Introduction
Globally, around 14.5 billion barrels of crude oil is transported by sea every year and 28 million barrels are produced daily from offshore fields. Oil spills present a risk that has been managed for years by industry and governments alike. They have -individually and cooperatively- developed several strategies for oil spills response, one of them being the use of dispersants at the water surface and subsea.
The webinar will present the key findings of the Arpel report Operational and Regulatory Considerations for the Efficient Use of Dispersants to Combat Oil Spills (April 2025 Edition) with an overview of key regulatory requirements regarding the pre-approval and field authorization of dispersants in several countries of the Americas Region as well as key operational considerations requiring advanced planning. The report identifies opportunities for improvement for an effective outcome of the use of dispersants in case of an oil spill.
It is expected that the analysis of the Arpel report will support the development/update of countries’ effective regulations and policies for the approval and use of dispersants as an option to combat oil spills and encourage the implementation of good practices and transboundary collaboration. It will also assist industry partners to enhance operational considerations of their dispersants program.
