Techniques for Oil Spills in the Ocean

Oil spills in the ocean damage the environment and can threaten the vitality of a region for years or decades. Disasters such as the 2010 BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico are a testament to the damage such accidents can cause. Luckily, there are various techniques used to contain and clean up oil spills. Understanding some of these methods can provide insight into how disaster management works.

Mechanical Methods

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mechanical containment is the most popular oil cleanup technique used in the U.S. The tools employed are called booms, skimmers and sorbent materials. Booms are barriers used to block and divert oil so that it can be collected and removed. The booms are chained together like a fence. They consist of an above-water barrier to contain oil on the surface and an underwater skirt to prevent oil from flowing under them. The problem with booms is that they are less effective in rough water, where waves can push the oil over the barriers.

  Skimmers are strictly used to collect oil from the water's surface. There are three types of skimmers. Weir skimmers act like a dam, allowing water and oil to flow over them into wells or containers. Oleophilic skimmers employ chains of materials that attract and absorb oil. The oil is scraped or squeezed off into containers. Suction skimmers are like vacuums, sucking oil and pumping it into containers.

  Sorbents are materials used to absorb oil spills and include three types: natural organic, natural inorganic, and synthetic. Natural sorbents use materials like hay, peat moss, sawdust or feathers to absorb oil. Inorganic sorbents include clay, glass wool and volcanic ash. Synthetic sorbents are man-made, such as polyurethane, polyethylene and polypropylene.

Chemical Methods

• Chemical methods work in tandem with mechanical techniques to deal with ocean oil spills. Chemicals include dispersing agents and gelling agents. Dispersing agents break down oil into small droplets, which then sink to the ocean floor. Waves and currents further disintegrate the oil drops. Gelling agents are applied to oil spills, turning the oil into a rubbery substance. The oil is then removed with equipment like nets or skimmers.

Biological Methods

• Biological agents clean up ocean shorelines as well as wetland and marshes. This technique employs organisms that help speed up biodegration of the oil. Organisms such as bacteria, fungi and yeast consume and break down the oil compounds. However, this process can take years, so scientists add fertilizer or other foreign organisms to help speed up the decay.

Physical Methods and Scare Tactics

• If an ocean spill hits the shoreline, physical methods are used. These include cleanup with equipment like pressure washers, rakes and bulldozers. Sorbent materials may also be used to wipe up the oil. Scare tactics are used to keep animals, such as birds, away from the spill. Much like scarecrows, devices like helium balloons and dummies are used to frighten animals away.