What is in-situ burning (ISB)?
A. ISB involves controlled burning of oil that has spilled from a vessel or a facility, or burning oil on the vessel itself before it has a chance to spill into the environment. When burning is done on open water, the oil is contained within a boom and ignited using a hand held igniter, or an igniter from a helicopter. The burn continues only as long as the oil is thick enough–usually about 1/10 of an inch or 2 to 3 millimeter. When conducted properly, in-situ burning significantly decreases the amount of oil on the water, thereby preventing that oil from reaching the shore. Burning can be a useful tool in oil spill response.
