Surface Oiling Descriptors - Thickness

Photo: Large boulder surrounded by a pool of oil.
Photo showing a solid section of oil on sand.
Rocks (riprap) at the water line that have been partially coated with oil.
Photo: Large rocks with splotches of oil.
Photo: Pool of water with a thin sheen of oil floating on the surface.
Photo: Large boulder surrounded by a pool of oil.
PO - Pooled Oil

Fresh oil or mousse more than 1 centimeter thick. An example of pooled oil is seen here as an accumulation of oil around the large boulder in the foreground.

 Credit: Miles O. Hayes and Jacqueline Michel of Research Planning, Inc.
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Photo showing a solid section of oil on sand.
CV - Cover

Oil or mousse more than 0.1 and less than 1 centimeter thick. An example of cover is seen here as oil covering a sand beach surface and running into a small trench.

 Credit: Miles O. Hayes and Jacqueline Michel of Research Planning, Inc.
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Rocks (riprap) at the water line that have been partially coated with oil.
CT - Coat

Visible coating of oil less than 0.1 centimeter thick; can be scraped off with a fingernail. An example of coat is seen here as a thin layer of oil on riprap.

 Credit: Miles O. Hayes and Jacqueline Michel of Research Planning, Inc.
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Photo: Large rocks with splotches of oil.
ST - Stain

Visible oil that cannot be scraped off with a fingernail. An example of stain is seen here as splotches on cobbles.

 Credit: Miles O. Hayes and Jacqueline Michel of Research Planning, Inc.
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Photo: Pool of water with a thin sheen of oil floating on the surface.
FL - Film

Transparent or iridescent sheen or oily film. An example of film is seen here as an oil sheen floating on water.

 Credit: Miles O. Hayes and Jacqueline Michel of Research Planning, Inc.
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