Call for abstracts
International Oil Spill Science Conference (IOSSC) 2026 is now accepting abstracts for its convening in Montreal, Canada on October 13-16, 2026.
(1) Abstract submissions do not require an accompanying manuscript
(2) To facilitate scientific and technical exchange/knowledge transfer; consideration will also be given to the presentation of recently published studies.
Topics include, but are not limited to:
1. Contingency planning, preparation, and prevention
1.1 Regional response planning
1.2 Risk assessments
1.2.1 Pre- and post-incident spill/baseline monitoring
1.2.2 Legacy infrastructure decommissioning/removal
1.3 Development and application of spill response decision tools
1.3.1 Implementation of Net Environmental Benefit Analysis / Spill Impact Mitigation Assessment
1.4 Spill science and response training
2. Oil fate and transport
2.1 The physics of oil
2.1.1 Weathering processes
2.1.2 Dispersion and particle interactions
2.2 Influence of environmental factors and impact on transport, fate and effects
3. Mitigation
3.1 Shoreline spills
3.2 Marine spills
3.2.1 Subsurface and deep-water releases
3.2.2 Submerged and sunken oil
3.3 Inland Spills in freshwater systems
3.4 Arctic spills
4. Advances in response technologies and countermeasures
4.1 Oil containment and recovery
4.1.1 Technological advances in booms, skimmers, sorbents, etc.
4.1.2 Oily wastewater treatment and management
4.1.3 Oil spill waste management and disposal
4.2 Spill treating agents
4.3 In-situ burning
4.4 Oil translocation
4.5 Natural attenuation and bioremediation
5. Residual, existing and emerging challenges
5.1 Response to unconventional products
5.2 Improvements in Incident Command System (ICS)
5.3 Improvements in crisis management and emergency response command and control
5.4 Advances in data management, software, integrated mapping
5.5 The application of AI in oil spill science and response
6. Spill identification, detection/surveillance, visualization and monitoring
6.1 Oil spill environmental forensics
6.2 Development and application of oil sensors
6.3 Development and application of remote sensing platforms
6.4 Integration of systems and monitoring protocols
7. Oil spill modeling
7.1 Oil fate and behaviour
7.2 Oil slick/plume formation and transport
7.3 Biological impacts and recovery
7.4 Spill response modelling
8. Consequences of oil spills and clean-up operations
8.1 Ecotoxicological effects of spilled/residual oil and biotic and abiotic oil degradation products
8.2 Biological effects of spill response countermeasures
8.3 Public health, socioeconomic and ecosystem service impacts
8.4 Wildlife impacts and response
9.1 Natural resource damage assessments
9.2 Monitoring restoration strategy success and site recovery
9.3 Database management, data analysis, modelling
10. Spill response to hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) and other contaminants of concern
10.1 Risk and impact assessment of HNS and other emerging contaminants of concern to emergency responders
10.2 Development of sensors and application of monitoring systems
10.3 Response technologies and strategies
10.4 Development of policies/regulations, science and technological advances to improve preparedness and response capability
11. Advancing response through bridging Indigenous and Western knowledges
11.1 Indigenous-led research
11.2 Collaborative research
12. Case studies and lessons learned
12.1 Reports from spills of opportunity and field trials
12.2 Analysis of historical spills/studies to understand long-term effects and recovery
13. Communication, engagement, and workforce development
13.1 Public engagement activities
13.2 Rights holder / Indigenous collaboration/ engagement activities
13.3 Technology/knowledge transfer between the science and spill response community
13.4 Improving future research partnerships, collaborations and networks
13.5 Oil spill response education and training
13.6 Improvements in workforce development and retention
13.7 Inform policy makers and regulators of advances in spill science and response
13.8 Human health impact and socioeconomic recovery following oil spills
The deadline to submit an abstract is March 31, 2026.
Abstracts should not exceed 300 words. All co-author names and affiliations should be included with the abstract submission, and the presenting author must be clearly identified. All abstracts will be peer-reviewed and the decisions on acceptance will be sent to authors by the end of April 2026.
Publication of papers presented at IOSSC 2026 in peer-reviewed journals is encouraged but not mandatory.
(1) A number of journals have confirmed their interest to publish studies presented at the conference. Authors may independently submit their conference papers directly to the supporting journals before or after the conference.
(2) Negotiations are underway for the publication of special journal issues (led by guest editors) linked to studies presented at IOSSC 2026.
(3) Guidelines for manuscript submissions and the criteria for acceptance following peer-review are journal specific.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@iossc2026.org.
