ASTM F2534-12

Standard Guide for Visually Estimating Oil Spill Thickness on Water

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Estimations of oil slick thickness are useful for:
Estimating amount (volume) of oil in an area,
Positioning oil spill countermeasures in optimal locations,
Evaluating a spill situation,
Estimating volume for legal or prosecution purposes, such as for an illegal discharge, and
Developing spill control strategies.
This guide is only applicable to thin sheens (sheen and rainbow sheen up to about 3 μm). Thick oil and water-in-oil emulsions do not show visual differences with respect to thickness (1, 2).
SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides information and criteria for estimating the thickness of oil on water using only visual clues.
1.2 This guide applies to oil-on-water and does not pertain to oil on land or other surfaces.
1.3 This guide is generally applicable for all types of crude oils and most petroleum products, under a variety of marine or fresh water conditions.
1.4 The thickness values obtained using this guide are at best estimates because the appearance of oil on water may be affected by a number of factors including oil type, sea state, visibility conditions, and weather.
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Dec-2011
• ICS: 13.060.01 - Water quality in general
• Technical Committee: F20 - Hazardous Substances and Oil Spill Response
• Drafting Committee: F20.16 - Surveillance and Tracking

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F2534-06 - Standard Guide for Visually Estimating Oil Spill Thickness on Water
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2012
• Referred By: ASTM F1779-20 - Standard Practice for Reporting Visual Observations of Oil on Water from Aircraft
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2012
• Referred By: ASTM E3281-21a - Standard Guide for NAPL Mobility and Migration in Sediments – Screening Process to Categorize Samples for Laboratory NAPL Mobility Testing
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2012

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F2534 − 12
Standard Guide for
1
Visually Estimating Oil Spill Thickness on Water
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2534; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.1.2 Positioning oil spill countermeasures in optimal
locations,
1.1 This guide provides information and criteria for estimat-
3.1.3 Evaluating a spill situation,
ing the thickness of oil on water using only visual clues.
3.1.4 Estimating volume for legal or prosecution purposes,
1.2 This guide applies to oil-on-water and does not pertain
such as for an illegal discharge, and
to oil on land or other surfaces.
3.1.5 Developing spill control strategies.
1.3 This guide is generally applicable for all types of crude
3.2 This guide is only applicable to thin sheens (sheen and
oils and most petroleum products, under a variety of marine or
rainbow sheen up to about 3 µm). Thick oil and water-in-oil
fresh water conditions.
emulsions do not show visual differences with respect to
3
1.4 The thickness values obtained using this guide are at thickness (1, 2).
best estimates because the appearance of oil on water may be
4. Summary of Thickness Estimation Results
affected by a number of factors including oil type, sea state,
visibility conditions, and weather.
4.1 Table1hasbeensummarizedfromavarietyofliterature
sources (see Appendix X1).
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
4.2 It should be noted that the only physical change in
standard.
appearance that is reliable is the onset of rainbow colors, at 0.5
to 3 µm thickness. All other appearances vary with weather,
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
visibility conditions, look angle, oil type, water conditions and
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
color, presence of waves, and the presence of other material on
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
the water surface. Therefore it is important to treat these as
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
estimates and where possible give ranges of thicknesses. If
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
volume is to be calculated, it should also be given as a range of
2. Referenced Documents
values.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5. Summary
F1779 Practice for Reporting Visual Observations of Oil on
Water
5.1 The change in visual appearance of an oil slick on water
provides a means to estimate oil slick thickness. Only the
3. Significance and Use
appearance of rainbow colors at 0.5 to 3 µm is an indication of
3.1 Estimations of oil slick thickness are useful for:
slick thickness and only in the range noted. Other appearances
3.1.1 Estimating amount (volume) of oil in an area,
change with the variables noted and thus should be used with
caution.
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on Hazardous
Substances and Oil Spill Response and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
6. Keywords
F20.16 on Surveillance and Tracking.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2012. Published January 2012. Originally
6.1 oil observations; oil thickness; oil thickness estimation;
approved in 2006. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F2534 – 06. DOI:
oil visibility; slick thickness
10.1520/F2534-12.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
the ASTM website. this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F2534 − 12
TABLE 1 Visibility Characteristics (Appearance)
Minimum Onset Thickness (µm)
Minimum
Observable
Dark
A
Silvery Rainbow Dark
Thickness
Rainbow
Typical 0.08 0.1 0.5 3 > 3
Range 0.05 to 0.2 0.1 to 0.3 0.2 to 3 > 3
A
This color is sometimes called ‘oil-like,’ ‘dark colored,’ ‘brown,’ ‘black,’ or
‘metallic.’
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SLICK THICKNESS DATA
X1.1 Introduction X1.2.1.1 Horstein (1972) (5) reviewed theoretical ap-
proaches and used interference phenomenon to correlate the
X1.1.1 An important tool for working with oil spills has
threshold of rainbow colors to slick thickness. The appearance
been the relationship between appearance and thickness. Little
of rainbow colors is the r
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:F2534–06 Designation:F2534–12
Standard Guide for
1
Visually Estimating Oil Spill Thickness on Water
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2534; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide provides information and criteria for estimating the thickness of oil on water using only visual clues.
1.2 This guide applies to oil-on-water and does not pertain to oil on land or other surfaces.
1.3 This guide is generally applicable for all types of crude oils and most petroleum products, under a variety of marine or fresh
water conditions.
1.4 The thickness values obtained using this guide are at best estimates because the appearance of oil on water may be affected
by a number of factors including oil type, sea state, visibility conditions, and weather.
1.5
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F1779 Practice for Reporting Visual Observations of Oil on Water
3. Significance and Use
3.1 Estimations of oil slick thickness are useful for:
3.1.1 Estimating amount (volume) of oil in an area,
3.1.2 Positioning oil spill countermeasures in optimal locations,
3.1.3 Evaluating a spill situation,
3.1.4 Estimating volume for legal or prosecution purposes, such as for an illegal discharge, and
3.1.5 Developing spill control strategies.
3.2 This guide is only applicable to thin sheens (sheen and rainbow sheen up to about 3 µm). Thick oil and water-in-oil
3
emulsions do not show visual differences with respect to thickness (1, 2).
4. Summary of Thickness Estimation Results
4.1 Table 1 has been summarized from a variety of literature sources (see Appendix X1).
4.2 It should be noted that the only physical change in appearance that is reliable is the onset of rainbow colors, at 0.5 to 3 µm
thickness.All other appearances vary with weather, visibility conditions, look angle, oil type, water conditions and color, presence
of waves, and the presence of other material on the water surface. Therefore it is important to treat these as estimates and where
possible give ranges of thicknesses. If volume is to be calculated, it should also be given as a range of values.
5. Summary
5.1 The change in visual appearance of an oil slick on water provides a means to estimate oil slick thickness. Only the
appearance of rainbow colors at 0.5 to 3 µm is an indication of slick thickness and only in the range noted. Other appearances
change with the variables noted and thus should be used with caution.
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F20 on Hazardous Substances and Oil Spill Response and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F20.16
on Surveillance and Tracking.
Current edition approved June 1, 2006. Published June 2006. DOI: 10.1520/F2534-06.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2012. Published January 2012. Originally approved in 2006. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F2534 – 06. DOI:
10.1520/F2534-12.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F2534–12
TABLE 1 Visibility Characteristics (Appearance)
Minimum Onset Thickness (µm)
Minimum
Observable
Dark
A
Silvery Rainbow Dark
Thickness
Rainbow
Typical 0.08 0.1 0.5 3 > 3
Range 0.05 to 0.2 0.1 to 0.3 0.2 to 3 > 3
A
This color is sometimes called ‘oil-like,’ ‘dark colored,’ ‘brown,’ ‘black,’ or
‘metallic.’
6. Keywords
6.1 oil observations; oil thickness; oil thickness estimation; oil visibility; slick thickness
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. SUMMAR
...