About

The Oil Spill Prevention and Response website promotes and showcases the commitment of the U.S. oil and natural gas industry to meet the nation's energy needs while maintaining safe and environmentally sound operations. This requires continuous investment and improvement in every phase of preparedness and operations in which oil is produced, transported, stored, and marketed.

Today, more than 99.9995% of the oil produced, refined, stored, and transported in the United States reaches its destination safely and without incident. This performance is the result of years of investment in continuously improving practices and technologies. Exploration and production facilities use advanced technologies, materials, and practices, which incorporate multiple back-up safety systems. Pipelines employ computers, electromagnetic instruments, and ultrasonic devices that detect vulnerabilities to enable proactive maintenance and repair. Marine terminal and vessel designs are constantly improved; tankers, for example, are now built with double hulls as an extra measure of security. Additionally, storage tanks are now constructed with special materials to withstand corrosion.

Prevention, however, is not just a responsibility for industry; consumers also play an important role in keeping oil and other fuels out of the environment by observing proper handling and disposal practices.

Industry also invests in practices and technologies that ensure a quick and effective response in the event of a spill. The United States has established one of the world's most sophisticated and well-coordinated spill response networks by bringing together the resources and expertise of private industry, public agencies, and academia; and, through initiatives such as the Joint Industry Task Force, we're making sure we learn everything we can from past incidents.