B08_-_RFP_Attachment_4_-_4_Attachment_C_GFI_Documents_with_Bookmarks.pdf

OIL POLLUTION RESEARCH AND

TECHNOLOGY PLAN

Fiscal Years 2022-2027

INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE

ON OIL POLLUTION RESEARCH (ICCOPR)

December 2021

Page ii

DISCLAIMER

This Oil Pollution Research and Technology Plan (OPRTP) presents the collective opinion of the 16 departments and agencies that constitute the members of Interagency

Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR), regarding the status and current focus of the federal oil pollution research, development, and demonstration program (established pursuant to section 7001(c) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990

(33 U.S.C. 2761(c))). The statements, positions, and research priorities contained in this

OPRTP may not necessarily reflect the views or policies of an individual department or agency, including any component of a department or agency that is a member of

ICCOPR. This OPRTP does not establish any regulatory requirement or interpretation, nor implies the need to establish a new regulatory requirement or modify an existing regulatory requirement.

Page iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF ACRONYMS

DEFINITIONS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

Background

Purpose of the Plan

Scope and Use of the Plan

PART ONE – OIL POLLUTION RESEARCH

1. The Need for Oil Pollution Research

1.1 U.S. Oil Production

1.2 History of Oil Spills in the U.S

1.3 Analysis of the Oil Spill System

1.4 Potential High-Risk Spill Sources

1.4.1 Exploration and Production Facilities

1.4.2 Onshore and Offshore Pipelines

1.4.3 Railroads

1.4.4 Refining and Storage Operations

1.4.5 Maritime and Riverine Transport – Tank Vessels (Ships & Barge) and Non-Tank Vessels

1.4.6 Oil Tankers

1.4.7 Renewable Energy Systems

1.5. Regional and Geographic Areas of Interest

2. Federal Oil Pollution Research

2.1 ICCOPR

2.1.1 Origin

2.1.2 ICCOPR Membership

2.2 Other Federal Stakeholders and Entities

2.2.1 Arctic Executive Steering Committee (AESC)

2.2.2 Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee Council

Page iv

2.2.3 Department of the Interior (DOI) Inland Oil Spill Preparedness Program (IOSPP)

2.2.4 National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC)

2.2.5 Federal Oil Spill Team for Emergency Response Remote Sensing (FOSTERRS)

2.2.6 Federal Rail Administration (FRA)

2.2.7 NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program

2.2.8 Gulf Restoration Science Programs Ad Hoc Coordination Forum

2.2.9 Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council

2.2.10 Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC)

2.2.11 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC)

2.2.12 U.S. Marine Mammal Commission (MMC)

2.2.13 National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program (GRP)

2.2.14 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

2.2.15 U.S. National Response Team (NRT) - Science and Technology (S&T) Committee

2.2.16 National Science Foundation (NSF)

2.2.17 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Gulf of Mexico Funds

2.3 Federal Research Laboratories and Testing Facilities

2.3.1 Ohmsett

2.3.2 USCG Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E)

2.3.3 USCG National Center of Expertise (NCOE) for the Great Lakes

2.3.4 USCG Marine Safety Laboratory

2.3.5 U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL)

2.3.6 USGS National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site

2.3.7 USACE Research and Development Center (ERDC)

2.3.8 Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML)

2.3.9 U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Detachments

2.3.10 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

2.4 Coastal and Ocean Research Vessels

2.4.1 USCG Vessels

2.4.2 USEPA Vessels

2.4.3 MARAD Vessels

2.4.4 NOAA Vessels

2.5 Oil Spill Field Research

3. Non-Federal Oil Pollution Research Entities

3.1 State Organizations

Page v

3.1.1 Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC)

3.1.2 California Office of Spill Prevention and Response (CAOSPR)

3.1.3 Florida

3.1.4 Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force

3.1.5 Texas General Land Office (TXGLO)

3.1.6 Washington Department of Ecology (WADOE)

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 American Petroleum Institute (API) Joint Industry Task Force (JITF)

3.2.2 American Salvage Association (ASA)

3.2.3 Arctic Oil Spill Response (OSR) Joint Industry Program (JIP)

3.2.4 Association of Petroleum Industry Co-op Managers (APICOM)

3.2.5 Industry Technical Advisory Committee (ITAC)

3.2.6 International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA)

3.2.7 International Spill Control Organization (ISCO)

3.2.8 International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF)

3.2.9 Petroleum Environment Research Forum (PERF)

3.2.10 Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI)

3.2.11 Spill Control Association of America (SCAA)

3.3 Independent Research Interests

3.3.1 Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CIRCAC)

3.3.2 Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA)

3.3.3 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)

3.3.4 National Fish and Wildlife Federation (NFWF)

3.3.5 The Native Village of Eyak

3.3.6 Ocean Energy Safety Institute (OESI)

3.3.7 Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI)

3.3.8 Pew Charitable Trusts (PCT) Arctic Science Program

3.3.9 Prince William Sound Regional Citizen’s Advisory Committee (PWSRCAC)

3.3.10 Ship Structure Committee

3.3.11 World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) Arctic Program

3.4 Academia

3.4.1 Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC)

3.4.2 Florida RESTORE Act Center of Excellence Program (FLRACEP)

Page vi

3.4.3 Gulf of Mexico Research Consortia

3.4.4 Gulf of Mexico University Research Collaborative (GOMURC)

3.4.5 Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI)

3.4.6 Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)

3.4.7 Louisiana State University (LSU) Center for Energy Studies

3.4.8 Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence (MBRACE)

3.4.9 Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)

3.4.10 NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program

3.4.11 National University Rail (NURail) Center

3.4.12 Oil Spill Academic Task Force (OSATF)

3.4.13 Poker Flat Research Range

3.4.14 RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana (LA-COE)

3.4.15 Subsea Systems Institute (SSI)

3.4.16 Texas OneGulf

3.4.17 Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO)

3.4.18 UAA/SIT Center of Excellence for Maritime Research (CMR)

3.4.19 U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) Center for Arctic Study & Policy (CASP)

3.4.20 University of New Hampshire (UNH) Oil Spill Centers

3.4.21 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

3.5 International Efforts

3.5.1 Arctic Council

3.5.2 Australia

3.5.3 Canada

3.5.4 Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution

(CEDRE)

3.5.5 China

3.5.6 European Union (EU)

3.5.7 France

3.5.8 International Maritime Organization (IMO)

3.5.9 Kill-Spill

3.5.10 Mexico 109

3.5.11 Norway

3.5.12 Russia 111

3.5.13 United Kingdom (UK)

Page vii

3.6 Non-Federal Oil Pollution Testing Facilities

3.6.1 COOGER Testing Facilities

3.6.2 CEDRE Technical Facilities

3.6.3 Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO)

3.6.4 International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) .. 113

3.6.5 Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Center

3.6.6 PRCI Technology Development Center (TDC)

3.6.7 SINTEF Sealab

3.6.8 Texas A&M Corpus Christi Center for Coastal Studies (CCS)

3.6.9 Texas A&M Corpus Christi National Spill Control School (NSCS)

4. Structuring Oil Pollution Research

4.1 Introduction to the Oil Spill Research Framework

4.2 Classes

4.3 Standing Research Areas (SRAs)

4.3.1 Prevention SRAs

4.3.2 Preparedness SRAs

4.3.3 Response SRAs

4.3.4 Injury Assessment and Restoration SRAs

4.4 Research Needs

4.5 Projects

5. Knowledge Transfer and Advancement

5.1 Factors Affecting Research and Technology Program Success

5.1.1 Funding

5.1.2 Continuity of Research

5.1.3 Field Testing

5.1.4 Building the Next Generation of Researchers

5.1.5 Public Perceptions

5.2 Communicating Research and Technology Efforts

5.2.1 ICCOPR OPRTP

5.2.2 ICCOPR Biennial Reports to Congress

5.2.3 ICCOPR Meetings

5.2.4 Meetings with Other Entities

5.2.5 Demonstration Projects

Page viii

5.2.6 Conferences

5.2.7 Workshops and Seminars

5.2.8 Publications

5.2.9 Newsletters

5.2.10 Internet and Social Media

5.3 Monitoring the Status of Oil Pollution Technologies

PART TWO – ESTABLISHING RESEARCH PRIORITIES

6. Oil Pollution Research Needs Identification and Prioritization Process

6.1 Research Needs Identification Process

6.1.1 Identification of Sources for Research Needs

6.1.2 Subject Matter Expert (SME) Research Needs Evaluation

6.1.3 Data Call

6.1.4 Public Listening Sessions

6.1.5 Extraction and Consolidation of Research Needs

6.1.6 Assignment of Research Needs to an SRA

6.2 Research Need Prioritization Process

6.2.1 Development of Research Needs Survey

6.2.2 Administration of Survey to SMEs

6.2.3 Processing of Survey Results

6.2.4 Identification of Top Priority Research Needs for Each SRA

7. Assessment of Oil Spill Technologies and Noteworthy Oil Spills

7.1 Oil Groups

7.2 Assessment of Current and Emerging Technologies

7.2.1 Bioremediation

7.2.2 Skimmers

7.2.3 Sorbents

7.2.4 Solidifying Agents

7.2.5 Dispersants

7.2.6 In-Situ Burning (ISB)

7.2.7 Remote Sensing

7.2.8 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)

7.2.9 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)

7.2.10 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Page ix

7.2.11 Booms 163

7.2.12 Herding Agents

7.2.13 Models/Common Operating Pictures (COPs)

7.2.14 Pipeline System Technology

7.2.15 Rail Transportation Technology

7.2.16 Geohazard Identification

7.2.17 Well Control Technologies

7.2.18 Subsea Automation and Reliability

7.3 Influence of Environmental Conditions on Response Equipment

7.4 Noteworthy Oil Spill Incident

7.4.1 Vessel Spills

7.4.2 Offshore Drilling Operations

7.4.3 Offshore Pipeline Spills

7.4.4 Onshore Pipeline Spills

7.4.5 Facility Spills

8.0 Current State of Oil Pollution Knowledge

8.1 UNH Oil Spill Centers Workshops

8.2 U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) Programs

8.3 National Petroleum Council: Arctic Potential – Realizing the Promise of U.S. Arctic Oil and Gas Resources

8.4 Industry Reports

8.5 NAS: Spills of Diluted Bitumen from Pipelines: A Comparative Study of Environmental Fate, Effects, and Response (2016)

8.6 NAS: The Use of Dispersants in Marine Oil Spill Response (2020)

8.7 GoMRI Synthesis and Legacy

8.8 ADAC: Arctic Incidents of National Significance (IoNS) Workshops

8.9 NAS GRP Workshops

8.10 Prince William Sound (PWS) OSRI

9.0 Oil Spill Research and Technology Priority Research Needs

9.1 Prevention Priority Research Needs

9.1.1 10000 Series: Human Error Factors Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.1)

9.1.2 10100 Series: Offshore Facilities and Systems Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.2)

9.1.3 10200 Series: Onshore Facilities and Systems Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.3)

9.1.4 10300 Series: Waterways Management Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.4)

Page x

9.1.5 10400 Series: Vessel Design Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.5)

9.1.6 10500 Series: Drilling Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.6)

9.1.7 10600 Series: Rail and Truck Transportation Research Priorities (Section 4.3.1.7)

9.1.8 10700 Series: Pipeline Systems Research Priorities (4.3.1.8)

9.1.9 10800 Series: Geohazards Research Priorities (4.3.1.9)

9.1.10 10900 Series: Subsea Systems Automation and Reliability Research Priorities (4.3.1.10)

9.2 Preparedness Priority Research Needs

9.2.1 20000 Series: Pre-spill Baseline Studies Research Priorities (4.3.2.1)

9.2.2 20100 Series: Response Management Systems Research Priorities (Section 4.3.2.2)

9.2.3 20200 Series: Renewable Energy Systems Research Priorities (Section 4.3.2.3)

9.3 Response Priority Research Needs

9.3.1 30000 Series: Structural Damage Assessment and Salvage Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.1)

9.3.2 30100 Series: At-Source Control and Containment Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.2)

9.3.3 30200 Series: Chemical and Physical Modeling and Behavior Research Priorities (4.3.3.3) . 213

9.3.4 30300 Series: Oil Spill Detection and Surveillance Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.4)

9.3.5 30400 Series: In- and On-water Containment and Recovery Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.5)

9.3.6 30500 Series: Shoreline Containment and Recovery Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.6) ... 218

9.3.7 30600 Series: Dispersants Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.7)

9.3.8 30700 Series: In-Situ Burning (ISB) Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.8)

9.3.9 30800 Series: Alternative Chemical Countermeasures Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.9) 223

9.3.10 30900 Series: Oily and Oil Waste Disposal Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.10)

9.3.11 31000 Series: Bioremediation Research Priorities (Section 4.3.3.11)

9.4 Injury Assessment and Restoration Priority Research Needs

9.4.1 40000 Series: Environmental Effects and Ecosystem Recovery Research Priorities (Section 4.3.4.1)

9.4.2 40200 Series: Environmental Restoration Methods and Technologies Research Priorities (Section 4.3.4.2)

9.4.3 40300 Series: Human Safety and Health Research Priorities (Section 4.3.4.3)

9.4.4 40400 Series: Sociological and Economic Effects Research Priorities (Section 4.3.4.4)

REFERENCES

APPENDICES

A. Numbered List of Standing Research Areas (SRAs)

B. List of Research Priorities (Raw Data) and Sources – 2021 Database

Page xi

C. Survey Technical Report

D. Potential Impacts to Spill Response Options

Page xii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1- 1 Torrey Canyon oil spill in 1967 (Source: ITOPF, 2017)

Figure 1- 2 The start of the commercial oil industry in the U.S. – Oil Creek, PA, 1859 (Source: Drake Wells Museum)

Figure 1- 3 The Lakeview Gusher, CA; the U.S.’s single largest well blowout, 1910 (Source: San Joaquin Valley Geology)

Figure 1- 4 Petroleum and other Liquid Estimated Consumption, Production and Net Imports (in million bpd) for 1949 - 2019 in the U.S. (Source: EIA, 2020b)

Figure 1- 5 U.S. domestic shale gas plays (Source: EIA, 2016)

Figure 1- 6 Shipments of U.S. crude oil moved by pipeline, tanker and barge, and rail (millions bbls) (2000 – 2019) (Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2020)

Figure 1- 7 Largest oil spills affecting U.S. waters (1969-2017) (Source: NOAA, 2017)

Figure 1- 8 Volume of oil spills by source in the USCG’s jurisdiction (1974-2016) (Source: Ramseur, 2017)

Figure 1- 9 Oil spills from pipeline and rail transportation (2002-2016) (Source: Ramseur, 2017)

Figure 1- 10 Oil Supply Chain (Source: VanHaverbeke, 2012)

Figure 1- 11 Canada crude oil export by destination (2018) (Source: EIA, 2019)

Figure 1- 12 Active and proposed Canadian and U.S. tar sands oil pipelines and refineries (Source:

CAPP)

Figure 1- 13 Total crude oil transported by rail (thousand bbls) (Source: EIA, 2020c)

Figure 1- 14 Decline in the number of tanker spills vs the growth in crude, petroleum, and gas loaded (Source: ITOPF, 2019)

Figure 1- 15 Number of spills (>700 tonnes) from 1970 to 2019 (Source: ITOPF, 2019)

Figure 1- 16 Quantities of oil spilt 7 tonnes and over (rounded to nearest thousand) from 1970 to 2019 (Source: ITOPF, 2019)

Figure 1- 17 Shares of total U.S. energy consumption by major sources (1776-2019) (Source: EIA, 2020a)

Figure 1- 18 U.S. primary energy consumption by energy source in 2019 (Source: EIA, 2020a)

Figure 4- 1 The Oil Pollution Research Categorization Framework Classes

Page xiii

Figure 6- 1 Major Steps in the Research Needs (RN) Identification and Prioritization Processes

Figure 9- 1 The Oil Spill Research Categorization Framework

Page xiv

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1- 1 Spill Events that Occurred in the Path of Hurricane Katrina (2005) (Source: Pine, 2006)

Table 1- 2 Oil spills impacting navigable U.S. waterways from 2018 – 2020 (Source: USDHS, 2020)

Table 2- 1 ICCOPR Membership

Table 4- 1 SRAs assigned within the four research Classes

Table 6- 1 Uniform Research Need Evaluation Rubric

Table 6- 2 Research Needs Completed from 2015 - 2021 OPRTP

Table 9- 1 SRAs by Research Class

Page xv

LIST OF ACRONYMS

AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science ACER Alabama Center for Ecological Resilience ADAC Arctic Domain Awareness Center

ADDOMEx Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers

ADEC Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation AESC Arctic Executive Steering Committee AIP Australian Institute of Petroleum AIS Automatic Identification System AMOP Arctic and Marine Oil Spill Program AMOSC Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre AMSA Australian Maritime Safety Authority ANWR Arctic National Wildlife Refuge API American Petroleum Institute APICOM Association of Petroleum Industry Co-op Managers ARTES Alternative Response Technologies Evaluation System ASA American Salvage Association ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials ASV Autonomous Surface Vehicles AUV Autonomous Underwater Vehicles BAST Best Available and Safest Technology bbl (s) Barrel (equals 42 U.S. Gallons) BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs

BIO COOGER

DFO Canada’s Bedford Institute of Oceanography Center for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research

BLM Bureau of Land Management BOEM Bureau of Ocean Energy Management BP British Petroleum Bpd Barrels per day BSEE Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement C-IMAGE Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of the Gulf Ecosystem C-MEDS Consortium for the Molecular Engineering of Dispersant Systems CAOSPR California Office of Spill Prevention and Response

CARMMHA

Consortium for Advanced Research on Marine Mammal Health Assessment

CARTHE

Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment

CASP Center for Arctic Study & Policy CBD NRL’s Chesapeake Bay Detachment CCS Center for Coastal Studies CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CEDRE Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental

Water Pollution CEQ Council on Environmental Quality

Page xvi

CFR Code of Federal Regulations CIRCAC Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Committee CMO Churchill Marine Observatory CMR Center of Excellence for Maritime Research

CONCORDE

Consortium for Oil Spill Exposure Pathways in Coastal River-Dominated Ecosystems

COP Common Operating Picture CPF Coastal Protection Fund CRADA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement CRGC Consortium for Resilient Gulf Communities CRRC Coastal Response Research Center CRREL USACE’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory CSE Center for Spills and Environmental Hazards CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CSOMIO Consortium for Simulation of Oil-Microbial Interactions in the Ocean CWA Clean Water Act CWC Coastal Waters Consortium DECC Department of Energy and Climate Change

DEEP-C

Deep Sea to Coast Connectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Consortium

DEEPEND Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico Consortium DEI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion DEP Department of Environmental Protection DFO Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada DHHS Department of Health and Human Services USDHS Department of Homeland Security USDOE U.S. Department of Energy DOI U.S. Department of the Interior USDOT U.S. Department of Transportation DPP Disaster Preparedness Program DRC Disaster Response Center DROPPS Dispersion Research on Oil: Physics and Plankton Studies Consortium DSD Dispersant Spray Drift DWH Deepwater Horizon EC European Commission ECCC Environment and Climate Change Canada ECOGIG Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf Consortium EEP Environmental Emergencies Program EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone EIA U.S. Energy Information Administration EMSA European Maritime Safety Agency EO Environmental Observing

Page xvii

USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPPR Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group ERDC USACE Engineer Research and Development Center ERRC European Response Coordination Center ERT Environmental Response Team ERW Electric Resistance Welded ESB Environmental Specimen Bank ESI Environmental Sensitivity Index ESP BOEM Environmental Studies Program EU European Union FACA Federal Advisory Committee Act FMSAS Florida Marine Spill Analysis System FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FIO Florida Institute of Oceanography FLRACEP Florida RESTORE Act Center of Excellence Program FOSC Federal-On Scene Coordinator FOSTERRS Federal Oil Spill Team for Emergency Response Remote Sensing FRA Federal Railroad Administration FRP Facility Response Plan FY Fiscal Year GAO Government Accountability Office GEBF NFWF Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund GIS Geographic Information Systems GISR Gulf of Mexico Integrated Spill Response Consortium GMFMC Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council GOMA Gulf of Mexico Alliance GoMOSES Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science GoMRI Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative GOMURC Gulf of Mexico University Research Collaborative GRIIDC Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative GRP National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program GSMFC Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission GuLF Study Gulf Long-Term Follow-up Study GW Gigawatts HML Hollings Marine Laboratory HMTA Hazardous Materials Transportation Act HPHT High Pressure/High Temperature HRI Harte Research Institute

Page xviii

HROV Hybrid ROV IARPC Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee ICCOPR Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research ICECON Ice Conditions Index

IISD-ELA

International Institute for Sustainable Development Experimental Lakes Area

ILI In-Line Inspection IMO International Maritime Organization IOGP International Association of Oil and Gas Producers IoNS Incidents of National Significance IOOS Integrated Ocean Observing System IOSC International Oil Spill Conference IOSPP DOI’s Inland Oil Spill Preparedness Program

IPIECA

International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association

ISB In-situ Burn ISCO International Spill Control Organization ITAC Industry Technical Advisory Committee ITOPF International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited IWI Intentional Wellhead Ignition JCP Joint Contingency Plan JITF Joint Industry Task Force JIP Joint Industry Program LA-COE RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana

LADC-GEMM

Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center - Gulf Ecological Monitoring and Modeling Consortium

LEGEEPA General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging LNG Liquefied Natural Gas LRAUV Long Range AUV LSU Louisiana State University LTDM Long Term Data Management MARAD Maritime Administration

MARPOL

Marine Pollution (International convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships)

MBARI Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute MBRACE Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence MCA Maritime and Coastguard Agency MEMAC Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center META Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance MMC U.S. Marine Mammal Commission MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act MMS [former] Minerals Management Service MOC-A Marine Operations Center, Atlantic MOC-P Marine Operations Center, Pacific MOC-PI Marine Operations Center, Pacific Islands

Page xix

MOSSFA Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation MPD Managed Pressure Drilling MPRI Multi-Partner Research Initiative MRS Marine Rescue Service MSA China Maritime Safety Administration MSL PNNL Marine Sciences Laboratory MW Megawatts NAS National Academy of Sciences NASA National Aeronautics & Space Administration NAVSEA Naval Sea Systems Command NAWCA North American Wetlands Conservation Act NCOE National Center of Excellence NCP National Contingency Plan NDRF National Defense Reserve Fleet NEBA Net Environmental Benefit Analysis NEEC National Environmental Emergencies Center NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NESDIS NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service NETL USDOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory NFWF National Fish and Wildlife Federation NGO Non-governmental Organization NIEHS National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences NIH National Institutes of Health NIMS National Incident Management System NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology NMFS NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOS NOAA’s National Ocean Service NOSAC National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee

NOWPAP

MERRAC

Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response RAC of

NOWPAP

NPC National Petroleum Council NPFC United States Coast Guard’s National Pollution Funds Center NPS National Parks Service NRC National Response Center NRDA Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRL U.S. Naval Research Laboratory NRMRL U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory NRPT NOAA Regional Preparedness Trainings NRT U.S. National Response Team NSAR National Strategy for the Arctic Region NSAR-IP National Strategy for the Arctic Region Implementation Plan NSCS National Spill Control School NSF National Science Foundation NT Northern Territory

Page xx

NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTSB National Transportation Safety Board NUI Nereid Under Ice NURail National University Rail (NURail) Center NWS NOAA’s National Weather Service OCS Outer Continental Shelf OESI Ocean Energy Safety Institute OG21 Oil and Gas for the 21st Century OMAO NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations OPA 90 Oil Pollution Act of 1990 OPRTP Oil Pollution Research & Technology Plan OR&R NOAA’s Office of Response & Restoration

ORSEC

MARITIME

Organisation de la Réponse de SÉcurité Civile

OSATF Oil Spill Academic Task Force OSC On Scene Coordinator OSHA Occupational Safety & Health Administration OSIM Ocean-Sea Ice Mesocosm OSLTF Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund OSMRE Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation and Enforcement OSR Oil Spill Response OSRI Oil Spill Recovery Institute OSRO Oil Spill Response Organization OSP Oil Sands Products OSPR Oil Spill Preparedness and Response OSPD BSEE’s Oil Spill Preparedness Division OSV Ocean Survey Vessel OSWG Oil Spill Working Group PAH Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons PCT Pew Charitable Trusts PDARP Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan PEIS Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement PEMEX Petróleos Mexicanos PEMSEA Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia PERF Petroleum Environmental Research Forum

PERSGA/MEMA

C

PERSGA Marine Emergency Mutual Aide Center

PHMSA Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration P.L. Public Law PLET Pipeline End Termination PNNL Pacific Northwest National Laboratory PRCI Pipeline Research Council International PROMAM Navy’s Marine Environment Protection Division PSBCOSTF Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force PSC Polar Security Cutter PWS Prince William Sound PWSRCAC Prince William Sound Regional Citizen’s Advisory Committee RAC Regional Activity Center RAPID Rapid Response Research

Page xxi

RAR Resources at Risk RB&P Regions, Budget, and Policy RDC USCG Research & Development Center RDT&E USCG Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation R&D Research & Development R&T Research & Technology

RECOVER

Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk Consortium

REMPEC

Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Center for the Mediterranean Sea

REMPEITC-

Caribe

Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Information and Training Center for the Wider Caribbean

REMUS Remote Environmental Monitoring Unit

RESTORE

Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act

RFP Request for Proposal ROPME Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment ROV Remotely Operated Vehicle ROW Right of Way RRS Rapid Response Solution RRT Regional Response Team RSPA [former] Research and Special Projects Administration RV Research Vessel S&L GoMRI Synthesis and Legacy S&T Science and Technology SCAA Spill Control Association of America SCAT Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique SETAC Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry SIO Scripps Institution of Oceanography SIT Stevens Institute of Technology SMART Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technologies SME Subject Matter Expert SONS Spill of National Significance SPCC Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasures SRA Standing Research Area SRM Standard Reference Materials SSC NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator SSI Subsea Systems Institute STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics SUPSALV NAVSEA Supervisor of Salvage and Diving TAP Trajectory Analysis Planner TC TransCanada TDC Technology Development Center TEES Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station TXGLO Texas General Land Office UAA University of Alaska Anchorage UAS Unmanned Aerial Systems UIUC University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Page xxii

UNEP United Nations Environment Program UK United Kingdom UNH University of New Hampshire USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers USARC United States Arctic Research Commission USBR U.S. Bureau of Reclamation USCG United States Coast Guard USCGA United States Coast Guard Academy USDA United States Department of Agriculture USGS United States Geological Survey USFA United States Fire Administration USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service USV Unmanned Surface Vehicle UTC University Transportation Center VOC Volatile Organic Compound WADOE Washington Department of Ecology WHOI Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution WWF World Wildlife Foundation

Page xxiii

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

Page xxiv

DEFINITIONS

ICCOPR uses the following definitions solely for purposes of this Oil Pollution Research and Technology Plan (OPRTP). These definitions do not reflect all existing/relevant statutory and/or regulatory definitions and do not supersede any statutory or regulatory requirements.

Allision is the running of one vessel against another vessel or structure that is stationary. An allision is different from a collision in that a collision is the running of two moving vessels against each other.

Applied Research is any systematic study to gain knowledge or understanding necessary to determine the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met, in this case related to advancing knowledge about oil spill prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation, and restoration/recovery.

Basic Research is any systematic study directed toward fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications towards processes or products in mind.

Baseline Study refers to studies conducted to gather a set of critical observations or data that provide a basis for comparing conditions before and after an action or event. Baseline studies document the ecological and socioeconomic conditions of an area before an oil system activity or potential spill occurs. These studies provide a basis for assessing changes or damages that occur as a result of the activities or a spill.

Collision means the running of two vessels against each other (both under power). A collision is different from an allision where only a single vessel is underway and strikes a stationary vessel or structure.

Damages means injury to natural resources, to real or personal property, loss of subsistence use of natural resources, loss of governmental revenues, loss of profits or earning capacity, and increased cost of additional public services.

Damages also include the cost of assessing these injuries. Removal costs and damages covered by OPA 90 are defined in 33 U.S.C § 2702(b)(2).

Demonstration refers to activities that are part of research or development (i.e., that are intended to prove or to test whether a technology or method does, in fact, work). Demonstrations intended primarily to make information available about new technologies or methods should not be included in this definition (NSF, 2009).

Page xxv

Development is any systematic application of knowledge or understanding, directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements.

Discharge means any emission (other than natural seepage), intentional or unintentional, and includes, but is not limited to spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, or dumping of oil that is not permitted.

Dispersants means those chemical agents that emulsify, disperse, or solubilize oil into the water column or promote the surface spreading of oil slicks to facilitate dispersal of the oil into the water column

Facility means any structure, group of structures, equipment, or device (other than a vessel) that is used for one or more of the following purposes: exploring for, drilling for, producing, storing, handling, transferring, processing, or transporting oil. This term includes any motor vehicle, rolling stock, or pipeline used for one or more of these purposes. The OPA 90 definition of a facility is codified at 33

U.S.C § 2702(b)(2).

National Contingency Plan refers to the National Oil and Hazardous Substances

Pollution Contingency Plan (40 CFR Part 300), the federal government's blueprint for responding to both oil spills and hazardous substance releases. The NCP is the result of efforts to develop a national response capability and promote coordination among the hierarchy of responders and contingency plans.

Natural Resource Damage Assessment (or assessment) means the process of collecting and analyzing information to evaluate the nature and extent of injuries resulting from an incident and determine the restoration actions needed to bring injured natural resources and services back to baseline and make the environment and public whole for interim losses.

Natural Resources, for purposes of injury assessment and restoration, refers to land, fish, wildlife, biota, air, water, ground water, drinking water supplies, and other such resources belonging to, managed by, held in trust by, appertaining to, or otherwise controlled by the United States (including the resources of the exclusive economic zone), any State or local government or Indian tribe, or any foreign government. Natural resources, for other purposes, may include minerals such as oil and gas.

Oil refers to oil of any kind or in any form, including, but not limited to, petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil. It may also refer to: fats, oils, or greases of animal, fish, or marine mammal origin;

vegetable oils, including oils from seeds, nuts, fruits, or kernels; and, other oils and greases, including synthetic and mineral oils. The Clean Water Act (CWA)

Page xxvi definition of oil is codified at 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.; the OPA definition of oil is codified at 33 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq.

Page xxvii

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), codified at 33 U.S.C § 2701 et seq., is a law that amended the CWA and addressed the wide range of problems associated with preventing, responding to, and paying for oil pollution incidents in navigable waters of the United States. Title VII of OPA 90 established ICCOPR.

An Oil Spill is a non-permitted occurrence or series of occurrences having the same origin, involving one or more vessels, facilities, or any combination thereof, resulting in the discharge or substantial threat of discharge of oil into or upon navigable waters of the United States, adjoining shorelines, or the exclusive economic zone (e.g., oil spill in coastal waters from a tanker). This term also includes discharges of oil on land with the potential to reach any waters of the

United States.

Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs) are companies that specialize in cleaning up oil spills. They often serve as contractors or subcontractors for spill response efforts.

An On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) is the federal official pre-designated by EPA or the USCG to coordinate and direct responses under Subpart D of the NCP. It also refers to a designated representative of a lead Federal agency to coordinate and direct removal actions under Subpart E of the NCP. General responsibilities of OSCs are found in 40 CFR 300.120. OSCs are sometimes referred to as Federal On-Scene

Coordinators (FOSCs).

Preparedness is an activity, program, or system developed prior to an oil spill to support and enhance the ability of personnel and organizations to prevent, respond to, and recover from an oil spill or other adverse event.

Prevention is an on-going activity to minimize the likelihood of discharges of oil into the environment. Prevention may be a long-term approach to looking at the fundamentals of minimizing the potential of oil spills with the goal to identify, minimize, and mitigate risks.

Release means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing of oil into the environment.

Research is the systematic study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied. (NSF, 2009)

Response includes all activities involved in containing and cleaning up oil to: 1: maintain safety of human life; 2: stabilize a situation to preclude it from worsening, and;

3: minimize adverse environmental and socioeconomic impacts by coordinating all containment and removal activities to carry out a timely, effective response.

Page xxviii

Restoration is the process of restoring an affected area or resource to its pre-incident state. Restoration can take several months to many years and may require technical and financial assistance from a variety of sources. Restoration efforts are primarily concerned with actions that involve rebuilding destroyed property, re-employment of effected stakeholders, rehabilitating, replacing, or acquiring the equivalent of injured natural resources and the services they provided prior to the damage being inflicted and the repair of other essential infrastructure.

Submerged and subsurface oil refers to oil that is not floating on the water surface.

Surface Washing Agent is any product that removes oil from solid surfaces, such as beaches and rocks, through a detergency mechanism and does not involve dispersing or solubilizing the oil into the water column.

Technology is the study, development, and application of devices, machines, and techniques for manufacturing and productive processes. Technology also includes tools, equipment, and methods or methodologies that apply scientific knowledge or tools. For purposes of this plan, technology represents the application of knowledge or widgets to the development and/or usage of equipment, systems and organizational capabilities for oil spill prevention, preparedness, response, and restoration.

Vessel means every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Title VII of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) established the Interagency

Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) to coordinate a comprehensive program of oil pollution research, technology development, and demonstration. Pursuant to Section 7001(b) of OPA 90, ICCOPR developed the Oil

Pollution Research and Technology Plan (OPRTP) to implement the Federal research and development program.

ICCOPR published its first version of the OPRTP in 1992 and published a revised version in 1997. These two versions provided an initial baseline assessment and analysis of:

agency roles and responsibilities; status of knowledge of oil pollution prevention, response, and mitigation technologies; priority research and development needs; and an estimate of resources and time needed to implement the program.

The purpose of the FY 2015-2021 version of the OPRTP, and subsequent revisions, is to provide current assessments of the oil pollution research needs and priorities. ICCOPR intends to update this OPRTP every six years to reflect advancements in oil pollution technology and changing research needs. This ongoing planning process will capitalize on the unique roles and responsibilities of member agencies to address oil pollution research and development needs and maintain awareness of research needs.

The OPRTP includes two parts. Part One, Oil Pollution Research, explains why oil pollution research is needed, the parties that are involved in the research, and presents

ICCOPR’s Oil Pollution Research Categorization Framework used for organizing the priority Research Needs. Part Two, Establishing Research Priorities, presents ICCOPR’s priority Research Needs. It also explains the process that ICCOPR used to identify the research gaps and priorities, noteworthy oil spill events, and the current state of oil pollution knowledge. In future versions, Part One will remain relatively static; however, Part Two is expected to change significantly as research advances the state of knowledge and priority Research Needs are successfully addressed.

The Introduction and Chapter 1, The Need for Oil Pollution Research, describes the historical basis for oil pollution research and reviews trends in oil spills from different sources. ICCOPR member agencies share responsibilities to monitor changes in the oil spill system and find opportunities to improve technologies to meet changing needs.

ICCOPR recognizes that activities in the: Arctic and Alaska; Inland Rivers and Laurentian

Great Lakes; Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) are all of high importance at this time.

Chapter 2, Federal Oil Pollution Research, describes the Federal entities involved in oil pollution research including the ICCOPR member agencies, other Federal research organizations and facilities. Similarly, Chapter 3, Non-Federal Oil Pollution Research

Entities, describes state, industry, tribal, independent organizations, academia, and international oil pollution research entities.

Chapter 4, Structuring Oil Pollution Research, presents ICCOPR’s Oil Pollution Research

Categorization Framework, which provides a common language and planning regime that would enable researchers and interested parties to identify and track research in each topic area. The Framework groups research into four broad Classes: Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Injury Assessment and Restoration. ICCOPR further classified research within each Class into Standing Research Areas (SRAs), which represent the most common research themes encountered for spills.

Chapter 5, Knowledge Transfer and Advancement, describes ICCOPR’s efforts to promote continuous improvement in the nation’s ability to address oil pollution by monitoring the state of knowledge and adjusting the program to meet changing needs.

The OPRTP planning process emphasizes and strengthens the roles and responsibilities of the member agencies to assure that research advances the capabilities to reduce oil pollution.

Chapter 6, Oil Pollution Research Needs Identification and Prioritization Process, documents the process ICCOPR employed to establish the research priorities. ICCOPR established an R&T Working Group that identified more than 2,350 research gaps, consolidated them into 737 unique Research Needs, and evaluated them with the assistance of the results from a survey of 410 subject matter experts.

Chapter 7, Assessment of Oil Spill Technologies and Noteworthy Oil Spills, includes a summary of the different classes of oil and research on prevention, response, and mitigation technologies. This chapter also describes important oil spill events and lists the oil pollution research gaps that they illuminated. Spills associated with vessels, drilling operations, onshore pipelines, and facilities are included.

Chapter 8, Current State of Oil Pollution Knowledge, describes the sources and mechanisms that ICCOPR uses to obtain and share information on research needs and accomplishments.

Chapter 9, Oil Spill Research and Technology Research Priorities, presents ICCOPR’s priority Research Needs. ICCOPR identified three top priorities for each SRA. For SRAs with many Research Needs (i.e., Dispersants), ICCOPR established subcategories of similar research. Three priority Research Needs were assigned to each subcategory.

Below is a list of the SRAs and Subcategories for each Research Class.

PREVENTION (10000 Series)

SRA Subcategory (s)

Human Error Factors

Offshore Facilities and Systems Met-Ocean Effects; Surface Systems and Umbilicals

Onshore Facilities and Systems Tank/Piping Inspection, Operations, Design and Data; Emerging Issues

Waterways Management

Vessel Design

Drilling Deepwater Drilling/Technology; Reservoir Characterization

Rail and Truck Transportation

Pipeline Systems Threat/Damage Prevention; Leak Detection;

Anomaly Detection/Characterization

Geohazards Monitoring; Identification & Characterization

Subsea Systems Automation and Reliability

PREPAREDNESS (20000 Series)

Pre-Spill Baseline Studies Habitats and Species Baselines;

Oceanographic/Geologic Baselines;

Environmental Baseline Planning

Response Management Systems

Renewable Energy Systems

RESPONSE (30000 Series)

Structural Damage Assessment and Salvage

At Source Control and Containment

Chemical and Physical Modeling and Behavior

Arctic Behavior and Modeling; Oil Behavior Models; Transport Models; Oceanographic Models; Emerging Crude; Sinking Oil and Marine Oil Snow (MOS) Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation (MOSSFA)

Oil Spill Detection and Surveillance Remote Detection; Monitoring; Submerged Oil Detection

In- and On-water Containment and Recovery

Control and Recovery Technology; Recovery Operations and Testing

Shore Containment and Recovery

Dispersants Cold Water and Ice Conditions; Behavior;

Environmental Effects; Efficacy and Effectiveness; Fate; Subsurface

In-situ Burning Effectiveness and Impacts; Planning and Technology

Alternative Countermeasures

Oily and Oil Waste Disposal

Bioremediation

INJURY ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION (40000 Series)

Environmental Effects and Ecosystem Recovery

Species Impacts; Toxicological and Sublethal Impacts; Sunken and Submerged Oil Impacts;

Ecosystem and Habitat Impacts; Recovery; Risk Assessment and Impact Metrics

Environmental Restoration Methods and Technologies

Human Safety and Health Safety; Human Exposure

Sociological and Economic Effects Community and Economic Impacts; Human Impacts

INTRODUCTION

Title VII of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) established the Interagency

Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) to “… coordinate a comprehensive program of oil pollution research, technology development, and demonstration among the federal agencies, in cooperation and coordination with industry, universities, research institutions, State governments, and other nations, as appropriate, and shall foster cost-effective research mechanisms, including the joint funding of research.” Section 7001(c) of OPA 90 required ICCOPR to establish a federal oil pollution research and development (R&D) program. Pursuant to Section 7001(b) of

OPA 90, ICCOPR developed the Oil Pollution Research and Technology Plan (OPRTP) to implement the federal research and development program.

Background

Federal oil pollution research efforts began to take shape in the late 1960s following the

Torrey Canyon oil spill off the coast of England (Figure 1-1). At that time, the U.S. had neither the technical nor operational capacity to address a large oil spill in the marine environment. The federal government developed the first National Contingency Plan

(FWPCA, 1968) to formalize the response and management to oil spills and began extensive oil pollution research over the next 20 years. Coordination of the federal research efforts was informal and on an ad hoc basis through conferences, workshops, and committees of researchers scheduling their projects at the National Oil and

Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank (Ohmsett) facility. Nearly 30 years after the Torrey Canyon incident, the challenges posed by the response to the

Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 continued to reveal the need for federal agencies to better coordinate their research. This need resulted in Title VII of OPA 90 establishing ICCOPR and creating the requirement for a comprehensive and coordinated research and technology plan.

ICCOPR submitted the original OPRTP to

Congress in April 1992. As directed by OPA

90, ICCOPR provided the OPRTP to the

National Research Council’s Committee on

Oil Spill Research and Development for review. Using input from the Councils

Marine Board, ICCOPR started a revision of the plan to include topics related to spill prevention, human factors, and the field testing/demonstration of developed response technologies, ICCOPR released revised versions in 1997 and 2015.

Figure 1- 1 Torrey Canyon oil spill in 1967 (Source:

ITOPF, 2017)

As set forth in the 2015 plan, this 2022 updated plan will cover a six-year planning cycle

(2022-2027). This ongoing planning process will capitalize on the unique roles and responsibilities of member agencies to address oil pollution research and development needs.

The OPRTP includes two parts. Part One, Oil Pollution Research, explains why oil pollution research is needed, the parties that are involved in the research, and presents

ICCOPR’s Oil Pollution Research Categorization Framework used for organizing the priority Research Needs. Part Two, Establishing Research Priorities, presents ICCOPR’s priority Research Needs. It also explains the process that ICCOPR used to identify the research gaps and priorities, noteworthy oil spill events, and the current state of oil pollution knowledge. In future versions, Part One will remain relatively static; however, Part Two is expected to change significantly as research advances the state of knowledge and priority Research Needs are successfully addressed.

Purpose of the Plan

The 1992 version of the OPRTP provided Congress with an implementation plan for the new research and development program established by OPA 90. The 1992 Plan, and the

1997 revisions, provided an initial baseline assessment and analysis of: agency roles and responsibilities; status of knowledge of oil pollution prevention, response, and mitigation technologies; priority research and development needs; and an estimate of resources and time needed to implement the program. The purpose of the fiscal year

(FY) 2015-2021 version was to provide an updated assessment of the oil pollution research needs and priorities to establish a new baseline for the new series of OPRTPs.

The FY 2022-2027 version updates the FY 2015-2021 OPRTP to provide a current assessment of the oil pollution research needs and priorities. As stated in the Elijah E.

Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020, the requirements of…