Oil Clean Up Methods
When oil spills it creates dangerous situations for the local environment and ecology. It is difficult to remove and, in some cases, can be very difficult to control. These oil spills can happen on water or on land. In either case, various methods of containment and removal of oil are put into place to ward off increased levels of environmental harm.
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Bioremediation and Degredation
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Oil is naturally broken down by bacteria and other biological agents, but it is a slow process that could take years. The act of bioremediation and degradation is when these natural process are enhanced and, therefore, quickened. To do this, scientists add nutrients and microorganisms to the oil. One example is the addition of phosphates and nitrogen to an oil spill, called biostimulation. These nutrients stimulate the growth and development of the natural microbes that break down and remove oil. An alternative, called bioaugmentation, is to directly add additional microorganisms to the oil. This results in the same effect.
Physical Removal Methods
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Physical removal of oil from an oil spill site involves the use of booms, skimmers and sorbents. Booms are devices used to contain oil and prevent further spread in water. They typically are equipped with flotation devices and a net that is formed in a U-shaped or J-shaped pocket that can collect oil. A skimmer is then used to remove the oil from the contained area to a storage tank where it will await recycling or disposal. Skimmers operate via suction, with an oil-attracting material or simply by scooping the oil from the surface of the water. Sorbents are materials that soak up oil. They are used to pick up any remaining oil the skimmers have left behind or to pick up oil in areas that skimmers cannot reach, such as on land.
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In-Situ Burning
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In-situ burning is another process of cleaning up oil. It is a controlled burning of the oil that requires approval of the nearest regional response team but results in the near-complete removal of oil from the site of the burn. It is a viable means of cleaning up oil when wind speeds are less than 23 miles per hour and there is a wave height of under 3 feet. It is a safe option for oil spills at sea, but on land the process can be riskier because it could cause oil to penetrate further into certain types of soils and it could pose a risk to regional flora and fauna.
Dispersing Agents
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Dispersing agents are added to oil spills on water to keep that oil from washing up on shore and to help clean up the spill in general. These agents are chemical in nature and work to break up the oil into small droplets. These droplets are then dispersed by wind, water currents and other natural means where they can be more easily broken up by microbes. Dispersants are best used immediately following an oil spill so that they can work on the lightest components of oil. Heavy crude oil does not disperse as well as lighter versions.
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References
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