Observations of fuel transport on sea ice from two fuel release events, with relevance to site assessment and closure

The use and distribution of fossil fuels, particularly Antarctic-8 (AN-8), a kerosene-based fuel blended with anti-gelling additives, significantly supports United States Antarctic Program (USAP) operations. Despite best fuel management practices, two large-scale (greater than 7000 L) fuel releases have occurred as point source releases from the flexible fuel line connecting McMurdo Station, Antarctica to the early summer airfield. The first release resulted in the loss of approximately 26,500 L of AN-8 onto the sea ice surface through a 1.37-meter (m) snow cover. The second fuel release occurred in a subsequent year and resulted in the loss of approximately 8300 L of AN-8 onto the sea ice surface through a 0.15 m snow cover. In both fuel release events, the fuel migrated through the snow cover to the sea ice, dispersed across the surface of the sea ice along the snow-sea ice interface. nditions primarily affected fuel migration, extent of sea ice contamination, and incident fuel recovery in the large-scale fuel releases: 1) sea ice age and associated properties and 2) the amount of snow coverage and handling of contaminated snow at the site(s). Sea ice core samples analyzed for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) concentration were used to determine the extent of fuel infiltration and contamination to the sea ice.