API DR 342:2002

It is generally acknowledged that the use of dispersants in oil spill response can provide protection for shoreline resources, but at the expense of increasing exposure to oil for organisms in the water column (or on the bottom, in shallow water). If this is the case, then it becomes very important to define the level of effect anticipated in the potentially affected habitats, in order to identify the best course of action in terms of planning for response. For the purposes of this discussion, areas of concern for both dispersed and undispersed oil are divided into two categories: 1) shoreline (intertidal) and 2) nearshore subtidal and water column.