Oil Spill Response Research (OSRR)

The goal of the OSRR program is that the best available response technologies, methods and procedures are identified, developed and made available to combat any spills that may occur. Response technologies identified by the OSRR program focus on preventing offshore operational spills from reaching sensitive coastal environments and habitats.

For more than 25 years, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has maintained a comprehensive, long-term research program dedicated to improving oil spill response options in offshore waters. The major focus of the program is to improve the methods and technologies used for the detection, containment, treatment, recovery, and cleanup of oil spills that may occur on the U. S. Outer Continental Shelf.

The OSRR program is responsive to the research needs of the Bureau’s regional and district offices and to specific requirements and limitations in the BSEE authority. Information derived from the OSRR program is directly integrated into BSEE’s offshore operations and is used to make regulatory decisions pertaining to permitting and approving plans, safety and pollution inspections, enforcement actions, and training requirements.

The BSEE OSRR program is a cooperative effort bringing together funding and expertise from research partners in government agencies, industry, and the international community. We are members of the federal Interagency Coordinating Committee of Oil Pollution Research. Many of our research projects are Joint Industry Projects, where the Bureau partners with other stakeholders to maximize research dollars. The Bureau has cooperated in the exchange of technological information with Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom through informal contacts, workshops, and technical meetings such as the International Oil Spill Conference. Requests for White Papers and research proposals are solicited through a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) that is published on the Federal Business Opportunities website at www.fbo.gov. 

BSEE disseminates the results of research and development projects as widely as possible in publications through appropriate scientific and technical journals, technical reports, and public information documents, including this website. The intent is to make this information widely available to all interested personnel and organizations world wide.
 
 

The current OSRR projects cover a wide spectrum of oil spill response issues and include laboratory, meso-scale and full-scale field experiments. Major topic areas include: 

• Remote sensing and detection
• Physical and chemical properties of crude oil
• Mechanical containment and recovery
• Chemical treating agents and dispersants
• In situ burning
• Deepwater operations
• Arctic operations
• Operation of Ohmsett – The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility

View the Master List of Oil Spill Response Research (OSRR) Projects.

For more information on the Bureau's Oil Spill Response Research (OSRR) Program, contact Lori Medley