This recommended practice provides information and guidance for the development of Oil Spill Response Plans for the offshore U.S. oil and gas exploration, production, and transportation (pipeline) industry. The general plan concepts, layout, and content recommended in this document are also applicable to other types of coastal/marine assets, both in the U.S. and international locations.

This RP is intended to provide plan developers and writers with information and guidance for effective and functional Oil Spill Response Plans that fulfill the expectations of plan holders, responders, regulators, response officials, stakeholders, and the general public. This RP may be informative for any company, organization, or public agency that oversees or responds to oil spills.

Although plans prepared or modified using this RP can be used to replace existing response plans required by regulation, the RP is not intended to be a regulatory compliance guideline or to supersede current regulations.