Purpose
To create a global colloquium for public, government and business ideas addressing all aspects of oil spills impacting the environment.

Goal
To promote an international exchange of information and ideas dealing with spill prevention, planning, response and restoration processes, protocols and technology. To promote international sharing of best practice as it relates to management of the varied impacts of oil spills and their aftermath.

Organization
The International Oil Spill Conference is the sole responsibility of the General Committee. Subcommittees as required may be appointed by the General Committee but as a minimum there will be a Program Subcommittee, an Exhibit Subcommittee, and a Public Relations Subcommittee.

The General Committee may, at its discretion, appoint a Conference Treasurer and delegate an organization, normally API, to act as its contracting agent which may assume the responsibility for contracts, financial obligations, and record keeping duties. The General Committee shall be responsible for and agree upon Conference location, timing, budget, support organizations funding and all fees, structures and organization related to the Conference.

Operation

1. The General Committee - The API - EPA - USCG - IMO - IPIECA - NOAA - MMS (see Note 1 below) - General Committee membership shall be composed of two members from each organization. Each member shall have one vote with issues being decided by a majority vote of those members present. The Chairman of the General Committee is selected by the sponsoring organization from the API representation. One Co-chair for the General Committee is selected by each of the other sponsoring organizations. The General Committee Chairman and Co-chair shall act as the Executive Committee, having power to act on behalf of the full Committee as required.
2. The Program Subcommittee - The Chairman of the Program Subcommittee shall be selected from either the EPA or USCG organizations and may be rotated between these organizations. The Program Subcommittee Chairman will be a voting member of the General Committee. The Chairman of this Subcommittee is assisted by Co-chair selected from the other supporting organizations and will include a representative from the same organization or company represented by the General Committee Chairman. Together they are responsible for developing the theme, the planning and execution of the technical program and the Conference Proceedings. Other members on this Subcommittee shall be chosen as needed by the Chairman and Co-chair but should represent a broad enough spectrum of interest to provide balanced peer review of all parts of the technical program. The Program Subcommittee may establish Work Groups to address aspects of the technical program. The Program Subcommittee works closely with the Public Relations Subcommittee.
3. The Exhibit Subcommittee - The Chairman for the Exhibit Subcommittee shall be chosen from either the EPA or USCG organizations, whichever is not providing the Program Subcommittee Chairman. At his/her discretion, he may appoint Co-chair and members from the other supporting organizations. The Exhibit Subcommittee is responsible for the details necessary to provide Conference exhibit space and the sale of such space. The Exhibit Subcommittee shall work with the Public Relations Subcommittee as necessary to fulfill its obligations. The Exhibit Subcommittee Chairperson will be a voting member of the General Committee.
4. The Public Relations Subcommittee - The Chairman of the Public Relations Subcommittee is preferably provided by the same organization or company represented by the General Chairman. The Public Relations Subcommittee Chairman shall form the Subcommittee and be responsible for general Conference publicity, public relations, art and design, film selection and special program speakers. Budgets for such activity shall be prepared and approved by the General Committee. Operations of the press room and other such activities related to Conference publicity shall be directed and controlled by the Public Relations Subcommittee. The Public Relations Subcommittee Chairperson will be a voting member of the General Committee.
5. Reporting Relationships - All Subcommittees report to the General Committee which has sole and final authority over all Conference activity. The General Committee members are responsible to their respective co-sponsoring organizations.
6. Funding Relationships - It is the intent of the five co-sponsoring organizations to run the Conferences on a self-sustaining but non-profit basis. All expenses of the Conference not recovered by Conference income are to be shared equally; all surplus funds of any Conference are to be dedicated to financing subsequent Conferences.

Currently, the world's attention is on oil spill remediation and the situation in the Gulf of Mexico. Exhibitors at the 21st International Oil Spill Conference and Exposition have an opportunity to offer resources and a message of assurance to an audience seeking answers.

This conference is a proven venue for industry and government entities to work together and provides a forum for professionals from the international community, the private sector, government, and non-governmental organizations.

The conference is jointly sponsored by the following organizations:

• American Petroleum Institute (API)
• United States Coast Guard (USCG)
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
• International Maritime Organization (IMO)
• International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA)
• United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• United States Minerals Management Service (MMS)

Exhibitors include, but are not limited to:

• Area clean-up/restoration
• Aviation services/surveillance
• Bioremediation equipment or services
• Control
• Damage/impact assessment
• Diving/salvage services
• Electrical generators
• Emergency response
• Insurance
• IT software and training
• Mapping
• Security
• Prevention
• Safety/health
• Wildlife rescue

Participants include operating managers, safety and security officers, regulators, plant managers, EH&S professionals, administrators, attorneys, environmental managers, purchasing agents, engineers, buyers, consultants and others concerned with compliance, oil spill response and/or cleanup. These attendees generally fall into the following categories:

• Oil and shipping industries
• Federal, state and local government agencies
• Port organizations
• Tug and salvage companies
• Pollution response equipment suppliers
• Community and public interest groups
• Marine scientists and researchers
• Environmental organizations
• Response specialists