ARA Taps Coolbaugh as Ohmsett Facility Manager
Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) announced Dr. Tom Coolbaugh has joined the team as the Program/Facility Manager for Ohmsett – The National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility. He will have oversight of the day-to-day operations, maintenance and testing at the facility, while ensuring facility users’ needs are met.Dr. Coolbaugh recently retired after 32 years with ExxonMobil Corporation, most recently as the Technology and Advocacy Advisor in the Emergency Preparedness and Response organization.
Technology Readiness Levels Defined for Oil Spill Response
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) staff participated in a workgroup meeting at the bureau's Ohmsett facility in Leonardo, N.J., as part of the workgroup’s efforts to define Technology Readiness Levels for use in the oil spill response community. BSEE staff discussed the criteria that could be used to determine the readiness of technology with equipment manufacturers, industry, and facility representatives, drawing from their different perspectives and expertise. These discussions are part of the BSEE-funded project Technology Readiness Level Definitions for Oil Spill Response Technologies and Equipment. The project’s goal is to develop a uniform and objective method to quantify the maturity level of a new technology from concept to use offshore.
New Effort to Collect & Review Oil Spill Solutions
The Interagency Alternative Technology Assessment Program workgroup, newly established by the National Incident Commander for the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, announced a new effort to collect and review oil spill response solutions from scientists and vendors. The Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center, in collaboration with interagency partners, issued a Broad Agency Announcement on www.FedBizOpps.gov, calling for the submission of white papers that cover: oil sensing improvements to response and detection; oil wellhead control and submerged oil response; traditional oil spill response technologies; alternative oil spill response technologies; and oil spill damage assessment and restoration.
