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E-mail:  Ed Owens

OIL SPILL TECHNICAL TRAINING Shorelines & Oil Spill Response Courses  en français     Course Objective The course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge necessary to deal with issues and to make decisions regarding shoreline protection and treatment following an oil spill. Upon completion of the course the participants will have a thorough understanding of: the character of the shorelines of the area of interest and the processes that act on those coasts; how to evaluate the fate and behavior of stranded oil; the concepts of Net Environmental Benefit; and Minimum Regret Strategies; how to document and describe oiled shorelines (SCAT); what factors are important to define nearshore and shoreline response priorities and strategy; operational constraints that are to be expected in the area of concern; and which response techniques are practical and effective for the different shoreline types and coastal environments in the area Course Description The course provides a basic grounding on coastal processes, shoreline character, and the fate and behavior of spilled and stranded oil. Participants are presented with a standardized methodology for the documentation and description of oiled shorelines. Response and protection/cleanup operations are discussed in the context of the spill management team concept and the response decision process, with a strong focus on the development of practical operational plans and strategies. A key component of the training is the field site visits where first-hand knowledge is gained by application and discussion of classroom material. Course Notes Participants are provided with a set of Course Notes that summarize the content of the training and include the exercises that are integrated into the Course.

The training is based on experiences gained on many spills in North and South America, the Middle East, Australia and Russia, and specific attention is paid to the lessons learned from these CASE STUDIES:

•  ARROW – Eastern Canada  •  EXXON VALDEZ – Alaska  •  OCEAN 255 – West Florida coast (Tampa Bay)  •  Komi Pipeline Spills – Russia  •  NEW CARISSA – Oregon

The course is always tailored to the local coastal environment and can be adapted to focus on specific geographic regions or topics:

•  Inland Oil Spills and Response Operations – RIVER, LAKES, & STREAMS  •  Oil Spills and Response Operations on LAND  •  Oil Spills and Response Operations in Winter (SNOW AND ICE)(pdf file)  •  Oil Spills and Response Operations in ARCTIC REGIONS (pdf file)  •  Oil Spills and Response Operations in TROPICAL REGIONS