Using dogs to detect oil spills hidden in snow and ice - A new tool to detect oil in Arctic environments

Abstract

The main objective of this project has been to train dogs to find oil spills hidden in snow or ice. Previous tests performed during 2007 in a laboratory environment in Trondheim showed that dogs are able to detect and identify the smell of oil, both weathered crude and bunker fuels. Outdoor tests in the Trondheim area in Norway (63°N) have also shown that dogs detect the smell of oil and can find point sources of oil at an outdoor temperature down to −5°C. This was confirmed in phase I of this project.
Realistic field tests conducted in 2008 on Svalbard (78°N) confirmed that dogs can be used to detect oil spills covered with snow and ice in Arctic environments. The dogs were able to locate single point sources and determine the approximate dimensions of a larger oil spill. The dogs also verified the bearing to a larger oil spill (400 liters, covered in snow) in increasing downwind distances up to 5 km from the oil spill.
This fieldwork on Svalbard has shown that the search dog teams perform well under very harsh Arctic conditions. The dogs and the handlers were able to work in temperatures below −20° C for multiple days. The dogs also managed to keep their full concentration and operative sensitivity for several days even after being transported, first by large aircraft (3 hours), then by small aircraft (0.5 hour) and finally the search site in cages strapped on snow scooter sledges. The use of snow scooters for transporting the dogs made it possible to reach remote areas, arriving with rested dogs ready for action.
This study has showed that specially trained dogs are a sensitive and effective tool to search large snow and ice covered areas to detect possible oil spills.