Recovery of Oil on Snow and Ice (ROSI) Tool Development

NORTECH partnered with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to advance oil spill response planning in Arctic winter conditions. The project centered on developing the Recovery of Oil on Snow and Ice (ROSI) calculator, a web-based tool that helps agencies and operators gauge equipment needs, recovery timelines, and the operational feasibility of spill mitigation efforts on snow and solid ice.

Created in collaboration with BSEE and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the ROSI calculator modernizes response planning by applying established Alaska Clean Seas tactics in a user-friendly, science-based framework. NORTECH also revisited foundational assumptions about oil recovery rates, snow and ice sorptive capacities, and equipment performance under Arctic conditions, providing recommendations to strengthen future research and response planning.

The project’s outcomes extended beyond tool development: NORTECH Environmental Engineer Jason Gresehover, PE, presented on the ROSI tool at the 2025 Alaska Forum on the Environment, sharing insights with federal agencies, industry stakeholders, and community leaders. By combining Arctic spill response expertise with practical tool design and public engagement, NORTECH delivered a resource that ensures spill response plans in Alaska’s Arctic are effective, defensible, and grounded in real-world conditions.