NIST has been a major contributor to the science and technology used for safe and effective in situ burning of oil spills. Herders use surface active agents to thicken slicks without the need to collect the oil in a physical boom. In situ burning is operationally used in the United States to cleanup oil spills on land and small water bodies, however it has been rarely used on marine spills. In situ burning was employed extensively during the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill in 2010. A major factor aiding the NIST research effort has been the relationships built up over the years with a number of organizations. In situ burning is an oil spill response technique or tool that involves the controlled ignition and burning of the oil at or near the spill site on the surface of the water or in a marsh (see Lindau et al., this volume).Although controversial, burning has been shown on several recent occasions to be an appropriate oil spill countermeasure. In situ burning involves the controlled burning of oil that has spilled from a vessel or a facility, at the location of the spill. Special fire-resistant booms must be used to contain open-water burns, as burning oil may spread rapidly in water. How to Use In Situ Burning Guidelines for Alaska The Alaska in situ burning guidelines are used by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, United States Coast Guard, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on-scene coordinators to authorize an emergency in situ burn of oil. The Coming of Age of Controlled In-Situ Burning Transition from Alternative Technology to A Conventional Offshore Spill Response Option Neré Mabile - BP America Nere.Mabile@bp.com January 12, 2012 ABSTRACT Controlled in-situ burning (ISB) has a history of incident response, research and testing, and increasing degrees of success that spans six decades. Region IV Regional Response Team From: Region IV Regional Response Team To: Distribution Subject: LETTER OF PROMULGATION 1. Use of In-Situ Burning in RRT Region IV Prepared for Region IV Regional Response Team Response and Technology Committee In-Situ Burn Workgroup . • This series was developed as a training tool or planning tool for in-situ burning. 1.1.1 Although the focus is on the use of herders in conjunction with in-situ burning, herders may also be used to aid in mechanical recovery of spilled oil. Given the limitations of mechanical recovery and dispersant use, there is renewed interest in the use of burning as new oil spill response tool. Burning may be thought of as an emerging technology for response to oil spills. It is NOT an When conducting in-situ burning on land, berms or trenches serve a similar containment function as fire-resistant booms. bridge the gaps in the understanding of in-situ burning (ISB) use, effectiveness, and effects. 1.2 The purpose of this guide is to provide information that will enable oil-spill responders to select the appropriate techniques and devices to successfully collect and ignite oil spilled on water. They are effective in the open sea, with or without the presence of ice, up until there are breaking waves present. Burning may be thought of as an emerging technology for response to oil spills.