Oiled Shoreline Assessment

Surveying polluted sites and assessing the level of oiling are crucial when responding to accidental oil spills. A thorough survey is the only way to assess the extent of the spill in addition to deciding which areas should be given priority for cleanup and helping decision-makers deciding which techniques and equipment are most suitable.

When an oil spill reaches the coastline, quantitative and qualitative reports on the extent of the pollution, when drafted by untrained personnel, are very often so inadequate as to be of little use to decision makers.

It is therefore necessary to comply with coastal survey guidelines likely to produce a useable, short and yet complete report that can be used to support decision makers in the preparation of shoreline response operations.