2.4. Oil Release Incidents

The most common HazMat incidents in the U.S. are spills involving petroleum products. Activities in response to oil releases on land differ little from those in response to other chemical releases on land. However, when released in water, oil incidents represent a special case of chemical incidents. The following are common actions taken to control the spread of oil contamination following releases offshore or in bodies of water:⁵²

• Booming. Boom is typically the first mechanical response equipment taken to an oil spill site, where it is used to (1) contain slicks for removal by skimmers or burning, (2) deflect or divert slicks towards a collection area or away from sensitive resources, (3) exclude slicks from selected areas and protect sensitive shorelines and amenities, and (4) ensnare oil by the addition of sorbent material.
• Sorbent use. Sorbents are used to recover small amounts of oil. In general, use of sorbents is only appropriate during the final stages of a cleanup or to remove thin films of oil. Sorbents can also be used to protect and/or clean environmentally sensitive areas where the use of other methods is restricted. Solidifiers react with oil to bind it into a cohesive mass, immobilizing it and reducing its ability to spread; solidified masses may float until removed from the water. Because solidifiers are applied as powders, granular mixes, or gels, they are impractical for use on large spills.
• In situ burning. In situ burning removes oil from a surface by combustion; burning may provide the only means of quickly and safely eliminating large amounts of oil in situations where mechanical cleanup methods would be destructive or impossible to perform. Burning small spills is routinely conducted (1) to quickly remove oil, so that it does not spread over larger areas or into sensitive areas, (2) to reduce the generation of oily wastes, especially where transportation or disposal options are limited, and (3) as a final removal technique, when other methods lose effectiveness or are too intrusive.
• Dispersant application. Dispersants reduce the interfacial tension between oil and water, allowing the oil to break up into small droplets that can be dispersed into the water column and that promote biodegradation Many international agencies and regulatory bodies view dispersants as the most practical response option for offshore oil spills as in many cases their use results in the lowest environmental impact and they can be used in situations where mechanical means such as booming and skimming cannot. However, over time, an oil slick “weathers” and becomes more viscous, making chemical dispersion more difficult.
• Shoreline protections. Shoreline protection response strategies  include: (1) natural recovery, in which a site is allowed to recover without intervention; (2) physical treatments, whereby oil is removed manually or by water spray, vacuums, or scraping machinery; (3) chemical treatments, in which EPA-approved products are used to increase the efficiency of water washing; and (4) bioremediation, which is typically used as a final treatment step after completing other treatments. However, every reasonable effort should be made to prevent oil from reaching the shore in order to reduce environmental impacts, the duration of cleanup operations, and generated wastes, as shoreline cleanup operations are much more labor intensive than water-based operations.

52. National Fire Protection Association. (2018). NFPA 472: Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents.; National Fire Protection Association. (2017). NFPA 1072: Standard for Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response Personnel Professional Qualifications.