OR&R Hosts Virtual Workshop for Emerging Oils on the West Coast

OCTOBER 18, 2021 ─ OR&R’s Assessment and Restoration Division (ARD) and the University of New Hampshire’s Coastal Response Research Center hosted a three-day workshop to improve preparedness for West coast oil spills involving novel oils transported into the region. The workshop delved into a range of emerging oils including bakken, dilbit, biofuels, low sulfur fuel oils, and others.

Aerial view of black smoke coming from near a body of water.
Image credit: NOAA.

A plenary featured regional, national, and international experts discussing oil transportation routes, fate, behavior, toxicity, and analytical methods for these oils.  The workshop delved into a range of emerging oils including bakken, dilbit, biofuels, low sulfur fuel oils, and others. A plenary featured regional, national, and international experts discussing oil transportation routes, fate, behavior, toxicity, and analytical methods for these oils.  


The plenary was followed by 2 days of virtual table-top oil spill drills featuring dilbit and bakken oils. This workshop assisted over 100 NRDA practitioners and responders across the West Coast in becoming better prepared to conduct injury assessments and respond to spills of these emerging oils. The plenary materials and recording are available on the workshop webpage. 


For more information, contact Marla.Steinhoff@noaa.gov.

Last updated Thursday, February 2, 2023 11:11am PST