Abstract: A system for containing and collecting oil spills and other water surface contaminants is provided. More specifically, the invention comprises a plurality of oil containment boom sections adapted to be coupled together, each section including a body fabric made of assorted polyester and nylon substrates and having spaced heat sealed areas therein, a flotation log of sealed spiral-wound air-bubble material, a ballast preferably made of sand sealed inside a polyester tubing, an upper hand-hold strength member preferably made of closed-cell polyethylene foam sealed at the top of the oil boom and containing a tension strap having a selected tensile strength, a hand-hold loop sewn to the body fabric to aid in handling an retrieval, and a vertical stiffener made of plastic or aluminum sealed in the boom to aid during top flotation and freeboarding conditions.