On August 5, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Deputy Director Margaret Schneider and senior leaders from the Bureau's Pacific Region office met with representatives of local Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO),Clean Seas, LLC, in Santa Barbara to discuss oil spill response preparedness. Deputy Director Schneider was joined by Pacific Region Director Jaron Ming, Regional Supervisor Drew Mayerson, and Craig Ogawa, Senior Analyst for the Oil Spill Response Division. During the visit, the group toured the Oil Spill Response Vessel Ocean Guardian, located in Santa Barbara Harbor) and also simulated a response scenario for nearby offshore platforms.
Ocean Guardian is one of the OSRO’s four, 65-foot response vessels specially designed for spill response. Each vessel is equipped with approximately 1,500 feet of boom, advancing oil recovery systems, storage tanks for recovered oil, Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR) and advanced electronic equipment for directing and monitoring oil spill response activities. With maximum cruising speeds of 26 knots and a large fuel capacity, the vessels can reach potential spill sites quickly and remain on scene for extended periods.
Clean Seas provides spill response services for member companies operating in the open ocean and coastline of California’s South Central Coast, including Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, and the Channel Islands.
BSEE’s Oil Spill Response Division (OSRD) works closely with OSRO, including Clean Seas, to verify that spill response resources are at optimal performance levels and in accordance with offshore operators’ Oil Spill Response Plans. The division is responsible for developing standards and guidelines for industry plans through internal and external reviews to ensure regulatory compliance. The division also manages the Unannounced Oil Spill Drill Program and works with other federal agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency to continually enhance response technologies and capabilities.
For more information on BSEE’s Oil Spill Response Division, visit here, or contact oilspillresponsedivision@bsee.gov
OSRB OCEAN KEEPER- an oil spill response barge with a storage capacity of 15,000 barrels. It remains moored outside Santa Barbara Harbor to respond quickly in the event of a spill.