ITAC meet once a year, hosted in different locations, with the meeting chaired by different ITAC members. We blend international themes with regional interest items per the meeting location.
ITAC at IOSSC 2026
ITAC will meet for a one‑day forum as part of the International Oil Spill Science Conference (IOSSC) 2026.
Held within the broader IOSSC programme, the ITAC session will provide a dedicated opportunity for technical specialists to share insights, discuss emerging research, and explore practical applications that support effective oil spill preparedness and response.
Attendance at ITAC forms part of the IOSSC 2026 event. Registration details are currently being finalised.
For more information on the full conference, click here.
ITAC Registration
Registration for the upcoming 2026 event has not yet opened.
ITAC Highlights
ITAC is non-commercial and is driven by OSRL as part of our advocacy programme, recognising the benefits of engaging our front-line response staff in industry-focused technical discussion central to developing more effective oil spill response. We hold an ITAC meeting once per year, hosted in different locations with the meeting chaired by different ITAC members. We try to blend both international themes with items of regional interest according to where the meeting is being held.
Updates and discussion from the ITAC community are also shared via the ITAC LinkedIn page.
ITAC is a technical forum that was established in 1996 to address oil spill response (OSR) issues of interest to its member organisations and the wider response community. ITAC projects sought to provide advice, technical support, good-practice guidelines and benchmarking on key issues such as new technological developments in oil spill response techniques, training and response capabilities.
ITAC has evolved over the last twenty years and its model has changed in recent times. Recognising that much of the delivery industry technical outputs are now being channelled through the IOGP/IPIECA JIP and the API projects in the US. ITAC has now been cast in the role of supporting outreach and communication for those industry technical outputs to reach a broader church of stakeholders in the wider oil spill community. As such ITAC no longer “delivers” tangible work items but now offers a forum for knowledge sharing and information exchange.
Forum for presenting and exchanging scientific and technical information on Oil Spill Preparedness and Response (OSPR)
Assembling a diverse group of OSPR professionals
Articulate industry positions on key international OSPR issues
Identify and address high consequence issues that impinge on effective oil spill preparedness and response
Develop dialogue and links between the science/academic community and the response community to enhance mutual understanding, improve science-based decision-making, scientific support to ongoing responses, and to promote relevant oil spill research.
Engage and encourage new adherents and next-generation interest in oil spill preparedness, response, technology, management
Highlight advances and emerging technologies in oil spill preparedness and response
ITAC’s membership comprises the oil industry (i.e. members of OSRL and other GRN OSROs) international organisations (ITOPF, IMO, IOPC etc), Governmental organisations (USCG, NOAA, etc...) R&D institutes (SINTEF, CEDRE, GoMRI etc...). It also includes academic institutes involved in industry-backed studies and other organisations with a non-commercial interest in improving oil spill response.
The connection with academia is an important feature of the ITAC model recognising that the industry is a big financial supporter of university-based research but sometimes there has been a disconnect with the sharing of knowledge and outputs from these studies with “industry” which ITAC tries to address.
Presentation Downloads
The 2025 Industry Technical Advisory Committee (ITAC) meeting, held at Cedre in Brest, France, continued its legacy of uniting global experts, practitioners, and academics to advance innovation in oil spill preparedness and response. This year’s theme, “Bridging Science to Response,” underscored ITAC’s commitment to connecting cutting-edge research with practical, real-world applications.
Hosted jointly by OSRL and Cedre, the event brought together an exceptional line-up of presenters from across the response, research, and regulatory communities. Over three days, delegates explored new frontiers in alternative fuels, dispersant effectiveness, plastics pollution, responder wellbeing, and shipping risk mitigation, reflecting the evolving challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.
Event highlights included:
Alternative Fuels Response Research – Updates on low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) behaviour and the latest findings from IMAROS 2, ARISE, and MANIFESTS projects. Presentations by Cedre, bp, Chevron, and Memorial University explored fuel retention in shoreline sediments and collaborative research through Ipieca’s Alternative Fuels Task Force.
Responder Retention and Wellbeing – A dedicated session focused on knowledge continuity and mental health, featuring insights from bp’s industry SME initiative and the IOSC mental health survey, reinforcing ITAC’s human-centred approach to preparedness.
Shipping Risks – Speakers from Ipieca, Waves Group, MCA, and BlueTack examined the risks associated with legacy sunken vessels and ship fuel viscosity, highlighting evolving maritime response priorities.
Dispersant Use and Response – A technical deep dive into dispersant research and innovation, including updates from API, Clean Caribbean Associates, Nova Southeastern University, and OSRL’s fluorometry project, complemented by a case study on subsea mechanical dispersion from SINTEF.
Plastics Response – New field guides from OSRL and Cedre were unveiled, supported by discussions on modelling limitations, post-spill impacts, and a case study on the MSC Elisa III nurdle spill, led by ITOPF and CEFAS.
Stakeholder Updates – The closing session brought together representatives from EMSA, NOFO, JNCC, RLC, Maritime New Zealand, and MPRI, providing a truly global perspective on response collaboration and shared learnings.
The event concluded with a French Navy Base Tour, offering delegates a rare opportunity to witness first-hand the integration of response planning and naval operations within France’s maritime emergency framework.
This year’s ITAC reaffirmed its role as a unique non-commercial forum, strengthening connections between science, technology, and operations. The 2025 edition not only celebrated collaboration but also charted a forward-looking path for the future of international oil spill response.
For over a decade, OSRL’s ITAC (Industry Technical Advisory Committee) has been at the forefront of fostering collaboration and innovation in oil spill response and crisis management. ITAC brings together specialists, industry leaders, academics, and stakeholders to share knowledge, explore new technologies, and discuss best practices that drive the industry forward.
This year’s ITAC, held in Fort Lauderdale, marked a milestone in our commitment to excellence and innovation. The event featured keynote speeches, technical sessions, and interactive workshops that addressed the most pressing challenges and emerging trends in the field. Highlights included:
Keynote speeches by renowned specialists such as Dr. Chris Reddy (WHOI), Michael Ziccardi (UC Davis), and Timothy Steffek (API), who shared their insights on science communication, wildlife response, and policy alignment during crises.
Technical discussions on cutting-edge topics, including the integration of AI in response strategies, advancements in containment technology, and the future of sustainability in spill response.
Interactive sessions designed to foster dialogue and actionable solutions among participants.
We are proud to share the presentation materials featured during ITAC 2024. These resources reflect the event’s core mission: to inspire innovation, promote collaboration, and equip our industry to respond to challenges with confidence and expertise.
In 2023, ITAC convened at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton, UK, drawing a brilliant attendance of around 70 participants. The audience included OSRL Member representatives from Chevron, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Occidental Petroleum, alongside international stakeholders such as API, IPIECA, IMO, UK MCA, ITOPF, UK MMO and Cedre.
We were also pleased to welcome former OSRL colleague Scott Read, who travelled from New Zealand to represent Maritime New Zealand, offering unique insights from both regulatory and response perspectives.
ITAC continues to be a uniquely non-commercial forum, delivered as part of OSRL’s outreach and engagement programme. The event reinforces the value of connecting frontline responders with technical specialists through open, industry-focused dialogue, a critical step toward more effective global oil spill response.
To view and download presentations from the last three years of ITAC events, please complete a quick registration. You’ll just need to submit your email address to unlock access to the full content library, including expert insights, case studies, and technical materials from ITAC 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (to follow).
