BSEE to invest $7million in 2014 for oil spill response research

The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) announced that it is soliciting proposals for oil spill response research projects and will be investing up to US$7 million to support these projects in 2014.

In a Broad Agency Announcement released on the federal governments business opportunities website, www.FedBizOpps.gov, the bureau called for white papers focusing specifically on one of 10 topic areas for proposed research covering oil spill response operations on the US Outer Continental Shelf.

"This announcement continues and enhances BSEE's commitment to a comprehensive research program dedicated to improving oil spill response operations,” said BSEE Oil Spill Response Division Chief David Moore. “Through efforts such as this, we hope to spur further innovation and to improve upon the techniques and technology available to respond to potential oil spills."

The deadline for submitting white papers is January 20, 2014. Topics should be limited to the following:

• cataloging BSEE's oil spill response research programs funded research recommendations and key findings that may have an Impact on BSEE regulations;
• scientifically based planning standards for dispersant effectiveness and usage rates;
• scientifically based planning standards for burn boom effectiveness and usage rates;
• oil spill detection and analysis using remote sensing technologies;
• subsea oil spill detection sensors;
• mechanical recovery capability of chemically treated oil;
• solidifying the scientific capabilities of Ohmsett - quantifying mixing energy;
• solidifying the scientific capabilities of Ohmsett - effect of ambient chemical levels;
• development of "smart" skimming technologies; and
• establishment of technology readiness level definitions for oil spill response equipment.

For more information on these topics and directions for submital, please view the announcement here at www.FedBizOpps.gov.

BSEE is the principal federal agency funding offshore oil spill response research. The bureau supports a robust research program that includes operation of the National Oil Spill Response Research and Renewable Energy Test Facility, known as Ohmsett, where many of today’s commercially available oil spill cleanup products have been tested. Government agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy as well as private industry and oil spill response organizations from around the world train their emergency response personnel with real oil and their own equipment at BSEE's Ohmsett facility in Leonardo, N.J.

To learn more about BSEE’s oil spill response research program and recent research, visit the OSRR page.