Volume 1 of the Selection Guide for Oil Spill Applied Technologies was designed to simplify the evaluation of non-conventional or "applied" and infrequently-used technologies for real-time oil spill response. The Selection Guide provides a step-by-step process for determining which categories of technologies, and which specific products and strategies, might be useful in various oil spill situations. The information in this first volume was prepared by Region III and IV Regional Response Teams, and was designed to be applicable nationwide.
The sections below are in PDF format. (Check our PDF Page to learn how to view, download, or print them.) If you have a fast Internet connection, you may want to download the entire Selection Guide (PDF; 8.4 MB).
The introductory section (PDF; 1.1 MB) of the Selection Guide includes the following information:
The first step in the use of this Guide is to screen the incident and determine whether a product or technology category is a viable option for the current response conditions. The section, Part A: Screen Incident (PDF; 2.4 MB), provides the means for evaluating all potential applied technologies during an actual spill or in a spill scenario.
In this section, you will examine the Oil Spill Applied Technologies Overview matrix (Table 1) to determine what technologies might be used for the response. You will then complete the Decision Tracking/Evaluation Worksheet (Worksheet 1), using the information contained in the Environmental Matrix (Tables 2A, B, or C) that fits the current response conditions being considered. An example scenario (located in Appendix M) is provided that will guide you through the initial screening of the incident and will take you through the completion of Worksheet 1 for this scenario.
Part B: Review/Select Potential Options and Products (PDF; 3 MB) provides decision-makers with the means for evaluating spill response strategies and products in a detailed manner. It facilitates easy review and comparison of individual products and strategies to evaluate their potential value to the individual response conditions. You will use the Product Selection Worksheet (Worksheet 2) to facilitate review and comparison of the products.
Region III and IV policy requires that spill countermeasures technologies be monitored to determine and document their effectiveness, and to obtain data that can be used to consider the environmental effects of their use. Part C: Implementation, Monitoring, and Reporting Requirements (PDF; 496K) provides a basic review of developing monitoring plans for evaluating the effectiveness of a strategy or product used for an incident-specific response. In this section, you will use the Testing and Monitoring Worksheet (Worksheet 3) to record information for each product category or strategy. Part C also provides information about capturing lessons learned, when any of the products described in this Guide are used or are reviewed for a response.
The Appendices (PDF; 2 MB) in the last section provide additional information. Among the documents included here are a detailed glossary of terminology; an overview on toxicity and how to interpret toxicity data; the history and status of the various technology categories; draft Press Release forms for media information; and an example scenario of an oil spill incident, with Worksheet 1, 2 and 3 completion.
Revised: May 15, 2003
Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
