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Open Water Oil Identification Job Aid for Aerial Observation
An important step in oil spill response is to assess the character and extent of oil spilled on the water. This information is used by the Incident Command (the people in charge of a spill response) to prioritize response and direct cleanup resources. This aid was created to help you perform efficient assessments and to use standard language to communicate your findings effectively. In November 2007, this job aid was updated to include new standardized oil slick appearance and structure nomenclature and code.
Topic Index
- Introduction A basic overview of how to visually assess spilled oil.
- Glossary of standard terms used in pollution response.
- Codes you will use to describe oil colors and structure/distribution.
- Chart for visually estimating the percent coverage of spilled oil.
- Thickness and concentration values for each of the oil color codes.
- Checklist for organizing and recording observations of spilled oil.
- Photos showing different types and distributions of oil on water and common response activities, with example text showing how to use standard terminology to describe each scene.
- Examples of oil spill overflight maps, showing how to record observations.
This job aid was originally a joint project of NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R), Emergency Response Division (ERD) and the U.S. Coast Guard. This revision was pursued by the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) team, led primarily by John Whitney, NOAA SSC for Alaska. Photos were contributed by NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington Department of Ecology, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Alan Allen of Spiltec, and the oil industry.
Order a Printed Version
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- Job Aid Order Form Use the Job Aid Order Form to order this job aid as a laminated booklet.
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