychaetes that were still
alive were found in sexually productive states. Glycera convoluta.
Nephtys hombergii, Audouinia tentaculata, and Arenicola marina were all
carrying ova. One dead Arenicola that was examined also contained a
large number of ova.
224
-------
Figure 5A-3. Dead and moribund organisms at or near EPA Station 3, Corn
ar Gazel. Left to right: top row—unidentified Holothuroidean,
unidentified fish, and Arenicola marina. Middle row--Cancer pagurus,
Venus verrucosa, Venerupis pullastra, and Dosinia exoleta. Bottom
row—Gibbula cineraria, Gibbula umbilicalis, Talitrus saltator (above),
Calliostoma zizyphinum (below) and Patella sp.
Summary
To assess the impact of the spill on onshore macrobenthos a recon-
naissance survey was conducted with two objectives in mind: to observe
and photograph obviously oiled, dead, or moribund organisms found on
contaminated beaches; and to informally examine the spatial and numeri-
cal distribution of macrofaunal species considered at risk. Research
stations included an intertidal sand cove with algalcoated rocky zones
(Roscoff); a salt marsh (lie Grande); and a high energy, ocean-exposed
sand beach (Corn ar Gazel). All stations were heavily oiled. However,
the marsh at lie Grande was the most polluted. Removal of oil from the
substrate surfaces as a result of the waves and currents was most effec-
tive at the higher energy stations, particularly at Corn ar Gazel.
225
-------
Dead and moribund organisms were observed at all stations and
included limpets (Patella vulgata), periwinkles (Littorina obtusata and
L. littorea), topshells (Gibbula cineraria, G. umbilicalis, and Calli-
ostoma zizyphinum), cockles (Cardium edule), clams (Venerupis decus-
sata), polychaetes (Nereis diversicolor) and green crabs (Carcinus
maenus) at Roscoff; polychaetes (Nereis diversicolor and Arenicola
marina), cockles (Cardium edule) and green crabs (Carcinus maenus) at
lie Grande; and edible crabs (Cancer pagurus), fish (unidentified), sea
cucumbers (unidentified), limpets (Patella sp.), top shells (Gibbula
cineraria, G. umbilicalis, and Calliostoma zizyphinum) at Corn ar Gazel.
Numerous dead amphipods (Talitrus saltator), sea urchins (Echinocardium
cordatum), and razor clams (Ensis siliqua and Pharus legumen) were
collected from neighboring sites.
Informal sampling of macroinfauna (>2.0 mm) revealed a relatively
high diversity of species for the intertidal sand cove at Roscoff, an
intermediate level for the sand beach at Corn ar Gazel, and an extremely
low diversity for the marsh at lie Grande. At Roscoff, 15 species and
73 individuals per 0.1 m2 were collected from one substation, in compar-
ison with only 2 species and 15 individuals per 0.1 m2 at lie Grande.
These infaunal assemblages are considered threatened because of the
visible levels of sediment and ground water contamination and the ob-
served kill of organisms in the immediate surroundings. Investigators
should therefore make subsequent observations in these areas if possible
to delineate future changes in the numerical and spatial distribution of
species. It is anticipated that the preliminary species lists and
observations presented here will be useful as "quasibaseline" informa-
tion or guidelines for later comparison. However, if a long-term in-
faunal sampling program is initiated, a more sophisticated approach is
recommended and should incorporate larger sample sizes and a smaller
screen size for sieving (e.g., a 1 mm sieve in addition to the 2 mm
sieve).
Several species of polychaetes were examined microscopically and
were observed in sexually active states. The heteronereid stage of
Perinereis cultrifera was found in one sample, and other polychaetes
(Phyllodoce sp., Glycera convoluta, Nephtys hombergii, Andouinia
tentaculata, and Arenicola marina) were carrying numerous ripe ova.
Excessive adult mortality during such a sexually productive period could
affect the future recruitment of species and thus accentuates the eco-
logical significance of the initial impact.
References
Allen, J. A. (1962): Fauna of the Clyde Sea area. Mollusca. Scottish
Marine Biol. Assoc., 88 p.
Allen, J. A. (1967): Fauna of the Clyde Sea area. Crustacea: Euphau-
siacea and Decapoda. Scottish Marine Biol. Assoc., 116 p.
226
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Barnard, J. L. (1969): The families and genera of marine Gammaridean
amphipods. Smithsonian Inst. Bull. 271, 535 p.
Barrett, J. and C. M. Yonge (1958): Collins pocket guide to the sea
shore. Collins, London, 272 p.
Bender, M. E., J. L. Hyland, and T. K. Duncan (1974): Effects of an oil
spill on benthic animals in the lower York River, Va. In Proceed-
ings of Marine Pollution Monitoring (Petroleum) Symposium, Gaith-
ersburg, Md., May 13-17, 1974. IOC-UNESCO, WMO, USDC-NBS, 257-260.
Bourdon, R. (1965): Inventaire de la faune marine de Roscoff. Decapodes-
Stomatopodes. Editions de la Station Biologique de Roscoff, 45 p.
Bouvier, E. (1940): Faune de France, Vol. 37. Decapodes Marcheurs.
Librarie de la Faculte des Sciences, Paris (Kraus Reprint, Nendeln-
Liechtenstein, 1970), 404 p.
Chevereux, E. and L. Fage (1925): Faune de France, Vol. 9. Amphipodes.
Libraire de la Faculte des Sciences, Paris (Kraus Reprint, Nendeln-
Liechtenstein, 1970), 488 p.
Clark, R. B. (1960): Fauna of the Clyde Sea area: Polychaeta, with
keys to the British genera. Scottish Marine Biol. Assoc., 71 p.
Cornet, R. and I. Marche-Marchad (1951): Inventaire de la faune marine
de Roscoff. Mollusques. 5. Aux Travaux de la Station Biologique de
Roscoff, 80 p.
Day, J. H. (1967): Polychaeta of Southern Africa. Part 1, Errantia;
Part 2, Sedentaria. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist), 878 p.
Day, J. H. (1969): A guide to marine life on South African shores. A.
Balkeraa Co., Cape Town, 300 p.
Eales, N. B. (1967): The littoral fauna of the British Isles; A
handbook for collectors. Cambridge Univ. Press, 306 p.
Fauvel, P. (1923): Faune de France, Vol. 5. Polychetes Errantes.
Libraire de la Faculte des Sciences, Paris (Kraus Reprint, Nendeln-
Liechenstein, 1969), 488 p.
Fauvel, P. (1927): Faune de France, Vol. 16. Polychetes Sedentaires.
P. Lechevalier, Paris, 494 p.
Gosner, K. I. (1971): Guide to identification of marine and estuarine
invertebrates. Wiley-Interscience, N.Y., 693 p.
Hampson, G. R. and H. L. Sanders (1969): Local oil spill. Oceanus,
25:8-10.
227
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Michael, A. D., C. R. Van Raalte, and L. S. Brown, (1975): Long-term
effects of an oil spill at West Falmouth, Mass. In Proceedings of
Conference on Prevention and Control of Oil Pollution, San Fran-
cisco, Calif. March 25-27, 1975, API, EPA, USCG, pp. 573-582.
Nelson-Smith, A. (1968a): Biological consequences of oil pollution and
shore cleansing. In J. D. Carthy and D. R. Arthur (eds.) The
biological effects of oil pollution on littoral communities. Fid.
studies 2 (suppl.), 73-80.
Nelson-Smith, A. (1968b): The effects of oil pollution and emulsifier
cleansing on marine life in south-west Britain. J. Ap£l. Ecol.,
5:97-107.
Sars, G. 0. (1890): An account of the Crustacea of Norway, Vol. 1,
Amphipoda (Text and Plates). Universitetsforlaget, Bergen and
Oslo, 711 p.
Smith, J. E. (ed.), (1968): Torrey Canyon pollution and marine life.
Cambridge Univ. Press, 196 p-
Tebble, N. (1966): British bivalve seashells. Brit. Mus. (Nat., Hist.),
213 p.
Thomas, M. L. H. (1973): Effects of Bunker C oil on intertidal and
lagoonal biota in Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia. J. Fish. Res.
Board, Can., 30:83-90.
Truchot J , and A. Toulmond (1964): Inventaire de la fauna marine de
Roscoff. Amphipodes-Cumaces. Supplement Aux Travaux de la Station
Biologique de Roscoff, 42 p.
228
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6. OIL SPILL CLEANUP ACTIVITIES
Roy W. Hann*, Jr., Les Rice*,
Marie-Claire Trujillo*, and Harry N. Young, Jr.*
6.1 Introduction
The oil spill from the supertanker Amoco Cadiz off the Brittany
Coast of France overshadows by far any other oil spill into the marine
environment. In terms of oil reaching the shore, it was on the order of
four times the amount of the Torrey Canyon spill in the same general
geographical area or the Metula spill in the Straits of Magellan. As a
result, the spill and the subsequent activities to clean up the oil and
mitigate damage provided a fascinating laboratory for those interested
in institutional structure, planning, resource requirements, technology,
and training to deal with disasters of this magnitude.
Those who wish either to evaluate the cleanup operations from the
Amoco Cadiz or to prepare to deal with a similar problem elsewhere need
to have a good grasp of the size of the problem. The oil, the resulting
oil-water emulsion (mousse), and sand, seaweed, and detritus that became
incorporated into or contaminated by the oil, were enormous in volume
and weight. Fig. 6-1 shows the 220,000 metric tons of oil spilled,
WEIGHT AND VOLUME OF OIL
220,000 Metric Tons
232,558 Cubic Meters of Oil
(.86 S.G.)
1,613,000 Barrels
(7.33 Barrels/Ton)
67,760,000 U.S. Gallons
232,558,000 Liters
WEIGHT AND VOLUME OF MOUSSE GENERATED
(based on 40% evaporation and loss to
to water column
488,371 Cubic Meters of Mousse
488,371 Metric Tons of Mousse
(SG-1.0)
18,940,000 Cubic Feet of Mousse
537,208 U.S. Tons (2,000 lb)
141,621,000 U.S. Gallons of Mousse
Figure 6.1. Relative weight and volumes of oil and mousse expressed
in different units.
*Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, participating under
the support of the NOAA-USCG Spilled Oil Research Team
229
-------
expressed in different weight and volume units. The volume of oil that
will come ashore or could come ashore in a spill is a function of many
parameters. A schematic diagram of these processes is shown as Fig. 6-2.
As will be discussed in the next section, the Amoco Cadiz oil on
the water surface quickly became emulsified with approximately 2.5 parts
of water by volume mixing with 1 part of oil. On the basis of this
ratio, and assuming that 40 percent of the oil was lost to the atmos-
phere by evaporation or into the water column by natural dispersion or
by going into solution, the volume of mousse that had to be dealt with
ashore was calculated to be over 488,000 metric tons. The total is also
expressed in Fig. 6-1 in different weight and volume units. This amount
of mousse is capable of coating 359 miles of coastline with a layer of
mousse 1 inch thick and 120 feet wide. The specific gravity of the oil-
water mixture would range from 0.98 before the light ends evaporate to
almost 1.028, the specific gravity of sea water after the light ends
evaporate.
To provide a further measure of the volume of oil or mousse with
which one must deal, it is worthwhile to relate it to the load capacity
of the shore based equipment that must move the material. Fig. 6-3
shows the numbers of farm honeywagons, commercial vacuum trucks, dump
trucks, tank trucks, and railroad tank cars necessary to move this
amount of mousse. These numbers do not include the volume of seaweed,
sand, and other detritus that are collected with the mousse and that in
the later stages of the cleanup predominate in weight and volume, often
Figure 6-2. Mass balance components,
230
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being equal to 20 times the amount of oil collected. The figures should
help the reader to recognize the magnitude of the problem facing the
French administrative system when the spill took place at an unforeseen
time and place.
In this chapter, the authors discuss in detail the physical proper-
ties, behavior, and movement of the oil and its ultimate deposition on
the beaches. The organizational structure established to deal with the
spill and the strategy of control that appears to have been followed are
presented and evaluated with regard to their utility in other spills.
In addition the processes and unit operations used on the beaches are
discussed. Estimates of the manpower and equipment used at different
times throughout the spill are based on extensive reviews of newspaper
VOLUME OF
LOAD
LOADS TO
MOVE MOUSSE

750 gallons
188,830
1 ,800 yallons
78,678
252 cu.ft.
1,884 gallons
75,170
4,000 gallons
35,405
m.
8,000 gallons
17,702
Figure 6-3. Equivalent truck and
tank car loads necessary to remove
potential volume of mousse from
shore.
231
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reports and daily pollution reports issued by the Department of Equip-
ment. The final section discusses what has been learned from this
experience.
6.2 Physical Properties, Behavior, and Movement of the Oil
That Affected Control Operations
The general dimensions of the Amoco Cadiz and locations of the
breaks in the hull are shown in Fig. 6-4. The oil lost from the Amoco
Cadiz was a mixed cargo of light Arabian Crude and Light Iranian Crude
and the remaining Bunker C fuel of the ship.
Shortly after grounding at or near midnight on March 16, 1978, the
ship broke in two near the bulkhead between the third and fourth (and
last) row of tanks. In addition many of the other tanks were punctured
or the bulkheads broached. Thus the early release of oil was a major
one. The hull broke a second time approximately a week later near the
foreward port of the number 2 row of tanks, resulting in another heavy
release.

Jt
XL—-El " n n nnn	C^axi.			T^~i _n	
3.1 xl	xiOr
|	
1,095.91 FT.
2Q£ BREAK
II! BREAK
REGISTRY1 MONROVIA LIBERIA
OWNER AMOCO TRANSPORT CO.
CALL/OFF N9.; ABAN/4773
POWER: 2SA 8Cn. DIESEL ; 980mm * 2000mm
22,678 Kw/30,400 BHP. (SINGLE SCREW)
SPEED: 15.25 KTS.
MAX. DRAFT: 65 FT./19.81 M.
CAPACITY: 233,690 DWT.
109,700 GRT.
91,000 NET/TONS
ABOVE DATA PER LLOYDS REGISTER.
	;J 85.93 FT.
IJ !
167.53 FT.
TANK LAYOUT AND VESSEL
DRAWINGS NOT AVAILABLE.
Figure 6-4. General layout and
dimensions of Amoco Cadiz showing
locations of breaks.
232
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In the second week, the newly escaped oil recontaminated cleaned
areas causing additional work, and negatively affected the morale of the
cleanup workers ashore. To overcome this problem, the ship was bombed
to release the remaining cargo. Fig. 6-5 is an estimate of the cumula-
tive releases of oil from the ship compiled from newspaper reports and
other sources.
During the first 11 days of the spill, during which it is estimated
that 90 percent of the cargo was lost, the winds ranged from the west to
the northwest at speeds of about 20 to 30 knots. The wind-driven trans-
port vector was superimposed on an oscillating tidal component from the
southwest to the northwest with an excursion of ~8 kilometers with neap
tide to 15 kilometers with spring tides. This tended to spread the oil
into a broad band to be carried toward shore.
The wind vector coupled with the deflection of the coastline
caused the oil to spread along the coastline in substantial volume from
approximately 10 kilometers south of the site of the grounding to
approximately 200 kilometers to the east. The heaviest oiled areas were
Figure 6-5. Estimated cumulative
oil release from Amoco Cadiz
spill.
233
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the beaches, coves, and estuaries with openings to the west. Those that
faced east and northeast were generally spared from substantial initial
deposits of oil.
Northeast winds during the third and fourth weeks after the spill
moved the oil southeast along some of the beaches and extended the
impacted zone south from the spill site an additional 10 kilometers
along the western Brittany coastline to Pointe de Saint Mathieu.
Major zones of the coastline that were affected are shown in Fig.
6-6, which also gives the numbering system used to identify the individ-
ual beach areas. On this map the coastal areas to the south and west of
Pointe Scoune, north of Portsall, are given "W" designations, and those
east and north of Pointe SCoune are given "E" designations. Not shown
on the map are labeling systems for individual estuaries, such as AB-1
through AB-6 for l'Aber Benoit. This numbering system was used exten-
sively during the trip of April 20 to May 1 for photo reference and for
beach survey and beach cleanup report purposes. Table 6-1 is a detailed
listing of the individual zones referenced to geological maps and geo-
graphical names.
All of the oil that came ashore was in the form of some type of
oil-water emulsion or mousse. The incorporation of water into the oil
substantially increased the volume and weight of material that had to be
pumped or hauled from the beach as part of cleanup operations. The lack
of an adequate method to evaluate the mousse components had hindered
past oil spill studies and led to the funding of a Sea Grant Project at
Texas A&M University, This project developed accurate methods to make
and break oil-water emulsions; the methods were used to analyze the oil-
water emulsions from the Amoco Cadiz.
Reports of water content from past oil spills have ranged from 20
to 85 percent for naturally formed emulsions. During two visits to the
Amoco Cadiz spill site and coastal areas, samples were collected from 23
sampling stations covering the period of March 29 to April 24, 1978.
Twenty-four samples from 16 of these sampling sites were analyzed using
a technique that results in better than a 99 percent separation of the
oil, water, sand, and clay in water-in-oil emulsions.
The separation technique uses an emulsion-breaking compound (Visco,
103 V-8074/6284) in a mixed aromatic solvent solution of benzene, xylene,
and toluene, which is added to the emulsion in a ratio of 1:1 on a
volume-to-volume basis. This mixture is poured into graduated centri-
fuge tubes and shaken. The tubes are then placed in a heated centrifuge
for 5 minutes at 3000 rpm at 80°C. This process separates the emulsion
into distinct layers of sand, clay, water, and oil/emulsion-breaker
mixture.
The results of the 24 analyses are shown in Table 6-2. The water
content ranged from a high of 91.25 percent to a low of 20.40 percent,
234
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\E2°K
\ % \!
v	&SLk>1
T7;M^ '
'V1
^„,\ J.r&r&&V v' i.
Figure 6-6.
Major affected zones and beach numbering system along the
Brittany coastline.
235
-------
Figure 6-6 (continued).
236
-------
HE GRANDE ! I:
STEl-PLAGE
PLESTIN"
IESGREVE
Figure 6-6 (continued)
237
-------
Figure 6-6 (continued).
238
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Table 6-1. Beach numbering system of the French Coast
Section
Beach

No.
Name
Nearest City
El
Pointe Scoune
Kerros
E2
lie Longue
Kerros
E3
lie Carn
Kerros
E4
Blockh
Dourlannoc
E5
Ruscaroc
Ruscaroc
E6
Roc'h Seac'h
Lampaul-Ploudalmezeau
E7
Corn ar Gazel
Kervigorn
E8
Anse de Brouennou
Brouennou
E9
Roc'h Avel
Kerennoc
E10
Carrec Adanet
Poulloc
Ell
Roc1h Melen
Poulloc
E12
He Cezon
Quistilhe (Quistillie)
E13
Keridaouen
Keridaouen
E14
lie Wrac'h
Kervezen
E15
Kervenny Braz
Kervenny
E16
Carrec du Bras
le Revn (le Run)
E17
Anse Lostrouc'h
Lostrouc1h
E18
Porz Grae I
Kelerdut
E19
Porz Grae II
Kelerdut
E20
Porz Guen I
Porz Guen
E21
Porz Guen
Porz Guen
E22
la Greve Blanche
Penn ar Strejou
E23
Beg ar Spis
Penn ar Strejou
E24
an Dol-Ven
St. Michel
E25
Kergoff East
Kergoff
E26
Kergoff West
Creac'h an Avel
E27
ar C'houlm
le Zorn
E28
Greve du Vougo
le Curnic
E29
Curnic
le Curnic
E30
Enez Croaz-Hent
le Curnic
E31
Nod£ven
Nod£ven
E32
Port de Tr6ss£ny
Guisseny
E33

Mentoull
E34
Loccarec
Mentoull
E35
Menbr6ac'h
Menbr£ac'h
E36
Carrec Hir
Boutrouilie
E37
Louc'h an Dreff
St. Egarec
E38
ar Vorbic
Kerlouarn
E39
Carrec
Menez-Hom
E40
lie de Kerlouan
Minioc
E41
Pointe de Beg Pol
Perros
E42
Terre du Pont
Terre du Pont
E43
Keravdzan
Monbren
E44
Grfeve de Goulven
Brignogan
E45
Kibell (ar Guibell)
Ker Emma
E46
Ae'r de Plouescat
Pont-Christ
E47
Corps de garde
Lannirien
E48
Enes Eog
Goas-bians
E49
Enez N6vez
St. Eden
E50

Kergovara
E51
Clos-ar-H61en
Kerfieien (Kerfissien)
E52
an Amied/an Holen
Kervaliou
E53
Port Neuf
Keraval
E54
Dunes de Santec
Kerabret
ES5

Men Rognant
E56
le Stavl (le Staul)
Men Rognant
E57
Roche Blanche
Jugan
E58

Prateron
£59
Port Gare
Roscoff
E60
St. Sebastien
Kerezoun
E61
Crgac'h Andrd
Trom^al
E62

Pempoul
E63
Penz£ Rivifere Bay
Carantec
E64
Morlaix Bay
Locqu£nol6
E65

Kernel6hen
E66

St. Samson
E67
le Guerlt
le Oiben
E68
Pointe de Diben
le Oiben
E69
Primel-Tr£gastel
Primel-Tr6gastel
Topographic Map
Name (1/50,000)
Plouarzel -
lie d'Ouessant
Pla
Ploug
St.-Pol-de-l6on
St. Pol-de-Lion 7-8
Plestin les-Grfeves
239
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Table 6-1. (continued)
Section
No.
E70
E71
E72
E73
E74
E75
E76
E77
E78
E79
E80
E81
E82
E83
E84
E85
E86
E87
E88
E89
E90
£91
E92
£93
E94
E95
E96
E97
E98
E99
E100
E101
E102
E103
£104
E105
E106
E107
E108
E109
E110
W1
W2
W3
W4
W5
W6
W7
W8
W9
W10
Wll
W12
W13
W14
WIS
W16
W17
W18
W19
W20
W21
W 22
W23
W24
W25
W26
W27
W28
Beach
Name
Nearest City
Ker Maria
KerdreTn
Beg an Fry
les Charrues
le Moulin de la Rive
Roches d'Argent
Rocher Rouge
Greve de St. Michel
an Treuzec
Malabri
Plage de Notigou
Plage de Porz Mabo
Plage de Tresmeur
Plage de Porz Terman
Goaz-Trez
Rulosquet
lie a Canton
Carr
Pointe de Toul-ar-Staon
le Corbeau
lie Mouton
lie d'Erc'h
He Plate
He Jaouen
He Tanguy
Kerlavos
la Grfeve Blanche
He Ronde
Beg ar Vir
Ste. Anne
Plage de Trestraou
Anse de Perros
Feu de Nanthouar
Port 1'Epine
Plage du Royau
Anse de Pellinec
Anse de Gouermel
Baie d'Enfer
Port la Chalne
Si lion de Talbert
Prat L^ac'h-Kerros
Kerdeniel
Hon Repos
Portsal 1
Barr al Lann
Bar"- *1 Lar"i
Araer
Beg «r Gal it 1
Beg ar Manac'h
St. Samson
Poi ftfi de landunvez
Ker1aduen
Penfoul
St. Gonvel
St. Gonvel
St. Gonvel
PresPu'lle tlu vivier
Presqu'tle st. Laurent
Melflorn B1han
Bra2
Rad^n°c
Po rspoder
Poul 1oupry
Maz°u
prat ar Men
He Melon
Mentiby
Plougasnou
St. Jean-du'Doigt
Kervourc1h
Poul Rodou
le Moulin de la Rive
Locqui rec
St. Efflam
St. Michel-en-Greve
T redrez
Kerguerven
Locquemeau
Beg-Leguer
Trebeurden
Crec'h Hery
Kerhel le'n
Dourlin
Dourlin
Dourlin
Dourlin
Porz Gel in
Penvern
Kerenoc
Landrellec
Bringui1ler
Bringuiller
Kerlavos
Haren
la Greve Blanche
la Gr&ve Blanche
lie Renote
Ste. Anne
Perros-Guirec
St. Quay-Perros
Trilevern
Keriec
Trevou-Tr^guignec
Penvinan
Ral^vy
Kerbors
Pleubian
Lanmodez
Kerros
Portsal1
Portsal1
Portsal1
Portsall
Barr al Lann
Barr al Lann
Amer
Tremazan
TrSmazan
St. Samson
Kerhoazoc
Landunvez
Landunvez
Argenton
Argenton
Argenton
Argenton
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Porspoder
Lanildut
PI
Topographic Map
Name (1/50,000)
estin les-Greves
Lannion
Perros-Guirec
No. 5-6
Perro
-Gui rec
TrSguier
Plouarzel-Ile
d'Ouessant
240
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Table 6-2. Oil and water content of emulsions formed during the Amoco Cadiz oil spill
Date
Beach No. Collected Clay %
Sand % Water %
Oil
Water: Oil
Ratio
Oil: Water
Ratio
% Water % Oil
Ull
W8
W5
E2
E2
E6
E6
E6
E6
AB4
AB4
E13
El 5
E15
E59
E77
20 Apr 78	0.45
20	Apr 78	0.42
29 Mar 78	0.74
19 Apr 78	0.30
19 Apr 78	0.44
19 Apr 78	0.25
29 Mar 78	0.75
19 Apr 78	0.60
19 Apr 78	0.42
23 Apr 78	64.50
29 Mar 78	1.76
21	Apr 78	3.46
21 Apr 78	1.16
21 Apr 78	1.20
29	Mar 78	1.60
30	Mar 78	1-50
7.30	91.25	8.00	11.41
0.42	76.94	22.22	3.46
0.59	57.52	41.15	1.40
0.60	75.10	24.00	3.13
0.57	68.70	30.29	2.27
18.17	56.59	24.99	2.26
3.75	75.50	20.00	3.78
i
5.25	60.15	34.00	1.77
1.76	65.19	32.63	2.00
3.00	22,50	10.00	2.25
1.91	75.71	20.62	3.67
3.17	64.78	28.59	2.27
1.58	72.30	24.96	2.90
60.00	20.40	18.40	1.11
0.92	63.28	34.20	1.85
5.63	65.38	27.50	2.38
.0876
.2890
.7143
.3195
.4405
.4425
.2646
.5650
.5000
.4444
.2725
.4405
.3448
.9007
.5405
.4202
91.94	8.06
77.59	22.41
58.30	41.70
75.78	24.22
69.40	30.60
69.37	30.63
79.60	20.40
63.89	36.11
66.64	33.36
69.23	30.77
78.59	21.41
69.38	30.62
74.34	25.66
52.58	47.42
64.92	35.08
70.39	29.61
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Table 6-2. (continued)
Beach No.
Date
Collected
Clay %
Sand %
Water %
Oil %
Water: Oil
Ratio
Oil:Water
Ratio
% Water
% Oil
E77
23 Apr 78
0.00
65.25
21.75
13.00
1.67
.5988
62.59
37.41
E85
31 Mar 78
1.20
0.60
70.20
28.00
2.51
.3984
7.49
28.51
E85
23 Apr 78
0.90
0.90
50.20
48.00
1.05
.9524
51.12
48.88
E91
23 Apr 78
2.37
2.00
65.34
30.29
2.16
.4630
68.33
31.67
E96
30 Mar 78
0.60
2.25
73.15
24.00
3.05
.3279
75.30
24.70
E98
30 Mar 78
1.88
1.50
81.62
15.00
5.44
.1838
84.48
15.52
Tr£gastel
23 Apr 78
6.90
3.60
67.50
22.00
3.07
.3257
75.42
24.58
Penahr
29 Mar 78
1.88
5.25
70.90
19.97
3.65
.2740
78.50
21.50





Avg.
2.94
.4379
70.78
29.16
Overall Oil/Water Ratio .41
Overall Water/Oil Ratio 2.43
-------
The oil flowed freely and had a water content 20 percent less than an
earlier sample.
The results of the analyses to date tend to indicate that emulsions
of water-in-oil have a "life history" that can be traced from formation
to final deposition or disappearance. Fig. 6-7 indicates possible
pathways by which emulsions impact shorelines. The time scale, rates,
and even probable pathways are missing because of the lack of knowledge
about the fate of water-in-oil emulsions.
The behavior of the mousse on the beaches is of extreme importance
to cleanup operations, particularly as the mousse moves back and forth
with the tide and ultimately becomes stranded at or below the high tide
line and as its specific gravity is increased through evaporation of
light hydrocarbons and through the entrapment of sand. What starts out
as a floating, pumpable, separable material, eventually becomes a rela-
tively stable, heavy, nonpumpable material that must be either removed
by hand or construction equipment, or left on the shore.
Figure 6-7. Possible pathways of
oil spilled from Amoco Cadiz.
243
-------
In the Portsall and Roscoff areas the mousse was quite thick on the
water surface and amenable to direct removal. In most other areas,
however, the oil was stranded on the beach	heaviest concentration
in the high tide zone. Typically, the beaches would have a relatively
stable oiled area at the top intertidal zone, wnich might be up to 50
meters wide. This oil would be stranded **ter tides receded, and
would either stay in place or slowly ooze down the beach front as a
result of gravity.
Downslope in the middle beach area, the movement of the oil down
the beachface was aided by ground water emerging from the sand. Quite
often the oil would flow down the beach in rivulets on top of the
flowing ground water. The oil that drained down the beach would pool in
the lower intertidal zone or at the water s edge and then work its way
up the beachface with the incoming tide.
For the most part, the mousse tended to bridge over the fine beach
sands and did not appear to penetrate thern- In rocky areas the mousse
would lightly coat the face of the emerged rock and seaweed and would
pool in the crevices around and between the rocks, sometimes to depths
of 4 or 5 inches. North of Portsall Harbor (W3) the oiled beach at low
tide was over 400 yards wide and near a rocky area toward the west end
of the Middle Dunes Beach (E2) north of Portsall the oil was 235 yards
wide with an average depth of at least 1 inc . Near the high tide mark
on some of the beaches, the oil would be trapped by kelp or by rocks and
other depressions and would pool to a dept o 2 to 4 inches.
Toward the end of the second week, skimmer operators in the Aber
Benoit estuary reported that the oil was beginning to remain on the
bottom of the estuary when the tide would come in; this was also ob-
served in the upper beach deposits that would have 2 weeks to weather
and be sanded before the spring high tides returned to the area. In
addition, sand deposition created layers of oiled sand or mousse between
clean sand layers on many beaches.
As with other spills, the nature of the oil to be removed by
cleanup is a function of the type of the oil, its development into an
oil-water mousse, the trajectory it takes to the shore, the method of
its deposition on the beach, the succession of spring and neap tides,
the ground water exchange with the beach, the physical and chemical
aging of the stranded oil, and the introduction into the oil of materi-
als that increase its specific gravity.
6.3 Organization To Deal With the Spill
Almost immediately after the grounding of the Amoco Cadiz, it
b®came evident that cleaning up the spill would exceed the capacity of
the ship owner (Amoco) or the cargo owner (Shell) using available com-
pany personnel or contract resources. It was also evident that cleanup
244
-------
costs would exceed the resources available under TOVALOP or the Civil
Liability Convention, whichever coverage was provided by the ship owner,
or under CRYSTAL, the financial fund maintained by cargo owners. Conse-
quently, the task of organizing and financing the cleanup operation fell
to the government of France, which executed the plan POLMAR, correspond-
ing roughly to the National Contingency Plan in the United States. A
discussion of the development and organization of the plan within the
local, regional, and central governmental structure of France will help
explain why certain procedures were followed and how certain successes
were achieved. It also explains how certain problems arose.
6.3.i Plan POLMAR
In France, the President is advised by the Prime Minister and the
Cabinet; the Cabinet guides policies of the nation, directs action of
government, and is responsible for national defense.
On May 12, 1976, one of the two topics presented at the Cabinet
meeting was a report of the status of the fight against pollution and
the protection of the maritime frontier ("un bilan de la lutte contre la
pollution et de la protection des facades maritimes"). After several
months of debate, on November 3, 1976, Monsieur Vincent Ansquer, Minis-
ter of the Quality of Life, announced the adoption of measures for the
control of marine pollution.
On May 5, 1977, the Cabinet accepted a law authorizing the rati-
fication of a convention on the prevention of marine pollution by the
discharge of waste products. On May 12, a national agency was created
to prevent air pollution and was financed by a levy against combustible
pollutants.
These actions in May 1977 divided the original plan into separate
plans for air and for water pollution, with separate policies. The law
on marine pollution was adopted in its second reading on June 18, 1977,
by the Assembly, and 6 days later by the Senate. This law was designed
to prevent and control marine pollution resulting from intentional
discharge of waste products or from accidents. In these early stages
the law was referred to as Pollution Marine. Shortly thereafter, it
became known as "Plan POLMAR."
Governmental authority in France flows from the national level to
the local level. Many important government decisions are made in Paris
and enforced in the several localities by a network that includes the
Ministry of Interior and its staff, who supervise local units, mayors,
and municipal councils, and the prefects and subprefects associated with
the Department of Interior. Control of pollution was conceived of as a
civil matter. Plan POLMAR was the brainchild of the Ministry of the
Quality of Life, but its execution was placed in the Direction of Equip-
ment, which is comparable with U.S. state and local Departments of
Public Works, insofar as its primary work is concerned. The Ministry of
245
-------
j ot,fnT.rpment powers. Since there was already a
the Interior reta^ned ^ rarrving out- the policies of central govern-
structure of local e&titi	. use of the same organizational
structure"" dealTith'a marine pollute" incident such as a maj<,r oil
spill.
_ . raAi? wreck, Plan POLMAR had not been
At the time of the Anioco -—-^ateiy following the grounding of the
tested in a major incident.	Coulondres> maritime prefect of Brest,
Amoco Cadiz, Vice-Admiral ac£ MAR_ p,s time passed, it became in-
was placed in charge o , 8Dr. again®*" *-he oil spill would have two
creasingly evident that the tig	Tfcus, Plan POLMAR was split into
fronts: the sea and the coastii .	p0LMAR_Terre (land activi-
Plan POLMAR-Mer (sea activities' ined control over the sea activi-
ties). Vice-Admiral Coulondre piaced under the responsibility of
ties. The land activity was ir ^ ^ flonseiur Marc Becam, former mayor
Monsieur Bourgin, but later pa ^n^stry of the Interior at Paris,
of Quimper and secretary o	xand activities and the details of
However, much of the strategy o^ ^ Direction of Equipment offices in
operation were channeled throug	Departments constituting the af-
Finistere and Cotes-du-Nord, the two
fected coast.
• tine political structures were used for the
On the local level,	cted Departments were each divided into
land activities. The two a e g responsibility of an engineer from
four zones, each under the imm	s00n learned, however, that the land
the Direction of Equipmen .	^ organized manpower and the Army was
activities required a grea ,nfnreseen communication links needed
called in. Establishing t e	maior, time-consuming task,
between these organizations was a maj
r-i ci nn for use volunteers in the event
plan POLMAR had no pro , te(j a tremendous problem for the
a pollution disaster. This	occurred during the Easter break o
administrators since t e 1 ^ many students wanted to volunteer,
the schools and universi ie ' i e(j by placing the administration of
Eventually the problemwa®	£ Youth and Sports. A prospective volun-
volunteers under the Mini fr^ce to demonstrate age, ability, and
teer first called the local o	clothing and shelter. The volunteer
possession of necessary p area under the supervision of a foreman,
was then assigned to a ioca fche voiunteer, protected the volunteer's
This allowed for or er y us discouraged vagabonds in search of free
personal safety and health, ana u
meals and lodging.
smill was a function of several factors: 1) an
The response t<0	*ously aeeded revising to adjust to unforeseen
untested plan w i	fronts and the volunteers; 2) the weather; 3)
oblems such as the two fronts a ^	^
national poHcfes through local units; and A) the existence of
certain co-unfca'tion channels and the lack of others.
of
of
246
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and oil content ranged from a low of 8 percent to a high of 48 percent.
There is no trend in the oil and water content with distance from the
spill site.
In the four cases where mousse samples were collected at the same
site (E6) in March and April, there was a significantly higher oil
content in the April sample. This indicates that when the emulsion is
stranded above current high tide lines and is subjected to sunlight,
wind, and other forces, the water evaporates and leaves a material with
a higher oil fraction.
The water-to-oil ratio evaluation indicates that the samples have
an average of 2.43 parts water to 1 part oil. This ranges from 11.4
parts water to 1 part oil in fresh mousse at site Wll to almost 1:1 for
weathered mousse at site E85. The average ratio of oil to water is
0.41.
Samples that gave the most extreme results indicate what happens to
emulsions in different coastal and weather conditions. The sample from
Wll was taken in a steep rocky coastal area from a large pool of light
brown fresh mousse recently deposited in a natural rock-formed pool by
an increasing series of high tides. This location receives very strong
wave action, and any oil in the area would be highly emulsified and
would have a very high water content. This was borne out by the 91
percent water content of the sample.
The two samples obtained from the Aber Benoit estuary (AB4) site
indicate how the same site can yield different emulsions on different
occasions. The sample taken on March 29 has a ratio of 3.67:1 of water
to oil, which would be expected for a fairly fresh mousse. The sample
taken on April 23, which showed a ratio of 2.25:1, has an unusually high
clay value of 64.5 percent; this value is probably high because more
than 25 percent of the clay volume is water. The oil had been exposed
to 3 days of clear, sunny skies and warm temperatures, was very fluid,
and had a dark black color. The wave action of the tide apparently
mixed this mousse with the clay of the banks producing an emulsion
having a high clay content.
The two samples obtained from E15 and also two from E6 showed that
after an emulsion with a high water content has been exposed to the sun
and wind, the mousse loses some of its water. When the incoming tide
mixes this mousse with suspended sand, the mousse coats the sand, and
consequently has a high sand content. This process was also observed in
areas where cleanup operations mixed sand into the the emulsion (E6) or
where pits were dug into the sand, filled with mousse, and covered again
with sand (E77).
The final example of change in an oil/water emulsion is lie Grande
marsh (E85). At this site large quantities of oil were exposed to 4
days of clear sun, and the oil was 12°C (20°F) warmer than the water.
247
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6.3.2 Organization in Finistere
The project team became more familiar with the organizational
structure of the response in Finistere as a result of being located at
and working with staff of COB/CNEXO, and through information provided by
the Office of Direction of Equipment in Brest. The assistance provided
by both organizations was outstanding.
Fig. 6-8 shows a simplified organizational chart of land activities
in Finistere. The linkage with sea activities and the land activities
in Cotes-du-Nord is also shown. Each of the sectors was under the
direction of an engineer from Direction of Equipment, and also included
a Lt. Colonel or Colonel who served as a liaison officer with the mili-
tary troops working in the 'sector. Each sector was responsible for
organizing daily activities in the field, requisitioning supplies,
equipment and personnel, and providing the logistical support to the
field activity. The Command Center in Ploudalmezeau coordinated sector
activities, acquired and delivered logistical support, and arranged for
ultimate disposal of the material collected in the field. Various
supporting activities provided specialized technical advice or dealt
with individual technical components of the logistical chain.
Figure 6-8. Approximate organization of the response effort.
248
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Various units dealt with the physical aspects of oil removal. It
appears that the initial response was from Civil Defense organizations,
fire departments, contractors, and the French Navy. Follow-up response
came from volunteers, Army units, public works departments, and addi-
tional contractors. In addition to the personnel involved with cleanup
operations, the local scientific community—on both an organized and
voluntary basis—was substantially involved in determing the short and
long range behavior and impact of the spill.
6.4 Strategy of Control and Cleanup
From observations of this spill and from a general knowledge of the
field, a strategy for spills of this magnitude emerges. The first step
is to eliminate the oil or stop its discharge to the environment. In
the Amoco Cadiz case, initial attempts were made to bring in pumping
equipment to offload the cargo. However, the lead time required for
equipment to arrive, the deterioration of the grounded ship, the adverse
weather, and the difficulty of providing receiving tankage made elimina-
tion by cargo transfer impossible. Related to this step in the strategy
was the decision to bomb the ship after some 90 percent of the cargo had
been lost, so that the remaining oil would be spilled and would not
continue as a pollution source after major cleanup had been achieved.
The second step in the strategy is to provide protection to the
most environmentally sensitive areas. In this case, the mariculture
facilities and the exposed estuaries that open to the west along the
coast were considered the most important systems. Large numbers of
booms were deployed in an attempt to protect these areas in the early
days of the spill. Four days after the spill it was observed that the
booms in l'Aber Benoit had been deployed correctly using angle theory,
but other booms had failed either because they were damaged or because
of entrainment. As the period of spring tide approached, all booms were
ineffective because of the strong currents.
On the Lannion Peninsula, where there were several days of lead
time before the oil reached the area, some resort communities bulldozed
the top layer of sand from their beaches and stored it in piles at the
high tide lines. The plan was to clean the oil from the newly exposed
beach face and, after cleanup was completed, to cover the entire area
with the clean sand that had been stockpiled.
A third phase is to prevent the oil from reaching shore. Preven-
tion methods may include mechanical removal or the use of chemicals. In
the case of the Amoco Cadiz, mechanical containment and removal were
impossible because of local sea and weather conditions. Early attempts
to use dispersant chemicals near shore were discontinued after the
policy was established to refrain from using such chemicals in waters
less than 50 meters deep. More than 35 boats ultimately were used to
spread dispersants in deeper waters north and east of Roscoff and the
lie de Brehat and south of Pte. de St. Mathieu.
249
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ThP fourth phase of cleanup is the collection of floating oil from
.	f Ijof the water in locations where pumping and vacuum equipment
can be used. Specific examples of this were id the Portsall and Roscoff
areas.
. « .	0f stranded oil. In the Amoco Cadiz
The fift p ase is	x	established was to remove stranded
case, the priority that app" population or with high-use
/->-i l f-i ret from those areas witn mgucoi- y r	, n	,
oil first tr	nhase of the removal involved collection and
resort beaches.	heach This was accomplished by tactics
pumping of the oil from the ^ Thi£ ^ ^ ^ ^
such as the tre°c^ng an f natUral pockets and low points in other
Greve beach, and the use	lso included washing down stone
beaches. The removal °f *"anded oil a coated with water, and
breakwaters and rip-rap areas ^at bad	^
flushing the oil either into trencnes «
i ae	affected in varying degrees. A large
£>everal marsh a	^	entirely covered with oil 2 to
marsh in the lie Gran	available to avoid the extended damage
8 inches deep. The on y	impacted by the Metula spill in the Straits
as seen in the Espora	* Less oiled marshes observed near the
of Magellan was to remov	de goulven were probably best left alone
^e^rofliXrvegetation would probably cause more harm than
the moderate oiling.
u t i-v,^ cfratppv is to remove oil-contaminated materi-
A sixth phase of the strategy i.^ ^ ^ oaed ^ ^
als. This incl" ™	¦8 u rts. The collected material is now
to handle. Ultimate dis-
posal of this material is a major prob em.
A seventh phase of the strategy is to handle the collected mousse
and detritus material for recovery or ultimate disposal.
6.5 Specific Cleanup Operations
A major activity of the Texas A&M team was to document the cleanup
activities. During a series of visits to the cleanup site during 5 of
the first 6 weeks following the spill, operations were observed visually
and extensive photographs and 8-mm movies were taken. During the second
Project trip from April 15 through April 30, 1978, survey forms were
filled out on the beaches at the time cleanup operations were observed
A copy of the form is shown as Fig. 6-9.
We believe that the most important part of the cleanup of this
Particular spill took place ashore where the oil was stranded against or
on the beaches and rocky shoreline. Seven unit-process diagrams (Figs
0-10 through b-16) document cleanup operations on shore and serve as a
250
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OBSERVER
DATE/TIME_
AMOCO CADIZ
BEACH CLEANUP OPERATIONS SURVEY
1. Beach Number/Name/Oescriptions_
2. Equipment utilized, size, type, amount, etc.
Boom	 Dump Trucks_
Tank Trucks
Vac Trucks
Tractors	
Bulldozers
Honey W
-------
-c	chapter. The processes of the Amoco
guide to the color plates for	. nS 6.5.1. through 6.5.7. Also
Cadiz cleanup are discusse 1	that contributed to the success or
Hissed are the other activities th.
failure of the cleanup procedures.
ti.^av surface Through Delivery to
6.5.1 B»mnvnl Of Mousse			2	
Interim Storage
pS used to collect mousse from the
A diagram of four unit proc^^ jluch mousse was collected by
water surface is shown as ig.	ramps or causeways permitted direct
vacuum trucks (A) at locations	. high tide periods. The tank
access of the trucks to the ox ^ directly from the surface because of
trucks were able to pump the mou piate 6-1 shows vacuum trucks opera-
te thickness of the mousse layer-
ting from a boat ramp in Portsall.
moras
A

COLLECT NOUStC
FROM WATCH
SUftFACC WITH
VACUUM TRUCK

COLLECT oil from
•URFACI with
MONEY WA«ON

K^TI,****OltT If
farm WA0ON OR
truck

OlSCHARtC INTO
INTERIM BULK
IOIIC WAIT |
IZ
M«CNAROK IN
INTCRIM HOVNI
tTOHA«I
C
^WtLICT
MOU ME BY HAMD
IN BUCKET!
/bmcmahm m
INTERIM MOUSM
•TORA9E
Figure 6-10. Unit process: Removal of mousse from water surface to
interim storage.
252
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A second method (B) involved the use of farm "honeywagons."
Honeywagons are small vacuum trucks of 500 to 1000 gallon capacity,
which are normally used to pump farm manure from cesspools and spread it
on fields. Honeywagons drawn by tractors could work on the beach sur-
face and follow the mousse as it moved with the tide along the beach.
This equipment had the advantage of being able to work during a greater
portion of the tidal cycle than could the vacuum trucks, which were
restricted to hard surface roads; indeed, this equipment was the most
important in the French cleanup effort. Plate 6-2 shows three honey-
wagons backed into the mousse on the beach to take on a load.
Both of these pumping operations were hindered since skimming
devices were generally not available to separate the mousse and the
water. As a result, large volumes of water were pumped into the tanks
along with the mousse. Part of the mousse would separate out and water
could then be removed from the tank by decanting; nonetheless, large
volumes of water were often delivered to the interim storage areas. One
report indicated that a tank truck brought 14 parts of water and 1 part
of mousse to a storage area.
One of the problems encountered in pumping directly from the sea
was the presence of large amounts of seaweed in the mousse. Open
topped industrial dumpster units 8 feet wide by 20 feet long by 4 feet
deep were brought to the scene to use as seaweed/mousse separators. The
oiled seaweed mixture was pumped into baskets hanging over the dumpster
units; the mousse was strained through the basket and the seaweed re-
tained in the basket. The seaweed was then removed by hand and carried
away to an interim bulk solid waste storage area. Several separators
are shown at the top of the ramp in Plate 6-1.
Four Acme skimmers operated in the Portsall area. These skimmers
discharged directly into vacuum or tank trucks, which then decanted
excess water prior to delivery of the mousse to the interim mousse
storage area. These compressed-air-driven skimmers from Tulsa, Okla-
homa, are shown in Plate 6-4 and also in Plates 4-9 and 4-19.
Initial operations also included the simple bucket brigade whereby
a large group of soldiers would scoop the mousse directly from the water
surface in small buckets and pass the buckets to shore where the mousse
was dumped into 30-gallon garbage cans. The mousse was then sucked into
a vacuum truck for ultimate mousse/water separation and transportation
to interim storage. This operation is shown in Plate 6-3.
6.5.2 Removal of Stranded Mousse from the Beach and Transportation
to Interim Storage
During the period of increasingly high tide, mousse was resuspended
and carried higher with each tidal cycle. When the spring tides began
to recede, the mousse was deposited at each high tide and was not re-
moved by the next tide interval. As a result, wide bands of mousse were
253
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stranded on the beach and a major activity became that of removing the
mousse material.
The unit operations diagram for this activity is shown in Fig. 6-11.
The first step was to concentrate the mousse where it could be picked up
by mechanical equipment. This was accomplished by digging trenches or
pits, or by using natural depressions or even squeegee boards to create
a sufficient depth so that suction devices of the honeywagons could
remove the mousse. Large numbers of soldiers pushed the mousse into
these depressions and manned suction hoses.
The primary unit operation included concentration of the mousse,
loading into the honeywagons, discharge into an oil/water separator to
separate the seaweed from the mousse, and then transport by vacuum truck
to the ultimate disposal area. Plate 6-5 shows a group of soldiers
concentrating the mousse in a shallow pit and using vacuum hoses from
two honeywagons to remove the mousse. This is also demonstrated in
Plate 4-5. Plate 6-6 shows the use of a front-end loader with supple-
mental loading by hand to pick up the mousse, which was then loaded in
the dump truck in the background to be carried away for disposal.
Plate 6-7 shows the collection of seaweed on a beach into piles
both by hand and by mechanical means. The mousse drains away from the
seaweed so that it can be collected in pits and trenches for removal.
Figure 6-11. Unit process: Removal of stranded mousse from beach to
interim storage.
254
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Plate 4-8 shows a front-end loader with a load of seaweed and the
farm trailer used to carry the seaweed off the beach,
Plate 6-8 shows a trench dug in the St. Michel-en-Greve beach to
collect the mousse flowing down the beach so that it can be picked up by
mechanical means.
Plate 6-9 shows a series of pits dug in the same beach to collect
the mousse for removal by a honeywagon. The men are using homemade
squeegee boards with long handles to push the mousse across the beach
into the pits.
6.5.3 Removal of Mousse from Rocky Areas to Interim Storage
Large amounts of mousse were trapped in rocky areas, either by the
pooling of the mousse in crevices and depressions or by the collection
of mousse on algae. The algae on the rocks near the high tide line
served almost as a natural oil absorbent. As the tide receded, the
algae became dry as a result of wind and sun action. When the tide
returned, bearing a mousse mixture on the surface, the algae became oil
coated as the mousse came into contact with algae before it came into
contact with the water. As a result, the algae would hold many times
their weight in mousse. Plate 6-10 shows mousse absorbed in algae.
The removal of mousse from the rocky areas involved both the re-
moval of the mousse trapped in the crevices and pools and the removal of
the algal mass. Fig. 6-12 shows the unit processes for the removal of
the pooled mousse and the mousse drained or squeegeed from the algae.
Figure 6-12. Unit process: Removal of mousse from rocky areas to
interim storage.
255
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from creV^ces and pools depended
The process of removing mous . to tjle rocjCy areas. In a few
how close mechanized equipment cou crevices using a vacuum truck and
cases, it was possibleto:reac h guch an operation: a group of
long suction hoses, Plate o		to be removed from among the
on
"	it was possiDie uu	--- guCh an operation: a group of
03 ' rHnti hoses. Plate 6-11 sho	to be removex|	picking up and bagging oiled algae,
cleanup. Plate 6-15 shows soldxers p
/uo» rr HA*o
ONTO VMON
OR FHOWT CND
LOADKR

« TO
IMTCKIM tA«
tTOMAOC
—

/COULtCT
tftAWffO WTM
mo NT i*®
LOAM*


1AM 0
fffOMT 1*0
woaoc*

Figure 6-13. Unit process: Removal
of oiled sand, seaweed, and detri-
tus to interim storage.
256
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Plate 4-5 portrays the operation of picking up bulk oiled seaweed from
the beach. Similar operations included picking up oiled sand from some
beaches.
6.5.5 Cleaning of Walls, Rock Faces, and Cobbles
Since the entire coastline in this region is a resort area, the
cleaning of rocks, retaining walls, ramps, and boulders was necessary
for both safety and aesthetic reasons. In the later stages of the
cleanup considerable effort was given to this unit operation, which is
diagrammed in Fig. 6-14.
The most complete cleaning operation consisted of the delivery of
large volume of water to the cleaning area by tank trucks or vacuum
trucks, the use of fire department pumping units to increase the pres-
sure, and the use of fire for a high pressure stream with sufficient
volume to flush the mousse into a collection area. Where the operation
was done correctly, a containment area was established to collect the
washed mousse and to pick it up for disposal. However, in many cases
where the rocks or walls were washed the mousse was merely allowed to be
trapped in sand, or if conditions were favorable, to be carried away
with the next tide. Cleaning of rock walls can be seen in Plates 6-13
and 6-14.
The unit process diagram (Fig. 6-14) also describes the process of
spraying oiled cobbles with dispersant and moving the cobbles to the
lower beach zone for cleaning and redeposition. This procedure, shown
also in Plate 6-30 is discussed under the topic of dispersants.
Figure 6-14. Unit process: Cleaning of walls, rockfaces, and cobbles.
257
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6.5.6 Unit Processes for Cleaning the^jlg-JLrande Marsh
The marsh areas at He Grande near t^e northern end of the Lannion
Peninsula (E85 and E86) were heavily oile > with mousse levels of 2
inches or more in grassy areas and levels ranging in depth from inches
to feet in pools and channels. Experience gained in the Metula spill
indicated that a marsh so heavily oiled would show no signs of life for
years; therefore, oil removal, even at the price of vegetation removal
and soil surface disruption, was warranted. Fig. 6-15 diagrams the
operations observed and those expected to be used. The cleanup consists
of the removal of the mousse and oiled vegetation where the mousse has
covered the ground and the root stalk system. Where the soil is not
covered, oiled grass should probably be left alone Lightly oiled
marshes such as those at Greve de Goulven and Baie de Kernec are prob-
ably best left alone.
Plate 6-16 shows a group of soldiers working with a small group of
women volunteers in the lie Grande marsh. The crane in the picture
became bogged down while trying to create a channel to collect the
mousse.
QT CL£4fteO AMAS.
Figure 6-15. Unit process: Cleaning of lie Grande marsh.
258
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6.5.7 Movement of Mousse and Oiled Materials from Interim Storage
to Final Disposal Sites
The volume estimates calculated in the initial section of this
chapter indicated the huge amount of material that must be removed from
the beach in such a spill. Since it is not desirable to tie up the
limited equipment in transportation over long distances during the
critical stages of the cleanup, a large interim storage much be created
near the beach. Here mousse and solid materials are stored for periods
from a few days to a few weeks, until sufficient equipment can be di-
verted from the mousse removal operations to carry the stored material
to its final destination. A unit process diagram covering the processes
from interim storage through disposal is shown in Fig. 6-16.
The primary interim storage devices used for mousse in the Amoco
Cadiz spill were dug pits, which were either lined with plastic or left
unlined. Plate 6-17 shows a typical group of interim storage pits
located near Roscoff. Several honeywagons are unloading into one of the
pits and vacuum and tank trucks are loading for transport. In the same
region, a series of pits was used with screens placed between two pits
(Plate 6-18) to serve as seaweed/mousse separators. Efficient loading
requires the decanting of excess water from the tank of vacuum trucks as
shown in Plate 6-19.
Figure 6-16. Unit process: Movement of mousse and oiled material from
interim storage to disposal.
259
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During the early stages of the spill, mousse from the Roscoff area
was discharged into a small coastal tanker for transport to an oil re-
finery for processing. This tanker and the huge backlog of tank trucks
waiting to be unloaded is shown in Plate 6-20. Later in the cleanup
operation the mousse was transported by railroad tank cars to a refinery
for either reprocessing or incineration.
In the later days of the spill, huge volumes of oiled sand, detri-
tus, and seaweed were collected. This material also required interim
bulk storage. In most cases bulk seaweed and sacked materials were
stored on plastic sheets placed on flat ground with the edges built up
to prevent any drainage. This material cannot be recycled for oil, nor
does it have sufficient fuel value for burning. As a result, it posed a
major problem. In the Department of Cotes-du-Nord, the material is
being buried permanently near the town of Tregastel. One of the ulti-
mate disposal pits is shown in Plate 6-21.
In the Department of Finistere several large storage pits have been
constructed on the port property at Brest. Four pits ranging in size,
from ^ to 1 acre have been constructed: first, pits with a depth of
approximately 10 feet are dug and are lined with clay and then with a
thick black plastic liner. Material is discharged into the pits pending
future decisions to stabilize the material or use another form of perma-
nent disposal. Plate 6-22 shows typical materials dumped into these
storage pits. A problem for future disposal is the large number of
plastic bags that have been used in storing semi-solid waste materials.
An attempt was made to use a crane to pick up and drop the bags upon
delivery in order to break them.
6.5.8 Results After Cleaning
During the period of April 20 through May 1, many of the beaches
appeared to be clean. However, in most cases it was found that the view
was deceiving and that a considerable amount of mousse had been buried
under the sand that was building up on the beaches at this time of year.
Plate 6-23 shows mousse that was left in the concentration pits on St.
Michel-en-Greve beach, which was ultimately covered by sand.
It can be seen from Plate 6-24 that extensive working of mechanical
equipment over the same beach left behind areas of oiled sand. Plate
6-25 shows layers of oiled sand on the same beach in the area worked by
the mechanized equipment.
In rocky areas many of the pools of oil and most of the heavily
oiled algae were removed. However, at the base of the rocks were many
areas where mousse, sand, gravel, and shell combined to form a solid,
"moussecrete," wfcich will remain for a long time. The rock walls and
ramps and boulder8 that were cleaned by water or with water detergent
mixures were relatively clean.
260
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6.5.9 Other Technologies
Booms
Many booms were used early in the spill to try and protect impor-
tant areas, and later in the spill to aid in the recovery of mousse.
The four types of booms used are shown as Fig. 6-17. The most fre-
quently used boom was the French made Sycore II, an air-inflatable boom
with a 1-meter skirt and the primary heavy-duty boom. It was reported
that some 20 kilometers of this boom were available in France to be used
for the spill; however, only 11 kilometers in good condition were avail-
able. This boom was too light and fragile for the heavy sea environment
in which it was used, and the deep skirt created exceptionally large
drag forces which damaged the boom fabric and end connectors.
The second type is the Acorn boom, which is filled with foam beads
and has a shallower skirt. This boom appeared to be much more rugged,
and under high wave conditions was observed to be following the wave
profile exceptionally well. The boom appears to be more bulky to handle
but much more effective in practice.
Two types of gamlen booms saw limited service. One is the "hi-sea"
fence boom and the other is a small harbor boom with pockets for flota-
tion. The latter boom generally appeared to be ineffective in the
environment in which it was used.
All of the booms placed in the early days of the spill failed to
some degree, for a variety of reasons:
(1)	Structural failure as demonstrated by broken booms in Roscoff,
l'Aber Wrac'h, and other areas.
(2)	Entrainment or the passing of oil under the boom by high
velocity as shown occurring in Plate 4-30 and by the oil on
both sides of the boom shown in Plates 4-29 and 4-32. (Booms
in the first two Plates are Sycores II and the third is the
gamlen aluminum harbor fence boom.)
(3)	Difficulty in anchoring the boom ends.so they would work
effectively at all tidal levels.
(4)	Breaks and fouling by debris as the booms went unattended.
(5)	Trapped oil was not removed and had time to work its way
through the booms.
(6)	Deployment based on equity of protection or shortage of boom
was not made in a manner known to be effective.
261
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INFLATION
HOSE
I M
V
.CHAIN
O
CHAIN ( TENSION MEMBER a
8ALLAST)
ciidE EN°
^connector
SVCORES I
{"NFLATABLE BOOM )
1J
50 cm.
CONNECTOR
FOAM
PELLET FILLED
1
TENSION MEMBER
END OF BOOM
acorn
(CURTAIN BOOM )
"MMM
pzc
ADDITIONAL
freeboard
FLOTATION
BAG
STRUTS
gamlen hi sea
GUARD
(FENCE BOOM)

fl


	/
/
c
<
3
3 t
t
\ FABRIC
3
0
0
1 ,	
\t
(
<
3
J (
? 		 ri
} f
g flotation
o (ALUMINUM)
	
r n t f*
L l
ALUMINUM
-FABRIC
BOOM
(FENCE BOOM)
^igure 6-17. Four types of booms used during spill cleanup:
(a) Sycores II; (b) Acorn; (c) Gamlen Hi-Sea Boom; and
(d) Gamlen small fence boom.
262
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Later in the spill, some of these problems were overcome with more
boom, marine commandos to tend the boom, increased ability to remove
trapped mousse, and more experienced supervision of placement. Removal
personnel also learned to use booms on the beaches to collect oil for
removal by vacuum trucks or honeywagons. Plate 6-26 shows effective
placement of a boom in Aber Ildit.
Skimmers
Large skimmers generally proved to be ineffective because of the
high sea state or lack of mobility. The Chamdis, a barge brought from
Le Havre, had four large Cyclonet skimmers attached. It was able to
operate only 2 hours over a 2-week period, but did achieve high rates of
recoveries of about 40 tons per hour. Two French Navy ships, including
the one shown in Plate 6-27, were equipped with Cyclonet units, but
again were not able to recover much mousse because of high waves. A
Vortex skimmer also had little success in the Roscoff area because of
lack of mobility, high draft, and sea state.
Three small Oil Mop skimming units were used in the Aber Benoit and
Aber Wrac'h areas and proved effective, although they could be used only
during high tide periods. Thus total recovery was limited. More small
skimmers of the Acme type used in Portsall would have been valuable.
Use of Dispersants
The policy governing the use of dispersants was discussed in sec-
tion 6.4. Approximately 30 French and 6 British ships were utilized to
spread dispersant. In the later stages of the spill a four-engine DC-4
aircraft was also used to spread dispersant. The primary dispersant
used was the British Petroleum No. 1100 which is concentrated dispersant,
but few data are available on amounts used or on effectivenss. The
effectiveness of dispersants as a major control tool was limited by the
broad distribution of oil along the coast, the patchiness of the oil in
windrows, and the ability of a ship to cover only a limited area even
during the better weather conditions. It is believed that considerably
more oil was dispersed in the water column as a result of the high seas
and the action of the seas with the rocky areas than was removed with
dispersant.
Other Methods
After the Torrey Canyon spill the French Navy equipped itself to
spread chalk on oil as a sinking agent. The method was used in the
Amoco Cadiz spill even though numerous recommendations were made against
it. Plate 6-28 shows a French Navy vessel discharging chalk on an oil
slick southwest of Brest.
Other novel methods were used. For example, plaster was used at a
site near the beach at Tregastal as an absorbent material in an attempt
263
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to remove the mousse from the coarse sand beach. The technique proved
effective, but required tremendous amounts of labor to remove both the
oiled materials and the chalk. (See Plate 6-29).
Spraying dispersant on rock and windrowing the rocks for cleaning
and recycling by the surf were discussed earlier and are displayed in
Plate 6-30.
The use of heavy equipment such as front-end loaders to move the
mousse into collection areas on beaches is shown in Plate 6-31.
6.6. Resources Required For Cleanup
The authors have been concerned that many individuals thrust into
oil spill cleanup activities misjudge the magnitude of the problem they
face. This happens because most on-scene commanders or coordinators are
chosen for some administrative or command talent and not as a result of
an expertise in oil spill control. For this reason particular care has
been taken in Section 6.1 to explain the magnitude of the spill in terms
recognized by a person not familiar with oil transport terminology.
In this section, the authors have documented to the extent possible
the level of effort in manpower, supplies, and equipment used to deal
with the Amoco Cadiz spill and the amount of materials removed from the
beaches. The information source used relative to land activities is
good for the Finistere region, but almost non-existent for Cotes-du-
Nord.
Logistical information on Navy activities is also sketchy. Although
the number of vessels used is specified in the daily reports, information
on manpower and use of supplies like dispersants is not provided. It is
hoped that a detailed French report on this subject will be prepared and
made available to the public.
6.6.1. Amount of Material Recovered
The daily pollution reports for Finistere listed amounts of re-
covered oil in three categories.
Material Pumped: This category included material pumped directly
from the water surface into tank trucks or honeywagons.
Material Skimmed: This category included material skimmed from the
surface of the beaches or rocky areas by men or equipment and moved off
the beach by honeywagons, front-end loaders, or dump trucks.
Sacked Material: This category included mousse, oiled sand, oiled
seaweed, and oiled detritus which was put in plastic bags and carried
from the beach for disposal.
264
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Figure 6-18 shows graphically the amount of oil which had been
pumped from the water and the amount of material which had been removed
from the surface of the beaches. It can be noted that the amount of oil
removed by pumping from the surface and that the amount of oil removed
from the beaches peaked in the last days of March and continued at a
decreasing rate throughout April. The amount of material being col-
lected in the last days of April up through the early days of May fell
off considerably, which could be expected when less oil was floating on
the surface and as the materials on the beaches became more contamin-
ated.
Figure 6-19 shows the amounts of materials bagged by the men work-
ing on the beach. This includes the oiled sand, seaweed, and the other
detritus that has been put in bags to be hauled away to the solid waste
material storage areas. This operation began rather slowly because
greater priority was put to the removal of the liquid oil, but peaked
toward the end of April and th« early days of May.
MATERIAL PUMPED
MATERIAL SKIMMED
ESTIMATES OF MISSING DATA
Figure 6-18. Volumes of
spilled material pumped
from water and removed
from beach surfaces in
Finistere.

CHRONICLE DAY • j
10
If 20	30	4p
50 5.5
»,TUC M.9UN	t,wtc tt.MON «,mct S0»TMU tt.TUf M*«M t.nu 10,1
MAftCH	APRIL	MAY
265
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Figure 6-20 shows the cumulative amount of materials removed from
the beach. As of the first of May, the total amount of materials removed
was approaching 100,000 cubic meters or approximately 100,000 metric
tons. The accumulation of the total mount of material diminished as the
oil became more diffuse and the material became more difficult to handle.
On the basis of the assumption that a cubic meter of mousse equals
approximately a ton of mousse material and that the average oil/water
ratio is 2.5:1, the material was roughly 30 percent oil. It can be
estimated that 20,000 to 25,000 tons of oil have been removed from the
coastline. If one compares these figures with those shown in Section
6.1, it can be observed that only about 15 to 20 percent of the mousse
was removed. This indicates that the delay in removal coupled with the
local oceanographic and meteorological conditions caused a large frac-
tion of the mousse to be spread into the environment.
6.6.2 Manpower Resources
It has been difficult to determine the exact number of men working
on cleanup activities. Figure 6-21 shows a count of men reported to be
at work in the region of Finistere. The work force on shore in Finistere
included public works personnel, Army troops, Navy commandos, security
civil personnel, police, firemen, and volunteers.
Estimates were made for the general level of personnel in the region
of Cotes-du-Nord based on very sketchy figures reported in newspaper
articles. This figure was assumed to be 50% of the figures for Finistere.
It is hoped that an accurate figure for this manpower level can ulti-
mately be obtained.
Navy personnel levels were estimated from Navy reports of the
number of ships engaged in dispersant, chalking, or other operations.
An average of 35 men per ship was estimated.
Table 6-3 is a summary of the estimated direct manpower utilized at
different times after the start of the spill. Note that the manpower
effort continued to rise for almost two months after the spill.
In additon to the direct manpower, it could be expected that an
additional 50% of personnel were needed as part of direct and indirect
support roles.
During the middle of the spill cleanup, large numbers of volunteers
were involved. However, problems of logistics and organization appear
to have eliminated their effectiveness as a whole, although individual
groups observed appeared to be highly effective. Few volunteers were
able to stay for the duration of the recovery operation.
266
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t SACK » 150 lb. 2 0.0602 M3
800
£ 700
h
UJ
z
600-
s
~
~
CHRONICLE DAY - 5 io ' Ip 20 2p 30 3p 4(0 45 EO 5,5
a.TUE 24,SUN SI, nil S.WED K, MOM ti, SAT 20.THU	50, SUN 9.FRI <0, W£t>
MARCH	APRIL	MAY
Figure 6-19. Volumes of spilled material bagged on the beach.
-i	1	1	r	r
CHRONICLE day - 5 10 lf5 20 2p 30 3p 4p 45 50 5,5
a.Tue k.svm si, mi &,wm io, mon ivsat jo.tho zs.tue so^suh s,rw io, wed
MARCH	APRIL	MAY
Figure 6-20. Total cumulative volume of spilled material removed from
the beach.
267
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Figure 6-21. Numbers of personnel reported to be working on spill
cleanup.
6.6.3 Equipment
In the first section of this report, an attempt was made to relate
the amounts of different types of equipment with the total magnitude of
material to be dealt with. In this regard it is useful to observe the
amounts of different types of equipment that were used in the cleanup
operation. This information is shown in Figs. 6-22 through 6-25 which
plot the numbers of these pieces of equipment used throughout the time
sequence of the spill. The figures for the equipment used must be
adjusted to include the equipment used in the region of Cotes-du-Nord.
It is expected that the equipment level in Cotes-du-Nord was 50 to 60
percent of that used in Finistere.
6.7 Summary of Observations
The cleanup of the Amoco Cadiz is now history. A large number of
capable administrators, engineers, sailors, soldiers, public servants,
and volunteers have carried out a massive cleanup to an end point con-
sidered feasible and reasonable. Memories of the cleanup will remain as
a V*vid reminder of the practical difficulties of dealing with a massive
spill.
268
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Table 6-3. Field personnel involved in the cleanup of the Amoco Cadiz
oil spill
3-28 3-29 4-8 4-9 4-11 4-12 4-18
Navy Personnel
at Sea
455
1085
245
175
280
490
420
Military Personnel1







in Finistere
1742
1663
4250
4651
4692
5288
5178
Province







Military Personnel2
in Cotes-du-Nord
871
832
2125
2326
2346
2644
2589
Total Personnel
3068
3580
6620
7252
7528
8422
8187
1Based on reports that give an average of 35 men per vessel.
2Based on reports that indicate a ratio of 2 men working in Finistere
for one man working in Cotes-du-Nord.
Oil spill contingency planners should continuously evaluate their
plans in light of the Amoco Cadiz experience. For this reason, it is
appropriate to examine the characteristics of the spill and evaluate the
response to it to see what lessons have been learned.
6.7.1 The Spill and Its Impact
(1)	The magnitude of spilled oil is enlarged by the creation of
water-in-oil emulsions or mousses. This increased volume must be
considered in planning removal activities afloat or ashore.
(2)	For a major spill near shore, the primary line of defense will
be on the coastline. Both the Metula and Amoco Cadiz spills demon-
strated that when oil is spilled nearshore, with prevailing winds toward
shore, it will reach the beaches quickly. Stopping the oil from coming
ashore by mechanical and chemical means should be attempted, but the
backbone of a contingency plan must recognize the necessity of dealing
with oil on shore.
(3)	If the oil is not removed or stabilized, it will spread to
uncontaminated coastlines and extend the area of impact. In the case of
the Amoco Cadiz, effective oil removal onshore did not begin for almost
a week. As a result, much oil that could have been removed remained on
the water surface or the beach face. This oil continued to move with
the winds along the shore to impact new areas. Later drastic windshifts
from the west to the northeast in the third, fourth, and sixth weeks
substantially redistributed oil to beaches previously missed.
269
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S 60 H
z
UJ
>
fc 50
30
10 H
	ESTIMATE OF MISSING DATA

Figure 6-22.
	1	«	'"I 1 -i	1	1	1—I	7	—»
CHRONICLE DAY - 5 10	20 25 30 3p 40 45 50 55
a. nit m.sun Si, rw s.web 10, mom a, iat jo.tmu zs.tuE so, sun 5,n«i lo wra
MAACM	AMIL	mat
Numbers of tank trucks (camion citerne) used during spill
cleanup.
140 1
130
120
	ESTIMATE OF MISSING DATA
60 A
40
20 H
to H
i N
/ \
\
\
•Av
CHRONICLE DAY - 5 10 l|5 20 2|i 30 3f 40 45 5 55
*"T »W«u H.'rut jo.'w,
Figure 6-23. Numbers of vacuum trucks (camion d'assaiaissement) used
during spill cleanup.
270
-------
300
200-
120 -
100
80
60
20-
• DUMP TRUCKS
— ESTIMATE OF MISSING DATA
CHRONICLE OAV - 5
, ,'AJ
HEAVY MACHINERY - BULLDOZERS,
BACK HOES, FRONT-END
LOADERS

vv
RAILROAD VAOONS
If 20 2f 30 Z*> 4 p 45 50 5,5
b.tuc h,wn st, rm 5, wo to, mon n, sat aojnu »,tui so, sum 5, mi k>, wis
MAftCH	APRIL	MAY
Figure 6-24. Numbers of dump trucks, heavy machinery, and railroad
wagons used during spill cleanup.

90-]
80-
70
60
o
$ 50H
>
40-
30-
20
10-
ESYIMATC OF MISSING DATA
CHRONICLE DAY -
MARCH
4 10 15 20 25 JO 3j5 40	50 &
2IJUE M.SUN 3(JfRI ^WED lO^MN IMAT 20.THU 2S.TUE JO.SUN 5,FBI IO.WCD
Figure 6-25 Numbers of honeywagons (bac) used during spill cleanup.
271
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(A) The longer it takes to clean up the spill, the greater will be
the loss of oil to the environment and the more sand, seaweed and detri-
tus there will be with the collected oil.
Figure 6-26 shows an estimate of the fate of oil as reported in the
French press and credited to local officials- It indicates substantial
losses to the sea and most likely to the beach sands. Rapid removal of
the mousse where it first hits the coast would minimize such losses.
Greater dispersion of the spill makes for lighter coatings of more area.
Then removal must deal with larger volumes of lightly contaminated
material rather than smaller volumes of more concentrated material.
This not only increases the bulk, but renders the residue less amenable
to treatment and/or reclamation.
6.7.2 Organizational Structure
(1) Policies necessary to deal with the spill need to be predeter-
mined .
230,000
Figure 6-26. Estimated fate of oil from Amoco Cadiz. Source: local
newspapers.
272
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It was reported that considerable time was lost in the spill re-
sponse while policies as to who does what, who pays for what (and how),
which methods will be used and what chemicals will be used were being
determined. Effective response is possible only when such issues have
been decided in advance and the response team adequately informed of the
decisions.
(2)	Necessary operational components need to be organized and
tested.
A large spill response requires that many functional groups
such as public works organizations, volunteers, fire departments, sol-
diers, and contractors work together. Pilot operations need to be
carried out to see how these groups work together and to see what opera-
tional problems arise, ranging from lunch schedules and union rules
through logistics and communications.
(3)	Major mobilization including both the military and public
works is needed.
In the Amoco Cadiz spill, it rapidly became apparent that the
attempt to deal with the spill on land as a strictly civil activity was
destined to failure. Not only was Army manpower needed, but military
communication, organization, logistics, and equipment were needed as
well. It is increasingly apparent that both public works agencies and
the Army or similar military units are necessary for the unique man-
power, manpower training, and logistic support available from each.
6.7.3 Resources Necessary to Deal With a Spill
(1)	Operational components need to be predetermined and mechanisms
for response established.
Those responsible for dealing with the spill need to have resources
for different levels of response readily available. In addition to the
public resources such as the Army and public works agencies discussed
previously, this includes contractors, equipment sources, cooperative
agreements, etc.
(2)	A reservoir of equipment ranging from shovels and containers
through small skimmers and storage devices needs to be inventoried and
made available.
It appears that France was able to respond rather quickly to supply
the simple needs of protective clothing, hand tools, buckets, etc., but
limiting storages were observed in some beach parties. A critical
shortage of small skimmers and storage devices was evident. In many
parts of the world, the lack of these modest tools may become a limiting
factor in cleanup operations.
273
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(3)	Logistics need to be arranged to maximize the use of equipment
during favorable tide and weather.
Often the matching of the tides, time of day, and normal workday
resulted in extremely short working days for some unit operations.
Lunch breaks were observed to shut down some operations during ideal
time for removal of oil. Using shifts for the men on the beach and for
machine operators could have resulted in much higher removal rates.
(4)	Equipment and supplies to be used need to be determined be-
forehand. Examples were reported of fantastic prices charged where
equipment was supplied without pre-negotiation of prices.
6.7.4	Specific Unit Operations
(1)	Equipment compatible with the tide, current, and weather
conditions must be chosen and tested in order to assure utility.
The failure of booms and skimmers to serve a meaningful role in the
Amoco Cadiz cleanup is a reminder to choose methods of response compat-
ible with the oceanographic and meteorological conditions of the area.
(2)	Oil contained by booms, but not removed, will ultimately be
lost to the environment.
This old adage of the field was borne out at the Amoco Cadiz
spill. Booms that were effective during some tides or for part of the
tidal cycle, would ultimately fail since the collected oil was not
removed.
(3)	Booms not tended are likely to fail.
Many of the initial boom deployments failed at the ends, by break-
ing or by being tripped by debris. Careful tending and mending in the
early days of the spill could have lessened the damage in some areas.
6.7.5	Systems Approach to Unit Processes
(1)	Large masses of simple equipment utilized by many people will
be needed in the cleanup operation.
The magnitude of the problem in terms of volume of mousse, also the
spreading into rocks, seaweed, and pockets of sand, indicates the
amount of hand labor involved in removal of the material, particularly
in the middle and later stages of the cleanup.
(2)	A systems approach to examining unit processes and unit opera-
tions is necessary to eliminate waste and increase efficiency.
274
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For efficiency and economy, it is necessary to match men with
tools, supplies, and equipment in appropriate ratios, i.e., if 25 men
can handle 1 honeywagon, having 100 men on the beach with only 1 wagon
accomplishes nothing more. Similarly, if the same 25 men can load three
honeywagons in series, then having only one wagon in service and having
the men wait between loads is wasteful. Ratios of men to equipment need
to be determined either before the spill or early enough in the spill to
be adjusted.
(3) Levels of resource requirements for spills of different sizes
need to be determined and published. The results of the Amoco Cadiz and
other spills need to be analyzed to determine guidelines for the level
of resources needed to handle spills of different sizes. This will help
the on-scene coordinators immediately to assess the size of the response
effort that will be needed.
6.7.6 Effective Contingency Planning and Training
(1)	Overall contingency planning is necessary.
An effective contingency plan will contain many of the elements
mentioned in this report. The plan must be a working entity, not merely
a book on the shelf.
(2)	Training is needed both before and during the spill.
It is essential to train administrators, engineers, and team
leaders in oil spill control. In a spill as large as that of the Amoco
Cadiz there is also a need for pretraining the manpower to be sent to
the field. On-scene videotape methods may prove particularly valuable.
(3)	All aspects of the plan must be tested periodically for readi-
ness .
The major drawback of the French response was that the incidents of
the Bohleme and the Olympic Bravery had not resulted in a full scale
test of the POLMAR plan. The problems with the organizational compo-
nents of the plan were the most important. However, all aspects of a
contingency plan need appropriate testing.
275
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APPENDIX A
Chronology of Events
March 16-April 20, 1978
The following is a chronology of events surrounding the Amoco Cadiz
incident and activities of the U.S. scientific team:
March 16
The Amoco Cadiz, carrying a cargo of 216,000 tons of
light mideastern crude oil and 4,000 tons of Bunker fuel
oil runs aground near midnight on a rock outcropping,
1.5 nmi from Portsall on the northwest coast of France.
Three of 13 loaded tanks are emptied on grounding. Seas
at the time of grounding are rough with 22- to 28-kn
winds from WSW.
March 17
Crew evacuated by helicopter at 0530. Vessel breaks
forward of the wheelhouse at the level of the no. 4 tanks
at 0600. Weather continues poor with strong W to SW
winds.
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
Vessel continues to leak. Shell Oil in charge of clean-
up. Pumps being shipped from Detroit.
Six NOAA and NOAA-contract scientists arrive on-scene,
contact CNEXO officials, and visit Portsall area. Weather
foggy with 12- to 20-kn winds from WNW/NW.
Vessel continues to leak with stern canted toward the
east. Weather improves with good visibility in after-
noon, 6- to 8-kn winds from the west. 50 tons of dis-
persant reportly used to date.
U.S. field party conducts observations at Portsall.
Vessel continues to leak in 4- to 6-ft seas. Wind 20 kn
from W/SW.
First U.S. fixed wing overflight reveals contamination
extending from 10 km west to 80 km east of wreck site.
Five tanks reported empty or leaking. Eight pumps on-
scene with a total capacity of 1500 m3. Nine French Navy
ships are now on-scene with 100 tons of BP 1100 WD dis- '
persant; five English ships standing by. Beach cleanup
operations involving 310 individuals limited to pumping
and recovering dense concentrations of oil. Shoreline
contamination in varying degrees extends 145 km from
Pte. de St. Mathieu to Bay of Lannion. Winds 5 to 15 kn
from SW.
277
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U.S. team conducts helicopter overflights in connection
with shore-based beach and estuarine observations near
Portsall.
March 23	Vessel stern remains connected to bow. However all tanks
appear leaking with 30,000-70,000 tons of cargo estimated
to remain on-board. 20- to 30-kn winds gusting to 60 kn
from WNW/NW, turbulent seas. 57 tons of dispersant used
at sea to date.
U.S. team maps coastline and conducts five transects by
helicopter from Portsall to Roscoff, obtains oil sample
from near vessel. Ground surveys continue near Les Dunes
beach.
March 24
Vessel stern is shifted to west; new breaks are apparent.
Winds 20 to 30 kn gusting to 45 kn. Sea conditions
continue turbulent. Shoreline contaminated along 210 km
from Pte. de St. Mathieu to lie de Brehat. Ten navy
vessels and 3 U.K. tugs treating the spill with dispers-
ant, with some additional support from helicopters. 450
individuals involved in beach cleanup.
U.S. team conducts helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft
surveys of impact area, coordinated with beach surveys.
Subsurface chemical sampling using a towed fluorometer is
conducted in the Aber Wrac'h estuary, extending 6 km
offshore.
March 25
March 26
Vessel continues to leak in poor weather.
U.S. team continues transects by helicopter, beach sur-
vey, and subsurface chemical sampling in l'Aber Wrac'h.
Close observation of vessel indicates extensive leaking
from pipes at about 1 ton per minute. French Navy has
opened hatches and valves on #1 tank. Winds 18 to 20 kn
from the west.
March 27
U.S. team obtains oil sample 30 m from vessel by helicop-
ter and maps beach area by fixed-wing aircraft. Beach
surveys continue near l'Aber Wrac'h.
Poor visibility prevents all aircraft operations. Winds
18 to 20 kn gusting to 35 kn from west.
U.S. team conducts beach surveys and subsurface chemical
sampling in and near l'Aber Wrac'h.
278
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March 28
Ship broken in two with stern offset, bow inclined sharply
from point of break. 10,000 to 50,000 tons of cargo
estimated to remain on-board. Authorization to blow up
tanker is obtained from owners and underwriters. Winds
30-40 kn from SW. Sporadic use of dispersants continuing
from 6 English and 20 French ships. 1,420 people now
involved in beach cleanup operations.
U.S. team conducts helicopter transects to 35 km off
coast, encountering large patches of oil moving offshore.
Shoreline region is filmed. Beach surveys continue.
March 29
Depth charges used to rupture hull. Winds 15 kn from the
SW. Beaches appear cleaner; however sheen and large
patches of mousse are observed to 60 km offshore.
U.S. team conducts helicopter transects, fixed-wing over-
flights, and beach surveys.
March 30
Depth charges again used to rupture hull. Vessel now
broken in 3 sections; bow is elevated to 45°. Sky clear,
winds light from SW. Less than 20,000 tons estimated to
remain on board.
U.S. team conducts reconnaissance by fixed-wing aircraft
and beach surveys. Offshore chemical sampling initiated
aboard the French research vessel Le Suroit.
March 31
Good weather, not much wind. U.S. team occupies 18 beach
stations. Substantial kill of cockles and limpets ob-
served near Roscoff and Portsall.
April 1
Weather remains good. U.S. biologists visit lobster
pound at Roscoff and find it must be rebuilt before use.
Beach survey team continues second survey of standard
beach stations.
April 2
Good weather, light wind. U.S. team visits St. Michel-
en-Greve to observe massive kill of heart urchins and
razor clams.
April 3
U.S. scientists meet with CNEX0 and UB0 scientists to
review research efforts to date. Cleanup forces estimate
5000 tons of oil have been cleared from beaches.
April 4
Vessel Le Suroit returns to port. U.S. biologists visit
oyster culture dealer on l'Aber Benoit, bird hospital in
Brest, and alginate factory.
279
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April 5
U.S. scientists visit University of West Brittany.
Winds continue from the northeast for fourth day, although
only a few areas in the far west appear to have been
further contaminated. U.S. scientists continue meetings
with University of West Brittany.
U.S. scientists meet with Dr. Cabioch at Roscoff biologi-
cal station.
Fixed-wing aircraft observations reveal new areas of
impact on western coast and beaches facing northeast due
to 6 days of onshore winds. Considerable oil remains
offshore. Subsurface beach sands are contaminated in
some areas near Roscoff although surface appears clean.
Areas above normal high tide are still heavily contami-
nated.
Sheen continues to surround vessel. Beaches on southern
coast of the Brittany peninsula are clean despite reports
of oil offshore.
Vessel Le Suroit returns from second cruise. Scientists
indicate substantial bottom sediment contamination near
Portsall and in the Bays of Lannion and Morlaix.
Patches of oil sighted off the tip of the Brittany penin-
sula. French officials establishing contingency plans
for use of dispersants should oil move into Brest harbor
area.
Oil shifting toward south. Aerial photographs indicate
oil lying offshore of Brest. U.S. scientists discuss
impact on kelp industry; growth of kelp appears retarded.
Observations are taken from Roscoff to les Sept lies;
major impact appears to be at Lieue de Greve where wind-
rows of heart urchins are evident. Recent kills of
molluscs are observed. Worker population appears in good
health.
April 15	Overflight conducted along three transects perpendicular
to the coast between the wreck and les Sept lies. Little
or no oil seen on water although some sheen and streamers
observed in the vicinity of Pointe de St. Mathieu.
April 16	Some sheen reported near COB. Fifty puffins found oiled
and dead south of Brest on the Crozon peninsula. Oil
reported near the lie de la Vierge, between Pointe du Raz
and Rade de Brest, at Cap Sizun, between Pointe du Raz
and Pointe de Lesven, and at lie de Sein.
280
April 6
April 7
April 8
April
9
April
11
April
12
April
13
April
14
-------
April 18
April 19
April 20
Oil at sea now in a number of slicks, two of which have
drifted as far as 50 km south of Brest. About 7000
people now involved in cleanup.
French Navy locates 8 km diameter slick north of lie de
Sein and an 8 km x 300 m slick near Pointe du Van. Both
threaten the Bay of Douarnenez.
•
French Naval districts issue first official estimates on
fate of oil to date:
1.	Evaporated
2.	Amount hitting beach to date
2a. Amount cleaned off the beaches
3.	Still at sea
This amount is broken down as follows
a)	Treated with dispersant
b)	In process of being treated
c)	In sediment or water column
d)	Unknown
Two overflights conducted by U.S. scientists. Major
concentrations of oil observed near the Bay of Douarnenez
and in an area 385 km south of Cap de la Chevre. Sheen
continues around wreck site early in the day, but is not
evident in the afternoon.

Confidence
Tons
level
74,000
± 20%
80,000
± 50%
25-30,000
—
76,000
± 50%
20,000
± 50%
6,000
--
25,000
± 50%
25,000
—
281
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APPENDIX B
Colored Plates
283
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1-1. The Amoco Cadiz on March 21, 1978.
1-2. The Amoco Cadiz on April 3, 1978.
P-l
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1-3. The Amoco Cadiz wreck is only about 2 km off the coast at Portsall.
This section of the coast could experience heavy wave activity and
frequent storms at this time of year.
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• --f: [ 	
iv'4 kAoV>	I >sttrd f-"
h mm

1-4. Map of the northwest section of France.
1-5. The town of Portsall in Brittany.
P-3
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1-6. Beach near Portsall about 2 km east of the wreck on April 2.
This area has been heavily oiled repeatedly. There has been a
large effort to clean up this beach. The wreck is visible in
the background.
-7. A beach about 2 km west of Portsall on April 2. This beach has
received very little oil because it is west of the wreck.
P-4
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2-1. Heavy mousse concentration in deep water
under moderate wind conditions.
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T3
I
2-2. Mousse and sheen distribution in offshore
region under strong wind conditions (AO kn)
2-3. Weathered mousse at sea, 31 March.
Le Suroit cruise.
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2-4. Frothy form of mousse seen in surf zone.
2-5. Pool of mousse accumulating along shore line.
P-7
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2-6. Stream of oil moving downwind between rocks.
2-7. Oil moving in along-shore drift being fed
by wind-blown sheen and mousse from offshore.
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8. Oil concentration overflowing a small bay and moving into
along-shore drift.
P-9
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2-9. Mousse draining down beach face after being stranded by high tide.
2-10. Significant amounts of mousse being washed, or refloated off rock
during flood tide.
P-10
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3-1. Separation of mousse samples into oil and water in the laboratory.
3-2. The French research ship Le Suroit loading equipment in prepara-
tion for chemistry cruise.
P-ll
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3-3. Taking water samples for chemistry analysis
using niskin bottles.
3-4. Dr. Marchand of COB carrying out hydrocarbon
extractions and UV fluorescence scans on
board Le Suroit.
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3-5. Sterile bag Butterfly sampler suspended from a float ring ready to
take subsurface water sample.
3-6. Dr. Calder taking sediment samples in l'Aber Wrac'h.
P-13
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3-7. Detergents being used on rocks at Santec.
P-14
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4-1 Heavily oiled marsh behind lie Crande (AMC-18). This was the most
L.ill imoacted salt marsh in the study area. Detailed studaes
were carried out in the marsh area left of the bridge. (30 March 1978)
P-15
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4-2. Oiled marsh grasses and dead polychaete
worms within a mousse pool on the surface
of the marsh at lie Grande (AMC-18). The
pool is 15-20 cm deep. (2 April 1978)
4-3. Mousse in tidal creek at lie Grande marsh.
Photograph was taken at low tide. The
mousse flow is caused by late stage drain-
age of the marsh. (2 April 1978)
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4-4. Pitted beach at St. Michel-en-Greve on 2 April 1978. Pits were dug in
order that the mousse could be scraped into them with rakes. Oil was
then pumped into tanks and hauled to disposal sites.
4-5 Clean-up in progress at St. Michel-en-Greve (F-55). Filling the pits
with mousse in this manner undoubtedly accelerated the rate of pollu-
tion of the ground water under the beach.
P-17
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4-6. Dead heart urchins on intertidal surface at St. Michel-en-Greve on 2
April 1978. The urchins, which floated freely on the water's surface,
were distributed evenly over the intertidal zone as the tide receded.
4-7. Clam accumulation at high tide swash line at St. Michel-en-Greve on
2 April 1978. These clams, which were rolled along the bottom by
wave-generated currents, were deposited at the middle level of swash
action at high tide.
P-18
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4-8. Front-end loader scooping sand at Les Dunes-West (AMC-5). In this
case, a considerable amount of sand is being removed from the beach,
a practice that should be avoided if at all possible. (31 March 1978)
4-9. Deployment of skimmer at Portsall (AMC-2). (20 March 1978)
P—19
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4-10. Heavily oiled beach and low-tide terrace near Roscoff. Linear pattern
perpendicular to beach is caused by ground water runoff. (21 March 1978)
4-11. Heavily oiled beach near lie Grande. Note presence of mousse in the
surf (low-tide photograph). This mousse moved back and forth across
the beach with each change of the tide. (30 March 1978)
P-20
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4-12. Oil swash lines on beach near Kerlouan (F-47). This beach resembles
the coarse-sand beaches on Cape Cod. (27 March 1978)
4-13. Oiled beach at St. Michel-en-Greve (AMC-15). The heavily oiled gravel
and rocks at the spring high tide level will prove to be very difficult
to clean. (28 March 1978)
P-21
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4-14. Heavily oiled gravel beach at Pointe de Sehar (AMC-16). This steep
gravel beach resembles many gravel beaches in New England and Alaska.
(28 March 1978)
4-15. Mousse on gravel beach at Pointe de Sehar (AMC-16). (28 March 1978)
P-22
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4-16. Heavily oiled beach at Roc'h Quelennec (AMC-13). Shovel sits in oil-
filled scour pool beside boulder. (27 March 1978)
4-17. Oiled rocks at Roc'h Quelennec (AMC-13). Note oil accumulation along
bedding surfaces in the rocks. (27 March 1978)
P-23
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4-18. Oiled marsh near Pellinic (F-70). (29 March 1978)
P-24
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I
K>
L/i
4-19. Oiled seawall at Portsall (AMC-1). (31 March 1978)
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P-26
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hd
I
to
4-21. Tombolo near l'Aber Wrac'h. These sand spits develop in the lee of
offshore islands as a result of wave refraction around the islands.
(3 April 1978)
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4-22.
Granite blocks in intertidal zone at Coz Porz. The coast is predom-
inantly erosional, a process which leaves these granite blocks exposed
as the shoreline retreats. This area is similar in many respects to
the coast of Maine. (28 March 1978)
4-23.
Dune scarp at Les Dunes-West fAMr-<^ n
• occurring primarily at t.	' ur'e areas of this type are
8 V	Y at the mouths of streams. (31 March 1978)
rare
P-28
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4-24. Dead amphipods at high tide swash line at Les Dunes-Center. Scale
units are 1 cm. (31 March 1978)
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a oc Accumulation of dead cockles at the toe of the beach face at St. Cava.
The dead cockles were rolled up and down the beach at high tide, fi-
nally accumulating at the toe of the beach as the tide receded.
(26 March 1978)
P-30
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l
u>
4-26. Trench though the upper portion of the beach at Cough ar Zac'h (AMC-9)
showing the burial of oil layers to depths of 10-15 cm below the sur-
face. Scale is 15 cm. (1 April 1978)
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4-27.
„8 Mousse being kept offshore from rocky areas by reflected waves. Near
Roscoff- (30 March 1978)
P-32
Tremazan (F-l) on 20 March 1978
Heavy mousse in sur± at	clgan Qn March ig7g
was gone and the rocks
The mousse
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4-29. Boom on sand flat (at low tide) near Kerenoc (F-75). The entire upper
portion of the flat was heavily oiled. (29 March 1978)
P-33
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4-30. Oil (sheens) streaming through the oil boom at the mouth of l'Aber
Wrac'h. (21 March 1978)
4-31. Heavily oiled beach at Port la Chaine (AMC-17). (29 March 1978)
P-34
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4-32. Oiled tidal flats at east Roscoff (AMC-8). (21 March 1978)
4-33. Oil on gravel beach at station 6 near Roscoff on March 24.
P-35
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5-1. Petroleum in "mousse" form mixing with attached seaweeds in rocky
intertidal area near Roscoff (March 29, 1978).

•V,
+ -* V, '4 ,
. ** V •	»"

.•« . - *•," v. •> v: \ ¦
••	• "t vv y
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v' *¦. '	'
•• • • X - Vv - .
¦' • V	«*•>•»
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5-2. Recently emerged cockle (Cerastroderma sp.) in moribund stage
near Roscoff (March 29, 1978).
P-36
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5-3. Oiled intertidal limpets (Patella sp.) near Roscoff (March 29, 1978).
5-4. Remains of limpet recently eaten by seagull near Roscoff
(March 29, 1978).
P-37
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5-5. Oil in pericardium of limpets near Roscoff. Two recently killed
limpets are on sand at base of rock. Limpet on rock was turned
over by scientist (April 1, 1978).
5-6. Nereid worm emerging from sand on beach near St. Efflam
(April 6, 1978).
P-38
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5-7. Dead crab in heavily oiled marsh near lie Grande (March 30, 1978).
' "jl
5-8. Nereid worms seeking refuge in small pool of water surrounded by oil
in marsh near lie Grande (March 30, 1978).
P-39
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5-9. Mass mortality of nereid worms in marsh near He Grande
(April 2, 1978).
5-10. Wind rows of subtidal urchins, mollusks and other invertebrates
which covered the beach from St. Efflam to St. Michel-en-Greve
(April 2, 1978).
P-40
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5-11. Wind rows of urchin tests on beach at St. Efflam (April 2, 1978).
P-41
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, „r jpad organisms was estimated from counts in several
5-12. The number of.dea° drants (April 2, 1978).	several
one-square-meter qu
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5-14. Nesting gannet colony on Rouzic Island at Les Sept lies bird
sanctuary near Perros-Guirec (April 2, 1978).
P-43
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5-15. Carcasses of oiled birds being inventoried at bird hospital in
Brest (April 16, 1978).
5-16. Oiled oyster farm being cleaned near St. Pabu on Aber-Benoit
estuary (April A, 1978).
P-44
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1
5-17. Oiled lobster-holding pen at Roscoff (April 1, 1978), and aerial
view.
P-45
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5-18. Inside view of one lobster-holding pen showing extent of oiling
(April 1, 1978).
P-46
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5-19. Gale force winds coupled with spring tides flung oil into
cauliflower fields during harvesting process (March 30, 1978).
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<-v
""S-
5-20. Oyster racks off the Brittany coast (21 March 1978).
5-21. Fishing stopped near Portsall after the wreck. Many people in
the area fish part-time as a second occupation.
P-48
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5-22. The common puffin.
5-23. Some fishes and a crab that were found washed up on the beach in
the Portsall area during the first few days of the spill.
P-49
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5-24. Infrared photos of beach area, used to distinguish healthy
vegetation (with red color) from oiled areas.
P-50
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6-1. Oil is pumped from the water into vacuum trucks backed down a
boat ramp in Portsall. The oil/water/seaweed mixture is carried
to the top of the ramp, separated in simple separator devices,
and pumped into tank trucks for transport for recovery.
6-2. Farm "honeywagons" loading oil from the surface of the water. They
are equipped for recovery and rapid discharge of oil or other cargo.
Farm vehicles were a major component in the cleanup because they travel
easily on sand without becoming stuck or greatly damaging the beaches.
P-51
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6-3. A simple bucket brigade was used to dip the thick mousse from the
surface of the water and carry it ashore. It was stored in the
30-gallon garbage cans until a vacuum truck could pick up the oil.
6-4. Workmen remove debris from two Acme skimmers which were among
the very few to be used to skim the oil from the water and pump
it into tank or vacuum trucks.
P-52
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6-5. Middle dunes of the beach northeast of Portsall. Soldiers working
with hand tools squeegee oil into pits where it is picked up by
suction lines from two honeywagons.
6-6. Workers scoop the oil into the loader bucket. The loader elevates
it and dumps it into an Army dumptruck (shown in the background)
for transport off the beach.
P-53
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6-7. Soldiers and a front end loader are piling up oil-soaked seaweed
so the oil can drain out for collection and the seaweed can be
removed for disposal. This beach is just north of the Portsall
harbor area.
6-8. Trenches on the beach at St. Michel-en-Greve. The trenches proved
effective in collecting the oil except where the sand surface was
heavily marked with vehicle tracks.
P-54
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6-9. Pits created by a front-end loader are used as a receptacle for
oil moved across the beach with hoes and squeegees. The oil is
picked up from the pits by honeywagons for transport to interim
storage areas.
6-10. The ability of the algae at the upper intertidal level to absorb
large quantities of oil is demonstrated. It appears that the
algae become dry during low tide and are then oil-wetted by oil
on top of the incoming tide before they are water-wetted.
P-55
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6-11. A group of local seaman volunteers work to remove heavy deposits
of oil from a rocky area.
6-12. Soldiers work with small tin cans to remove oil from in among rocks.
They then transfer the oil to successively larger containers for
transport from the rocky area.
P-56
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6-13. Volunteer firemen wash down steps and rocky areas with detergent
solution on the beach at Perros-Guirec.
6-14. Clean-up at Portsall, 31 March 1978.
P-57
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6-15. Oiled algae are removed by hand and placed in bags for disposal.
6-16. A group of local women work with a company of soldiers to collect
oil in the marsh at lie Grande for removal.
P-58
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6-17. Oil/water/seaweed separation station and interim storage near
Roscoff. A lesson learned from the spill is that a large interim
storage has to be created, because the logistics train cannot
handle the large volumes of oil removed from the water and beaches.
6-18. Close-up of the separation pits shown in Fig. 6-17. Note the
use of dual pits with a screen between to separate the seaweed
from the mousse.
P-59
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6-19. A vacuum truck decants water collected along with the oil. Much
effort was lost early in the spill by failure to properly decant
tankage.
6-20. A small coastal tanker is loaded with the oil/water mousse
removed from the water's surface and the beaches. Note the
large backlog of trucks waiting to be loaded.
P-60
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6-21. One of six ultimate disposal pits prepared in a clay area near
the coastal town of Tregastel. Chemical stabilization has been
considered for this material.
6-22. Close-up of material delivered to storage basins near Brest
Harbor. The plastic bags used to transport the algae and oiled
sand are a hindrance to either burning or chemical stabilization
of the residual material.
P-61
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6-23. Unemptied disposal pits were left on St. Michel-en-Greve beach.
Digging through some A inches of recently deposited clean sand
yielded an oil mousse layer 6 to 8 inches thick.
6-24. The result of the extensive use of mechanized equipment on St.
Michel-en-Greve beach is evident here.
P-62
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6-25. Close-up of the oiled sands at St. Michel-en-Greve. Shown are
the oiled sand at the surface and the various oiled sand layers
that have resulted from the deposition of sand and oil since the
oil first reached this spot.
6-26. In the early stages of the spill, booms were not effective.
However, booms deployed later across some harbor entrances and
adequately tended reduced the amount of oil entering these systems.
P-63
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6-27. Two Cyclonet skimmers mounted on a French Navy ship in Brest
Harbor. Such large expensive skimmers did not prove useful.
A large barge could use Cyclonet skimmers for only about two
hours in the Roscoff area because of the high waves.
6-28. A French Navy ship discharging chalk onto patches of mousse. The
use of chalk as a sinking agent was discouraged by many, but
chalk was used because the ships were equipped to use it and
the supplies were on hand.
P-64
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6-29. The use of plaster as an absorbent material was tried on a coarse
beach near Tregastel. Several other techniques using rubber
absorbents, peat, and other fibrous materials were also tested.
6-30. Rocks that have been sprayed with dispersant are wind rowed in
the lower intertidal zone. This was done in hope that the wave
action associated with the incoming tide would wash the oil from
the surface of the rocks.
P-65
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6-31. Heavily oiled beach near l'Aber Wrac'h, 21 March 1978.
1978-777-563 Region 8
U.S. Government Printing Office.
P-66
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