Oil Spill Response Systems of South Florida and the Country of Qatar

Both South Florida and Qatar have unique needs and requirements for oil spill response, yet both have basic needs for a contingency plan for responding to oil spills. South Florida has a diverse coastal environment that is important not only for its ecosystem but for the revenue it generates from tourism and fishing. Qatar is sitting on the world’s largest natural gas fields and some larger oil fields and is one of the world’s richest countries. The oil spill response system of South Florida differs in operational structure from that of Qatar. South Florida’s response system is a network-based operation controlled by county or city officials, depending on the degree of the spill and availability of resources. Qatar’s system is a central control operation, with primary authority and control of any oil spill response assumed by the Qatar General Petroleum Corporation (QGPC). Local industries are expected to protect their own facilities, but QGPC also responds to those spills that threaten public and government coasts and the Persian Gulf ecosystem. The University of Florida has developed a computerized database for South Florida that enables officials of national, regional, and state response teams to quickly identify and deploy required equipment and personnel for an oil spill and to follow cleanup operations. The specific advantage of the South Florida system over the Qatar system is in the oil spill response information system database, which includes information on oil-sensitive shorelines, response teams, disposal sites, cleanup organizations, and equipment. Furthermore, the typical oil spill cleanup response times for selected contractors indicate the most efficient choice of contractor for possible oil spills at different locations.