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Science of Oil Spills at OR&R’s Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center

APRIL 8, 2016--OR&R’s Emergency Response Division (ERD) conducted the Science of Oil Spills (SOS) course at OR&R’s Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center (DRC) in Mobile, Alabama on March 28 to April 1, 2016.

A diverse group of 40 students from federal, state, industry groups and academia attended the course. One of the objectives of the course is to build skills in analyzing complex spill events and making risk-based decisions that maximize long-term environmental benefit. The other objective is to gain an understanding of the complexity of spill science, how different scientific disciplines are connected in a spill, and why we respond to spills.

Topics covered in the course included:


  • Fate and behavior of oil spilled in the environment
  • An introduction to oil chemistry and toxicity
  • A review of basic spill response options for open water and shorelines
  • Spill case studies
  • Principles of ecological risk assessment
  • An introduction to damage assessment techniques
  • Determining cleanup endpoints

In addition to the standard curriculum for the course, students participated in a field trip to Dauphin Island where they were able to tour the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium as well as take part in a field workshop designed to illustrate core oil spill response concepts in a dynamic barrier island setting.

For further information, contact Adam.Davis@noaa.gov.

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Man posing on a deck with large group of people in background.
Scott Zengel (RPI) stands with SOS class students at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium. (NOAA)
Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:52pm PST