IOSC International Oil Spill Conference

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Mechanical containment boom

A floating barrier deployed to contain or deflect oil on water. Fence boom, curtain boom, fire boom and harbor boom are common configurations; selection depends on currents, waves, water depth and the shoreline or asset being protected.

2

Skimmer

A device or vessel that removes oil from the water surface. Common types include weir, oleophilic, belt, drum, brush and suction skimmers, each suited to different oil thickness, emulsion and debris conditions.

3

Dispersant

A chemical agent applied to an oil slick to break the oil into small droplets that mix into the water column and are diluted or biodegraded. Use is regulated and normally requires approval under the applicable contingency plan.

4

In-situ burning (ISB)

Controlled burning of oil on the water surface, usually within fire-resistant boom. ISB can remove large volumes of oil quickly but requires adequate slick thickness, ignition, monitoring and smoke-management approval.

5

Sorbent

A material that absorbs or adsorbs oil for recovery or disposal. Sorbents are useful for thin sheens and final cleanup, but they are not a primary recovery tool for large thick slicks.

6

Oil weathering

The set of natural processes that change spilled oil over time, including evaporation, emulsification, dispersion, dissolution, photo-oxidation and biodegradation. Weathering affects viscosity, toxicity and the choice of recovery tactics.

7

Water-in-oil emulsion

A stable mixture of water droplets in oil, often called mousse, that increases volume and viscosity and can make pumping, skimming and transfer more difficult.

8

Incident Command System (ICS)

A standardized management structure used to organize response personnel, resources and communications under a common set of roles, objectives and planning cycles.

9

Unified Command

A response structure in which agencies with jurisdiction or responsibility jointly set objectives and make decisions while each retains its own legal authority.

10

Common Operating Picture (COP)

A shared, near-real-time view of spill location, weather, resources, sensitive areas and response actions used to coordinate field and command decisions.

11

Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT)

A systematic field survey method for documenting oiling conditions, shoreline types and cleanup recommendations along affected coastlines.

12

Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)

The legal and technical process used to evaluate injuries to natural resources from a spill and determine the restoration needed to compensate the public.

13

Worst-case discharge (WCD)

A planning scenario describing the largest credible spill volume and duration that a response plan must address.

14

Response gap

A condition or scenario in which available response tactics cannot be used safely or effectively because of weather, sea state, remoteness, oil type or other constraints.

15

Vessel of Opportunity (VOO)

A commercial or private vessel contracted during a spill to support tasks such as skimming, boom deployment, transport, logistics or wildlife operations.

16

Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO)

A response contractor or cooperative that maintains equipment, personnel and plans to support oil spill removal, often classified under a regulator's approval scheme.

17

Bioremediation

A treatment approach that uses nutrients, microbes or other biological processes to accelerate natural breakdown of oil, typically in shorelines or soils where conditions can be managed.

18

Surface washing agent

A product applied to oiled shorelines or hard surfaces to help lift oil for recovery. Use is regulated and must protect water quality and sensitive habitats.

19

National Contingency Plan (NCP)

The US federal framework that coordinates oil and hazardous substance response, including the roles of federal, state and local agencies and the national response system.

20

Area Contingency Plan (ACP)

A regional or local plan that adapts the national response framework to specific geography, resources, risks and response strategies.

21

Oil budget

An accounting of where spilled oil went and how much was recovered, burned, dispersed, evaporated, stranded or remains in the environment, used to guide response and public communication.