Oil Identification Codes
There are five primary codes that are used to represent oil colors on water. Similarly, there are codes used to represent the structure or distribution of oil on water. Use of the codes and terminology presented in this Job Aid will promote consistency among observers nationwide.
Oil Color Codes
Common Descriptors | Code |
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Silver Sheen | S | Rainbow | R | Metallic | M | Transition | T | Dark | D |
Note that the oil color codes use single-letter capital letters.
Oil Structure / Distribution Codes
Common Descriptors | Code |
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Streamers | st | Convergence Line | co | Windrows | wr | Patches | pa | Tarballs | tb | No Structure (random eddies or swirls) | ns |
Note that the codes for oil structure/distribution use two lower-case letters.
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