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Oil spills & slicks

Possible slicks from satellite radar and official spill reports, with a 3-day drift forecast.

Why it is a problem

Oil coats feathers and fur, which then stop repelling water and insulating; birds and marine mammals can die of hypothermia. Animals also swallow oil while preening or feeding (NOAA). [source]
Oil smothers mangroves, marshes and coral reef organisms, and fouls beaches used for tourism and recreation.
Fisheries close during and after big spills; seafood safety has to be tested before reopening.
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout released about 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf over 87 days, the largest offshore spill in US history (NOAA). [source]
The largest tanker spill on record, the Atlantic Empress (1979, about 287,000 tonnes), happened off Tobago in the Caribbean (ITOPF). [source]

Where it comes from: tanker and pipeline accidents, offshore platforms, illegal discharges of oily bilge water from ships, and natural seeps on the sea floor.
How it moves: oil floats and moves with surface currents plus about 3% of the wind speed; it spreads, evaporates and breaks up over days (weathering).
How we detect it: SkyTruth Cerulean scans Sentinel-1 radar images, where oil smooths small waves and shows up dark. NOAA NESDIS analysts review some of these (US waters). NOAA IncidentNews lists reported US incidents. [source]
How we forecast it: each slick is drifted with ocean currents and wind in 7 model runs; tracks stop at the coastline, which gives likely landing spots.
Limits: radar 'look-alikes' (calm water, algae, rain cells) cause false detections; Sentinel-1 does not image every place every day; outside US waters we rely on satellite radar and public reports only.

Everyone: Dispose of used motor oil at collection points; never pour it down drains.
Boaters: Fuel carefully (no overfilling), use absorbent pads in bilges, never pump oily bilge water overboard.
Industry & policy: MARPOL Annex I limits oil discharges from ships; enforcement with satellite surveillance works. Tanker spills over 7 tonnes have fallen by more than 90% since the 1970s (ITOPF). [source] [source]

Do not touch oil, tar balls, dead animals or unknown containers; keep children and pets away; never board a derelict vessel.

Anywhere at sea: Call the local coast guard on VHF channel 16 or your country's emergency number. Give position, time, what you see, and photos if safe.
United States (incl. Puerto Rico, USVI, Gulf coast): Oil or chemical spills: US Coast Guard National Response Center, 1-800-424-8802 (24 h), nrc.uscg.mil. Derelict vessels: state contacts in NOAA's ADV InfoHub.
Florida red tide / fish kills: FWC fish kill hotline 1-800-636-0511, or report online at myfwc.com. Health questions: Florida Poison Information Center 1-800-222-1222.
Mexico: Emergencies 911. Navy (SEMAR) for pollution at sea; environmental complaints to PROFEPA.
Brazil: Maritime emergencies 185 (Marinha do Brasil). Environmental reports: IBAMA (Linha Verde).
Chile: Maritime emergencies 137 (DIRECTEMAR, free, nationwide).
Argentina: Nautical emergencies 106 (Prefectura Naval Argentina).
Colombia, Peru, Central America and others: Contact the national maritime authority / coast guard (e.g. DIMAR in Colombia, DICAPI in Peru) or the local port captain.
Also on this site: Use Report an incident on the map. Reports appear marked unverified. This site does not alert authorities for you.