Federal agencies of the Interagency Committee conduct, fund or oversee a large number of research projects related to prevention of, preparedness for, and response to oil spills. 

In December 2021, the Interagency Committee released its FY 2022 - 2027 Oil Pollution Research and Technology Plan (OPRTP) which established a research framework grouped into four broad Classes: Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Injury Assessment and Restoration. The six-year OPRTP further classified and prioritized research within the Classes into 28 Standing Research Areas (SRAs), representing the most common research themes encountered for oil spills. Research priorities were established for each Standing Research Area for a total of 171 priorities.

The OPRTP, while directed towards the federal agencies, also provides guidance for non-federal research entities.  Research addressing the priority areas does occur outside the federal government agencies, but is not listed in the research captured on this website.  Interagency Committee member agencies have established strong collaborations and an outcome-driven research approach to address the identified and prioritized knowledge gaps.