The current technology and capability for detecting sunken or submerged oil are very limited. Most techniques have either a low resolution or a slow survey coverage rate, or both. Observations during field deployments have demonstrated the ability of Oil Detection Canines to detect and alert to oil underwater held in the sediment of a river and coastal shoreline. The capability of Oil Detection Canines to detect and alert to the presence of oil held in the sediment of water sources such as rivers, lakes, and coastal water would bridge a gap in current capabilities. The limitation in developing the canine capability has been the inability to place training samples (oils) in water sources without causing contamination. If the ability to train Oil Detection Canines to detect underwater oil could be developed, then teams could be deployed on the front of boats and search significant water sources for the underwater oil efficiently, effectively, and at speed. They could detect and alert to the presence of the oil under the water or held within shorelines that have access constraints, such as large eroding banks or mangroves. Or they could walk a shoreline and respond to oil in the water's edge but obscured from view. In 2021 a research trial developed protocols supported by a commercially available canine training product and a specifically developed underwater training odor delivery device which resulted in the ability to train Oil Detection Canines without any risk of contaminating the environment. These protocols proved the concept for shoreline and offshore (in a boat) surveying by a canine team to support oil detection during a spill response.
