Oil Spill Observation Checklist
Record your observations of spilled oil either in a notebook or directly on a chartlet of the area under observation. Here is a checklist for organizing your observations.
General Information
___ Date | ___ Percent coverage | ___ Time (start/end) | ___ Stage of tide (flood, ebb, slack) | ___ Case name | ___ On-scene weather (wind, sea state, visibility) | ___ Information filled out by (name/phone) | ___ Platform (helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, boat) | ___ Observers' names/phone | ___ Flight path/trackline (from GPS) | ___ Observers' affiliations | ___ Altitude where observations taken | ___ Location of oil's source (if known) | ___ Areas not observed (e.g., foggy locations, restricted air spaces, shallow water areas) |
Note: When following a flight path or trackline:
- plan the tract to minimize the number of observations made while facing into the sun.
- get the best window seat.
- avoid midday light to minimize reflection.
- communicate with the pilot at all times.
- have access to GPS (lat/long).
- travel beyond known impacted areas to check for oil beyond these areas.
Oil Observations
___ Slick location(s)
___ Slick dimension(s)
___ Orientation of slick(s)
___ Distribution of oil (tarballs (tb), convergence lines (co), no structure (ns), windrows (wr), streamers (st), patches (pa))
___ Color and appearance (silver/gray (S), rainbow (R), metallic (M), transitional (T), dark (D), mousse)
___ Percent coverage (estimate of area with oil. See Percent Coverage Chart)
___ Is oil recoverable (Y/N)? (examples of recoverable oil types include black and transitional oil, mousse, and heavy metallic slicks from diesel or oil)
Note: Clearly describe (draw on the map or chartlet) where oil is observed, or if the oil slick consists of a number of smaller slicks. Consider flying the perimeter of both the entire slick and the smaller slicks with a GPS in Track mode. Also identify where no oil is observed.
Other Observations
Response Operations...
___ Skimmer deployment (general locations where skimmers are working. Are they working in the heaviest concentrations of oil?)
___ Boom deployment (general locations of boom(s). Does the boom contain oil? Is oil entraining under the boom?)
___ Source of oil (describe the status of the source. Is oil still being released?)
Environmental Observations...
___ Locations of convergence lines, rip tides, sediment plumes, coastal currents, and river/tidal estuary discharges
___ Locations of kelp beds, seagrass beds, and other features that might trap oil or be mistaken for oil
___ Wildlife present in area (locations and approximate numbers of birds and marine mammals)
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