16 July marks 40 years since Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL) was officially formed.
A succession of oil tanker losses in the late 1960s and 1970s caused considerable environmental harm and negative publicity for the oil companies owning the vessels. These incidents demonstrated that governments across the world had little defence against large oil spills.
Through the pioneering work of British Petroleum’s (BP) Oil Spill Service Centre in Southampton, UK, OSRL was formed, and for 40 years, we‘ve maintained a reliable capability for oil spill preparedness and response services.
The organisation was born out of a BP initiative, starting out as a cooperative arrangement among oil companies with BP, Esso, Texaco, Petro-Canada, and Mobil as the first five companies to join. Shell enlisted a year later, shortly before a disaster would shake the oil industry.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill was a major environmental disaster that brought members of the oil industry to the forefront of the media. An oil tanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company heading to California struck Prince William Sound’s Bligh Reef, six miles west of Tatitlek, Alaska, in the spring of 1989.
Since this incident, our membership base has continued to increase, reflecting our reputation and the quality of our people and the extensive range of services accessible through our Membership. Our members represent well over two-thirds of the world's oil production.
As the need for a global response organisation grew, OSRL merged with East Asia Response Limited (EARL) in 2006, and with Clean Caribbean and Americas (CCA) in 2013. Today, OSRL operates out of 12 locations globally, supported by about 275 employees. From the original five members, OSRL now has around 45 shareholders and more than 100 associate members. Our team, which had mostly comprised of sea-faring navigators and engineers, now includes environmental scientists, geologists, and other specialists to provide our members access to broader and deeper expertise.
Our organisation grew from a small industry resource with just 17 members of staff to a global resource, with a diverse group of professionals ready to respond to any situation with world-class resources anytime, anywhere.
At OSRL, we are passionate about maintaining a globally credible capability for oil spill preparedness and response services. The Global Technical Department supports the organisation in achieving this goal through an 'Innovate, Develop, Share and Assure' approach to sustain a high level of response integrity and resilience through a continued programme of improvement, stewardship, and support.
Our membership offers support and guidance through the following services:
Subsea Well Intervention Services (SWIS)
As we reflect on the journey we have been on over the last 40 years, we remain committed to addressing the evolving needs of our members. With our world-class resources and talented professionals, we stand ready to respond to any situation and continue to deliver value to our members.