Tuesday, November 8

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Room: 245
Chair
Bob Patterson, Managing Director, Witt O'Brien's, LLC / Ambipar Response
Speakers
Barbara Parker, Process Excellence Lead: Management Systems & Performance Improvement, Shell Exploration & Production Company
  • The Importance of Assurance Programs - The Key to Incident Prevention
Dan Somma CDR, US Coast Guard (Ret.), Marine Terminal Compliance Advisor, Marathon Petroleum Company LP
  • Dock Ready - Rock Steady Marine Safety, Spill Prevention and Emergency Preparedness through Assurance

Speakers in this session will address the value and proven necessity of a well-developed and well executed assurance program. To that end they will be providing valuable information from multiple perspectives.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 244
Chair
Michael Baccigalopi, Crisis and Continuity Management / Emergency Response Advisor, bp GoM
Co-Chair
Michael Roldan, Senior Consultant, Hazmat Safety Consulting
Speakers
Susannah Domaille, Technical Adviser, ITOPF Limited
  • What the X-Press Pearl Incident has Taught us about Nurdle Spills
Nick Benson CFO, FCOE, SSU, SCCM, Leader, Crisis and Continuity Management, Equinor US
  • Hurricane Dorian: A Focus on Wildlife Response
Co-Author:
Rhonda Murgatroyd, Managing Director, Wildlife Response Services, LLC
Bill Humphreys, Spill Response Specialist, Oil Spill Response USA Inc.
  • Sri Lanka Plastic Clean Up - Applying Oil Response Techniques and Creating New Ones
Paul Schuler, Director, External Affairs, Oil Spill Response USA Inc.
  • FSO SAFER - A Case Study

This session will present international case studies of responses that implemented accepted good practices. The session will include presentations from those who were actually there and give examples from government and industry to share lessons learned. International responses present additional planning and response challenges related to differing levels of local resources and government involvement. These challenges and those of future responses must be successfully overcome. Our future success will require frequent sharing of such experiences and implementation of lessons learned from responses within the U.S. as well as internationally. Come join us to hear how government and industry experts successfully met the challenge of conducting international responses.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 243
Track 3: Training and Exercises Best Management Practices
Chair
Robert Simmons PE, Executive Associate, Environmental Science Services
Panelists
Mike Drieu, GOM CEM Manager, Occidental Petroleum Corporation
Paul Galloway, Sr. Emergency Management Specialist, Chevron (retired)
Frank Paskewich, President, Clean Gulf Associates
Nicole Franks, President, NJ Resources, Inc.
Gary Petrae, Preparedness Analyst, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
Michael Sams, Incident Management and Preparedness Advisor, U.S. Coast Guard 8th District

Panelists in this session will discuss the artificialities associated with spill response drills from the various perspectives of Industry, OSRO, Agency, and Consultant participants. This session is intended to set the stage for potential solutions presented in the subsequent sessions within this track.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 242
Track 4: Safety in Planning, Preparedness, and Response
Chair
Cory Davis, CEO (Retired), CTEH, LLC.
Speakers
Ed Landgraf, Chairman, Coastal and Marine Operators/Texas811
  • Corpus Christi NTSB Review 5 killed following a Marine Pipeline Strike
Michael Lumpkin Ph.D., DABT, Senior Toxicologist, CTEH, LLC.
  • Emerging Scientific and Regulatory Issues on Chemical Exposure and Risks to Fenceline Communities from Industrial Air Toxics Emissions
Gregory Dillard, Partner, Baker Botts L.L.P.
  • A Legal Perspective on Safety

This session will contain a review of regulatory issues and cases surrounding community and worker safety in industry and transportation.

Chair
Angela Barrow, Global Enterprise Manager, Emergency Management, Chevron
Co-Chair
Jennifer Crouch, CEM Advisor - GOM, Woodside Energy Ltd.
Speakers
Dustin White PCP, CBCP, Crisis & Emergency Management Advisor - Africa and Americas, Woodside Energy Ltd.
  • Incident Response
Angela Barrow, Global Enterprise Manager, Emergency Management, Chevron
  • Business Continuity
D'Anne Stites, Compliance and Enforcement, Oil Spill Prevention and Response, Texas General Land Office
  • Implementing Lessons Learned for Reducing Oil Spill Compliance and Response Costs (No Mask Required)
Craig Wyatt, Director, Crisis Management & Response, Colonial Pipeline Company
  • Colonial Cyber Incident - An Overview

With shifting trends now moving from virtual to physical or a hybrid of both, it is particularly important to understand the differences between IMT and BCP. Speakers in this session will help you navigate between the two as well as provide a real-world case study as an example.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 244
Chair
Michael Roldan, Senior Consultant, Hazmat Safety Consulting
Speakers
Elmer Emeric, Duty Manager, Oil Spill Response Ltd
  • Peru - Offshore & Shoreline Response - Managing Expectations and Changing Beach Profiles
Carlos Sagrera MSc., ISCO Representative in Latin America, IMO External Advisor, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
  • Management of a Tier III Spill in Latin America: A Worst-Case Scenario in Peru
Matt Melton, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, International Bird Rescue
  • Peru Response: Constituting and Managing an Ad Hoc Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Angela Pinzon Ph.D., Technical Advisor, ITOPF Limited
  • Peru 2022: Capacity-Building in a Crisis

This session will be a case study focused on the oil spill that emanated from the vessel “Mare Doricum” off the Peruvian Coast. The session will include presentations from those who were actually there and give examples from government and industry to share lessons learned. Responses outside the United States present different planning and response challenges as there are differing levels of local resources and government involvement. These different challenges present additional opportunities for lessons learned. The response industry's future success will require frequent sharing of such experiences and implementation of lessons learned globally. Come join us to hear how government and industry experts successfully met the challenge of conducting international responses.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 243
Track 3: Training and Exercises Best Management Practices
Chair
Allyson Purcell, Director-L48 CMER, ConocoPhillips
Speakers
Sean Griffin, CEO, Disaster Tech
  • The Future of Training and Exercises: Current and Future Innovations
Ryan Delatte, Emergency Response Specialist, Phillips 66
  • Training Lessons Learned
KC Sullivan, C&CM Training & Exercise Manager, bp
  • Harnessing Technology to Serve Learning through Training and Exercises

Looking for new ways to train? Join this session to learn about training tools and technology to enhance your training program.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 242
Track 4: Safety in Planning, Preparedness, and Response
Chair
Nick Furnari CEM, CBCP, Emergency Preparedness & Response Manager, Marine Well Containment Company
Speakers
Paul Nony Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Principal Toxicologist, CTEH, LLC.
  • Tactics for Deploying Environmental Air and Water Testing Equipment
Martin Majewski, Regional Marine Manager, Shell Exploration & Production Company
  • Vessel Operations, Safety, and Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS)
Jodi Harney Ph.D., Vice President, Energy, CSA Ocean Sciences, Inc.
  • Identifying and Mitigating Risks during Offshore and Subsea Environmental Operations

The purpose of this session is to review how industry mitigates health and safety risks when preparing for offshore equipment deployments. The presence of volatile organic compounds and the high density of vessels and personnel in the area present safety risks to responders working at and near the incident site. This session will share best practices on how advancing procedures and technology can improve safety for the spill response community.

Wednesday, November 9

8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: 245
Chair
Michael Sams, Incident Management and Preparedness Advisor, U.S. Coast Guard 8th District
Panelists
CWO Joseph Torcivia, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Houma
Gabrielle McGrath, Portfolio Manager - Spill Response Specialist, RPS
Paige Doelling Ph.D., Scientific Support Coordinator, Texas and SW Louisiana, NOAA
Brent Koza, State Scientific Support Coordinator, Research & Development, Texas General Land Office OSPR
Speaker
Bryan Rogers, PVB Chief, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

In 2019, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) sponsored a project in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard to improve the content of the coastal zone area contingency plans (ACPs) with respect to the information necessary to effectively plan for and respond to large oil spills from offshore oil and gas exploration and production facilities. This collaboration between BSEE, USCG District Eight, resource trustees, state agencies, oil spill removal organizations (OSROs), and Area Committees resulted in a series of technical documents that provide offshore information for the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Collectively, these materials provide a foundation of risk assessment, resources at risk, and conceptual response information to inform coastal zone ACP planning, preparedness, and response to a significant offshore facility oil spill incident.

8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: 244
Chair
Mike Drieu, GOM CEM Manager, Occidental Petroleum Corporation
Co-Chair
Frank Paskewich, President, Clean Gulf Associates
Speakers
Clinton Williams, Director of Emergency Response, T&T Marine Salvage Inc.
  • Golden Ray Salvage Case Study
Joe Bowles, Vice President, Pacific Region, Marine Spill Response Corporation
  • Huntington Beach Spill
CAPT Nicole Rodriguez, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard, MSU Lake Charles
  • In-Situ Burn - Black Lake
Co-Author:
Chris Sanfilippo, Environmental Manager - Eastern Division, Texas Petroleum Investment Co.

This session will focus on presenting key elements regarding response strategies and tactics as a result of large-scale responses off California (West Coast), Louisiana (Gulf Coast), and Georgia (East Coast).

8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: 242
Chair
Tom Coolbaugh Ph.D., Facility/Program Manager, Chief Scientist, Applied Research Associates, Inc. | Ohmsett
Speakers
Michel Boufadel, Distinguished Professor and Director, New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • Academic Perspective of Spill Response Research Facility Needs: Pooling of Resources
Stephane Le Floch Ph.D., Research Dev. Manager, Cedre
  • Overview of Cedre Capabilities
James McCourt, Sr. Engineer, SL Ross Environmental Research Ltd
  • Overview of SL Ross Facility Capabilities
Grant Coolbaugh, Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Applied Research Associates, Inc. | Ohmsett
  • Ohmsett Facility Capability Overview

The presentations within this session will provide overviews of facilities that support oil spill response research and development. Presenters will then take part in a panel discussion on the topic of future opportunities to enhance capabilities.

8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: 240/241
Chair
Keely Fitzpatrick PMP, Sr. Business Performance Consultant, Marine Spill Response Corporation
Speakers
Alex Sagebien, Vice-President, Environment Health & Safety, Hess Corporation
  • Operator Insights into ESG Reporting
Carleen Walker, Co-Founder/Executive Director, North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA)
  • ESG and the Impact on Navigating our Waterways
Ceren Karaer, Director, Customer Experience & Business Development, Marine Spill Response Corporation
  • How your OSRO can Support your ESG Goals
Susan Ninan, Principal Environment, Sustainability, Woodside Energy Ltd.
  • An Industry Perspective of ESG

This session will explore how the spill response community can support the Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals of the broader industry.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Hall E - Room 3
Speaker
Kevin M. Sligh Sr. MBA, CEM, Director, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • BSEE: Offshore Energy Oversight Now and For the Future
Sponsored by:
   

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is expanding its mission to include regulatory oversight of renewable energy and carbon sequestration offshore, along with incorporating new technologies related to traditional energy production. Safety and environmental sustainability have always been at the forefront of BSEE’s regulatory efforts and will continue to be the focus for all offshore energy activities now and into the future. In this session, BSEE Director Kevin M. Sligh Sr. will discuss BSEE’s current regulatory efforts, opportunities and challenges as we face global climate change.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 244
Chair
Nelson Fetgatter, President, Phoenix Pollution Control
Co-Chair
Angie Martin, President, Spill Control Association of America (SCAA)
Panelists
George Malvaney, Managing Partner, E3 OMI
John Silva, VP, Emergency Response and Operations, Moran Environmental Recovery, LLC
Virgil Blanchard, VP of Oil Services, E3 Environmental
Val Garner, Senior Vice President of Operations, HEPACO, LLC

This session will explore the future state of the contracting community in a volatile and ever-changing business and cultural environment.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 243
Track 3: Training and Exercises Best Management Practices
Chair
Bruce Simons, Prevention and Preparedness Coordinator, Texas General Land Office
Speakers
Nicole Franks, President, NJ Resources, Inc.
  • Designing Exercises as Part of an Ongoing Exercise Preparedness Program
Jared Angelle (CDR, USCG, retired), CEM, MEP, Emergency Response Team Leader, Phillips 66
  • It's all about the Simulation Cell (SimCell)
Harry Juneau Ph.D., Sr. Preparedness Analyst, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • Testing the Oil Spill Response Plan - A Programmatic Approach to Designing Government-Initiated Unannounced Exercises (GIUEs)
Zachary Pickett (CDR, USCG, ret.), Emergency Manager, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi
  • Exercising Without Pulling a Hamstring

An emergency response exercise is a sprint through a relatively brief segment of an emergency response in order to provide an Incident Management Team (IMT) with an opportunity to train personnel, practice implementing their roles and responsibilities, understand internal and external interfaces, and demonstrate proficiency to regulators. This session will explore how the exercise design process is critical to the ultimate success of an exercise. Using lessons learned from past exercises, we explore how to use and improve the design process to create better ones.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 242
Track 5: Response Technologies and Research
Chair
Brent Koza, State Scientific Support Coordinator, Research & Development, Texas General Land Office OSPR
Speakers
Tim Nedwed Ph.D., RETIRED, ExxonMobil Corporation
  • Evaluation of Oleophobic - Hydrophilic Skirt for Oil Spill Booms
Adam Hagewood, Mechanical Engineer, Polaris Sensor Technologies
  • Continuous Oil Spill Remote Sensing and Autonomous Monitoring
Gopal Bera Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist, Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M
  • Mapping of Background Oil Concentrations Along the Texas Coast for Spill Occurrence
John Caplis (USCG, Captain Retired), Senior Environmental Response and Preparedness Specialist, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • Visualizing the Changing Fate of Oil and Other Advances in Spill Trajectory Modeling

This session will focus on response research innovations. The technologies to be discussed include trajectory modeling, autonomous detection and monitoring, enhanced planning tools, and boom technologies.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 245
Track 1: Planning and Preparedness
Chair
CWO-3 Brandon Todd, Emergency Management Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard 8th District
Speakers
Dee Oos MEd, Area Contingency Plan Program Manager, U.S. Coast Guard 8th District
  • 21st Century Area Contingency Plan (ACP)
Nick Roff, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 6
  • Subpart J - Revised CFR Changes
Bryan Rogers, PVB Chief, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • Post Subpart J - Planning, Preparedness, and Response in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)

In this session Federal Agency representatives will provide important updates on various plans and procedures vital to the response industry.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 244
Chair
Matt Melton, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, International Bird Rescue
Co-Chair
Sharon Schmalz, Executive Director, The Wildlife Center of Texas
Speakers
Joyce Riesinger, Senior Response Manager/Biologist, Wildlife Response Services, LLC
  • Complications of Wildlife Response
Co-Author:
Rhonda Murgatroyd, Managing Director, Wildlife Response Services, LLC
Elizabeth Stratton, Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Disaster Response Coordinator, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
  • Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles in Spill Response
Co-Author:
Stacy Hargrove, Sea Turtle Early Restoration Project Coordinator, NOAA, Office of Protected Resources
J. Jill Heatley DVM MS DABVP (Avian) DACZM, Associate Professor, Zoological Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University
  • New Biomarkers for Health Assessment
Danene Birtell RVT, Readiness Coordinator, Oiled Wildlife Care Network
  • The Pipeline P00547 Incident in Huntington Beach, CA: An inside look at California's Oiled Wildlife Response System
Co-Authors:
Michael Ziccardi, Director, Oiled Wildlife Care Network, UC Davis
Greg McGowan, Chief - Response Technology & Support Branch, California Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

This session will cover complications of wildlife response and lessons learned. Topics will include updates on marine mammals and bird care in a response as well as health assessments.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 243
Track 3: Training and Exercises Best Management Practices
Chair
Lisa Saint, Crisis & Continuity Manager, BP Trading and Shipping
Speakers
Allyson Purcell, Director-L48 CMER, ConocoPhillips
  • How to Guide Your Team to Success
John Carroll III, Associate Managing Director, Compliance Services, Witt O'Brien's, LLC / Ambipar Response
  • Plan Evaluation from a Consulting Firm's Perspective
Paul Galloway, Sr. Emergency Management Specialist, Chevron (retired)
  • Comprehensive Communication Excellence

Delivering well-run and successful exercises takes a well thought out and multi-faceted approach. That, along with years of hands-on experience to know what works and what doesn’t. Join us for this session where three important aspects will be presented and discussed.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 242
Track 5: Response Technologies and Research
Chair
John Temperilli, President, Garner, a KSOLV Group Company
Co-Chair
JT Newman, President, E3 OMI
Speakers
Gordon Staples, Senior Radar Applications Scientist, MDA
  • Comparison of Techniques for Estimation of Relative Oil Thickness from Spaceborne SAR
Co-Author:
Oscar Garcia, Director, WaterMapping
Martine Espeseth Ph.D., Project Manager, Earth Observation, Kongsberg Satellite Services
  • Beyond Oil Spill Detection - Satellite Based Environmental Monitoring of Slicks
Co-Authors:
Hugo Isaksen, Project Manager, Earth Observation, Kongsberg Satellite Services
Andreas Hay Kaljord, Director Earth Observation Sales, Kongsberg Satellite Services
Juan Velasco, Physical Scientist, NOAA
  • SAR-Based Oil Spill Detection and Reporting
Christopher Fuller, Chief Operations Officer, RATES, Inc.
  • High Frequency Radar for Texas Bay and Ports
Co-Authors:
Liv Haselbach, Chair and Professor: Civil and Engineering Department, Lamar University
Rosa Fitzgerald, Professor, University of Texas at El Paso

Does remote sensing have a play in response? If so, how accurate or useful? This session will focus on different remote sensing capabilities which can impact response efficacy and cost efficiency.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: 240/241
Track 6: Emerging Trends and Concerns
Chair
Helen Dubach, Director, Environmental Response, CTEH, LLC.
Speakers
Angie Perez Ph.D., CIH, Senior Toxicologist, CTEH, LLC.
  • The Top Five Preparations to Weather the PFAS "Forever Chemical" Storm
Brian Olsen P.E., Senior Fire Protection Engineer, Phillips 66
  • Challenges Regarding Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) and the Transition to a Non-PFAS Based Firefighting Agent
John Gross, Refining ER Coordinator, Marathon Petroleum Company LP
  • AFFF Transition Challenges from a Fire Chief's Perspective
Stephen Somerville, Technical Director-PFAS, Pace® Science and Technology Company
  • Current and Emerging EPA Approved Analytical Methods for PFAS

The purpose of this session is to provide updates and recommendations for developments in PFAS regulations, analytical methods, and Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) replacement products.

Thursday, November 10

8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Hall E - Room 3
Speakers
Sam Jones, Coordinator, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO)
Jimmy A. Martinez, Deputy Director, Texas General Land Office
Nick Hatten, Emergency Response On-Scene Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Capt. Trey Wirth, Chief, U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy
Eric Miller, Chief, Oil Spill Preparedness Division, Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement
Nick Roff, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 6

An integral part of preparing for an oil spill response is being current and up-to-date on state and federal regulations. Learn what you need to know to conduct business relative to oil spill response and remediation directly from the federal and state regulators who are responsible for proposing new rules as well as implementation and enforcement.

10:45 am - 12:15 pm
Room: 245
Track 1: Planning and Preparedness
Chair
Nick Benson CFO, FCOE, SSU, SCCM, Leader, Crisis and Continuity Management, Equinor US
Co-Chair
Matthew Tilimon, Emergency Management Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston
Panelists
Ben Badon, Emergency Response Advisor, Hess Corporation
  • Responsible Party (RP) Perspective
Commander Keith Donohue, Sector Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston
  • Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) Perspective
Jeff Davis, Regional Director-Upper Texas Coast, Texas General Land Office
  • State On-Scene Coordinator (SOSC) Perspective
Nick Roff, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 6
  • Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) Perspective
Capt. Kelly Denning, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans
  • Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) Perspective

This session will provide attendees with a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of key members of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Unified Command (UC) Structure in relation to spill response operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Also shared will be challenges and concerns of each representative stakeholder during a spill response incident. The purpose of this session is to provide a better overall understanding of the Unified Command representatives to foster better working relationships in the future.

10:45 am - 12:15 pm
Room: 244
Chair
Adam Davis, Scientific Support Coordinator, NOAA
Speakers
Jennifer Horsman, GIS & UAS Specialist / Geologist, Research Planning, Inc.
  • Job Aids for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Operations in Support of Oil Spill and Hurricane Response
Co-Authors:
Mark White, GIS Manager, Research Planning, Inc.
Bryan Thom, GIS Analyst/Response Data Manager, Research Planning, Inc.
Andrew Polk, North America Offshore Team Leader, DTN
  • Case Study: Storm Tracking and Response for Hurricane Ida
Bryan Thom, GIS Analyst/Response Data Manager, Research Planning, Inc.
  • Utilizing ESRI Field Data Collection Applications in Support of Identifying and Tracking Marine Debris: Three Case Studies

This session is focused on highlighting recent best practices in post disaster pollution assessment tools and applications. Particular attention is given to the recent increases in number and severity of hurricanes impacting the Gulf Coast and how to leverage spatial data assessment practices and tools to affect a better response to spills that result from these impacts.

10:45 am - 12:15 pm
Room: 243
Track 3: Training and Exercises Best Management Practices
Chair
Lisa Saint, Crisis & Continuity Manager, BP Trading and Shipping
Speakers
Erika Lamberth, Sr. Consultant, Crisis Communications, The Response Group
  • Social Media Management-Plan and Practice!
Darrell Wilson (USCG retired), President, MTI Network USA
  • Reputation Management: Meeting Today's Expectations of Accountability and Transparency
William Salvin, President, Signal Bridge
  • The Value in Media Engagement in a Crisis

In the heat of an incident, safety and operational priorities can easily overshadow information and stakeholder management, creating a dangerous information vacuum. In a digital world, information can spread globally within seconds and opinions are formed very quickly. Once these opinions are formed, they are difficult to change. If initial opinions are negative, the reputation of the company, its contractors, and the agencies involved can be seriously affected. This session explores the importance of practicing proactive external communications and robust ongoing engagement with traditional and social media in drills and exercises in order to maintain and improve readiness to address media management as well as operational aspects of a response.

10:45 am - 12:15 pm
Room: 242
Track 5: Response Technologies and Research
Chair
Gary Petrae, Preparedness Analyst, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
Speakers
Eric Miller, Chief, Oil Spill Preparedness Division, Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement
  • BSEE Research - 10 Years
Kristi McKinney, Research Program Manager, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • Mechanical Recovery/Containment Research Update
Gina Coelho Ph.D., Senior Technical Advisor, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • Dispersant Research Update

This session will provide a summary of research and development projects funded by the BSEE Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD) over the past ten years. Additionally, three specific projects on current technologies will be presented and a panel session will further expand on the OSPD Response Research program.

10:45 am - 12:15 pm
Room: 240/241
Track 6: Emerging Trends and Concerns
Chair
Angie Martin, President, Spill Control Association of America (SCAA)
Speakers
Bryan Rogers, PVB Chief, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
  • Potential Renewable Energy Hazards - Wind Farms
Andrew Higgins, Sr. Engineering Manager, Marine Well Containment Company
  • Advancing Effective Response Technology to Manage Containment of High Pressure, High Temperature Wells
Amy Gohres, Response Specialist and Strategic Project Manager, NOAA
  • Planning for the Unplanned: Emergency Response to Marine Debris

This session will bring together unique hazards which are not oil spill related, but should appeal to those who are in the prevention, planning, and response spheres of influence. We have all become aware of the hazards presented by marine debris, which is the result of improper management of plastics. As we migrate toward renewable energy, we have to remember that these energy sources come with risks associated with windfarms in the ocean or large format batteries in over-the-road vehicles. We will also be exploring response technologies for high temperature, high pressure wells.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 245
Track 1: Planning and Preparedness
Chair
Brian Reilly, Senior Environmental Scientist, CK Associates LLC
Speakers
Nicolle Rutherford, ESI Program Manager/Biologist, NOAA Emergency Response Division / Office of Response and Restoration
  • Environmental Sensitivity Index Datasets: Past, Present, and Future
Christopher Fuller, Chief Operations Officer, RATES, Inc.
  • Water Column Exposure Modeling Tool (WCEMT) - Model Evaluation and Application
Co-Authors:
Connie Travers, Environmental Science Principal Associate, Abt Associates
Andrew Ernest, CEO, RATES, Inc.
Nimish Vyas, Research Biologist, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center
  • Determining Pre-Disaster Carcass Scavenging Rates and Searcher Detection Rates in Inland Waters: A Case Study on the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers
Co-Authors:
Matthew Schwarz, Environmental Contaminants Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service South Dakota Ecological Services Field Office
Amanda Ciurej, Environmental Contaminants Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nebraska Ecological Services Field Office
Monica Rusk, Claims Manager, National Pollution Funds Center
  • Upfront Funding for Model-Based Natural Resource Damage Assessment under OPA90

This session will highlight a few assessment techniques and studies used to determine the amount of money a responsible party pays in damage assessments and private claims following an oil spill.  

Chair
Ben Badon, Emergency Response Advisor, Hess Corporation
Moderator
Robert Chambers, President, Chambers Consulting LLC
Speakers
LT Erin Woods, GTS Training Officer, USCG Gulf Strike Team (USA)
  • USCG Gulf Strike Team Perspective
Michael Sams, Incident Management and Preparedness Advisor, U.S. Coast Guard 8th District
  • Regional Response Team Perspective
LT Savanah Ebhert, Operations Officer, National Response Center
  • National Response Team Perspective

This session will provide attendees with a better understanding of the purpose, scope, and mission of key federal response stakeholders. Representatives from the National Response Center (NRC), Regional Response Team 6 (RRT6), and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Gulf Strike Team (GST) will provide information about their respective agencies. Attendees will also be given information about the history, structure, and current operational challenges that face each one of the stakeholders represented. The purpose of this session is to provide a better overall understanding of each agency to foster better working relationships in the future.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 243
Track 3: Training and Exercises Best Management Practices
Chair
Kenny Rhame, CIO, The Response Group
Speakers
Ron Cantin, President, EMSI
  • Modifying Exercises to Improve Proficiency
Bruce Simons, Prevention and Preparedness Coordinator, Texas General Land Office
  • After Action Reporting and Lessons Learned
Allyson Purcell, Director-L48 CMER, ConocoPhillips
  • HSEEP: What is it and How can it Help Improve your Exercise Program

We conduct exercises to validate plans, policies, and procedures that ensure emergency preparedness by identifying both strengths and weaknesses. This session will discuss strategies and best practices that increase proficiencies for your exercise program to ensure continuous improvement.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 242
Track 5: Response Technologies and Research
Chair
Tim Nedwed Ph.D., RETIRED, ExxonMobil Corporation
Speakers
Michel Boufadel, Distinguished Professor and Director, New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • Dispersant Effectiveness in Blowouts and Surface Spills
Anthony Knap Ph.D., Director, Geochemical & Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University
  • The TROPICS Experiment: Long Term Changes of a Tropical Ecosystem after a Purposeful Oil Spill
Joseph Katz, Professor, Johns Hopkins University
  • The Effects of Oil Properties on the Aerosolization and Emulsification of Oil Slicks

Academics with many years of experience in oil spill response (OSR) research will describe their current and past efforts. Further, speakers will share their thoughts on the importance of how to increase collaboration between academia and the response industry.

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: 240/241
Chair
Judith Roos, Global Business Development & Strategic Alliances, Booz Allen Hamilton
Panelists
CDR Jason Smith, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston
Jared Angelle (CDR, USCG, retired), CEM, MEP, Emergency Response Team Leader, Phillips 66
CDR Brendan Sullivan, Coast Guard Cyber Command Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command

Like an oil spill, a cyber-attack is a corporate crisis that brings together a team of experts to mitigate the impact. When an oil spill, or other safety related incident is the result of a cyber-attack, the incident is escalated to include many players within the Maritime Transportation System (MTS). Preparedness for such an incident and how a company works together internally and with its external partners to manage this corporate crisis will dictate either success or failure. Threat actors look for access and when they find it, they exploit that access for financial purposes. However, a new risk has developed, threat actors that go beyond attempts to wreak havoc on business enterprise systems but seek to cause environmental and safety incidents that have the potential to harm not only the environment, but people.