Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) manages a comprehensive, long-term research program dedicated to improving spill response countermeasures for oil spills in offshore environments, including the Arctic. BSEE Research Scientists and Engineers perform the full spectrum of R&D (basic, applied, and developmental research) to advance the detection, containment, and cleanup of oil spills that may occur from offshore facilities. Specific research emphasized includes mechanical containment and recovery, remote sensing, in-situ burning, chemical treatments such as dispersants and herders, and incident management team decision-making tools.

The Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD)’s Oil Spill Response Research (OSRR) program is a cooperative effort bringing together funding and expertise from research partners in government agencies, industry, academia, and the international community. The OSRR program coordinates research efforts between organizations and disseminates findings and recommendations through a variety of internal, public, and international forums, such as formal committees, workshops, conferences, publications, and the Internet.

This presentation will provide an overview of BSEE’s oil spill response research program and highlight several remote sensing research efforts including aerial and underwater remote sensing technology for oil spill detection and thickness measurement.