The fundamental goal of this survey was to assess user needs and applications and to provide the focus for an Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT, www.act-us.info) Technology Verification of hydrocarbon sensors. The Customer Needs and Use Assessment strives to better understand how hydrocarbon sensors are used, and not to promote a specific approach to recording/reporting hydrocarbon values. We hope this information can also assist manufacturers in refining hydrocarbon sensor technologies to better address user priorities.