Location: Shell Oil Refinery, Wood River, IL
Catalytic Cracker, Unit I (CCU-1)
Catalytic Cracker, Unit 2 (CCU-2)
Distillation Unit I (DU-1)
Distillation Unit 2 (DU-2)
FOGGER: 2 Curtis Dyna-Fog Model "Golden Eagle"
with a fogging capacity of 9 gal/hr at a full rate. Fogger was set at level 4 at about 4 gal/hr
PRODUCT: Rejex-it® Fog Force™. Total volume used: 15 gal
DATE: 28-31 January 1998 from 6:00-9:00pm
BIRDS: Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)
OPERATOR: Jeff Ling ASCA, Tree Masters, Inc.
Mike Beebe, Ornithologist
STUDY DIRECTOR: Dr. Peter F. Vogt, Director, RJ Advantage, Inc.
SITUATION:
The Shell Oil Refinery at Wood River, IL, covers 41 acres with open structures and piping, typically for a petroleum processing plant. The beams, pipes, catwalks and towers provide
birds with almost unlimited structures for sheltered roosting. The constant heat generated by the processing draws starlings to use the plant as their preferred winter roost.
On several days before the operation about 300,000 birds were counted for the whole plant site. The selected target sites, which covered about 6.6 acres, had various structures
with a maximum height of up to 480 feet. The target height for fogging was up to 80 feet. There were about 100,000 starlings in the selected area.
The target sites were selected by Shell Oil, based on the high bird density, accumulated droppings, and the necessity of refinery production workers to move through the sites on
a daily routine work schedule and the concern of plant management for the safety and health of its employees. The protocol called for application to start at dusk (6:00pm) after
the majority of birds had arrived. The weather was abnormally warm and sunny with daytime temperatures of 55-60° F. At night the temperature dropped to the low 30’s with
light wind.
FOGGING OPERATION:
Day 1: January 28, 1998 – sunny and warm with daytime temperatures of 55-60° F and night the temperatures in the low 30’s. Light wind from SW. At 5:00pm the first
starlings started to arrive with larger and larger flocks to arrive as dusk started to settle in.
At 6:00pm the majority of the birds had arrived and settled in the structures and fogging operation was started with two “Golden Eagle” foggers on top of the CCU-1
at a fogging rate of about 4 gal/hr per machine.
At first the birds totally ignored the roaring noise of the machines. However, as the fog hit the roosting starlings the effected birds took off immediately and started flying
looking for better roosting grounds. After the starlings had left the area, fogging was continued on top of the CCU-2 and then the operation was continued from the ground level
at the DU-1 and DU02.
As the fog moved through the superstructures and the updraft from the heat along the columns, the birds evacuated their roost with loud noises. Birds not reached by the fog, but
in the general area also evacuated in part due to their flock behavior. Increased winds from NW limited the effectiveness at higher levels. Also as darkness increased, the dislocated
birds had problems finding new undisturbed roosting sites. However, 95% of the birds were driven off from their roosting sites.
The total fogging time was intermittently from 6:00pm – 9:00pm with a consumption of 6 gal Rejex-it® Fog Force™.
Day2: January 29, 1998. The weather was as the day before, clear with no clouds in the sky. However, the wind had shifted NW and the fogging was started at DU-1,
DU-s and then on CCU-1 and CCU-2. To reach further up a lift vehicle was used at DU-1 and DU-2. With updrafts along the columns and light wind, birds were dislodged up to 100 feet
high on the columns. The total fogging time was again intermittently from 6:00pm – 9:00pm with the foggers set at a lower fogging rate using about 2 gal/hr and a total consumption
of 3 gal Fog Force™.
Day 3: January 30, 1998. The weather had not changed from the day before. The wind was from the East. The starlings returned later and in smaller numbers to the
treated area. Overcrowding and competition on the unreachable upper levels was observed. The total number of birds was only 20% of the previous day and at the start of the fogging
at 6:00pm birds responded with commotion and flight. As soon as the areas were hit by the smallest amount of fog, all birds evacuated. Fog Force™ used was 3 gal for the night.
Day 4: January 31, 1998. Blustery weather with only a few birds (10%) that had returned to the target area. The starlings in the target area appeared in disarray
with competition for upper level roosting sites that could not be reached. As the day before on 3 gal Fog Force™ were used.
Day 9: February 5, 1998. A return visit for monitoring starling populations showed continued competition for the high untreated roosting sites with weaker birds
being driven down into lower levels that were treated a week ago. Large groups of birds were roosting on pipes, off site, just “out of range” where they had not been
observed roosting before. All treated areas had only very low numbers of birds.
DISCUSSION:
It was obvious to all operators and observers, that the starlings were clearly moved by the exposure to the relative small quantities of Rejex-it® Fog Force™ aerosol.
Areas that received 3-4 complete treatments were almost free of birds. The critical issue is the size of the flock (or flocks…to assume that all 300,000+ starlings at the
site are connected to each other is not known). Since the whole population was not treated, level of response and population interaction creates many unknowns. However, one fact
was obvious: starlings evacuated and one week later the treated structures either were completely free of birds, or attracted only significant lower populations of starlings. |
