BSEE announces oil spill research funding

The federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, or BSEE, says that it may make available as much as $1.2 million in 2013 for research projects focusing on oil spill response on the outer continental shelf. White papers with proposals for research are due by Jan. 23.

The agency says that it is seeking studies in the following areas:

• consolidating previous research into the impact of the chemical and physical properties of crude oil on the effectiveness of response techniques such as the use of dispersants, skimming and in-situ burning;

• consolidating previous research into the effective of oil dispersants in marine environments;

• building on previous research and identifying further research opportunities in the development of temporary storage options for recovered oil in Arctic conditions;

• finding techniques for dealing with low light conditions during oil recovery operations; and

• assessing the use of bioremediation products such as bacteria as an alternative to chemical dispersants, to minimize harmful environmental impacts during an oil spill response.

—Alan Bailey