The primary objective of this research was to determine the relationship between operational variables and oil spill recovery rates, by performing a full-scale oil spill recovery test using an oleophilic drum skimmer. Prototype interchangeable oleophilic skimmer drums with aluminum, polyethylene and Neoprene surfaces were fabricated and tested at the field scale at the Ohmsett-National Oil Spill Response Test Facility. This study determined the effect of the recovery surface material, oil properties, oil slick thickness, temperature and drum rotational speed on the oleophilic drum skimmer recovery rates, It was found that the selection of the recovery surface material can increase the recovery rates up to 20%. The increase in oil slick thickness from 10 to 25 turn led to up to two times higher recovery rates for a viscous oil, but did not have any noticeable effect on the recovery rates of light oil. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.