How to Fix Oil Spills

Determining the appropriate way to fix, or remedy, an oil spill depends on the specific condition of the spill. Variations in weather and oil type are two of the most heavily considered variables when making a decision as to how to approach the cleanup of a spill. General human and animal safety must be considered, as well, when determining if the addition of chemicals will provide more benefit than risk in a spill situation. Often, a less risky approach to cleaning up a spill, one involving nonbiologically-active ingredients, is the first line of defense. There are four basic cleanup methods that are considered when a spill becomes a threat.

Things You'll Need

• Environmental booms
• Skimming apparatus
• Chemical dispersants
• Biological agents
• Organic fertilizer

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Instructions

• 1

  Wait to see if natural processes break down the spill. Petroleum products will invariably break down over time, dispersing the threat without significant intervention. This method is only used when there is not an encompassing threat to coastlines, marine industries or aquatic species. The sun, ocean current and wind will help to evaporate most of the oils that are present in a typical spill. This is especially true if oil in the spill is classified as "light." Many times, this approach is the first one taken after a spill is reported and may be later abandoned if the threat increases. Watch the condition of the spill for up to two months.

• 2

  Use the process of containment and skimming. This method involves containing the spill with large apparatuses, called booms. Booms can be inflatable plastic, or, in cases of the attempted containment of more aggressive spills, extremely heavy but buoyant material. After the spill has been relatively contained, the surface of the water is skimmed using large skimmers, which can be designed as large nets or more technologically advanced vacuum machines. When weather conditions that involve high winds and waves are present, however, this technique becomes considerably ineffective. Collect the spill for a period of about one week with the booms and proceed to skimming, going back over each part of the spill as many times as necessary.

• 3

  Use chemical dispersants. Dispersants are used to reduce the surface tension of the spill, helping it to degrade and disperse more rapidly. As the surface tension decreases, the ability of the oil and water to mix decreases as well. At this point, ocean currents are very effective at moving and dispersing the petroleum product. The droplets that are formed during the process are also more prone to the natural process of evaporation. The risk of introducing dispersant chemicals must be considered, as well as the studied efficacy of the particular dispersant on the type of oil that has been spilled. Consult local governmental agencies to determine which dispersant is appropriate for the spill and maintain a benefit/risk analysis as the process proceeds.

• 4

  Use biological agents. Biological agents, such as natural petroleum-consuming microbes, can be introduced or cultured from existing populations to remedy the spill. The populations can be encouraged to grow and reproduce by the addition of further biological ingredients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which will essentially provide fertilizer for the organic biodegradation agents. The temperature and the general characteristic of the water in the area determine the overall effectiveness of the method. Form a team of experienced biologists to grow and maintain a population. This process can be continued, sometimes protectively, for up to a decade.