Your A-Z Guide to Oil Spill Technology

Oil spills are devastating to the environment. They impact aquatic life for years. Wildlife, the delicate ecosystem and shorelines including mangrove forests and wetlands can be disturbed decades later. For this reason, it is the environmental and ethical responsibility of companies dealing in oil to contain spills as quickly as possible. The longer the response time, the more damage that occurs. If the response is speedy, the spill will not only be less environmentally devastating but less costly to the company. 

Thankfully, there is a wide array of innovative products now on the market to contain spills, effectively and quickly. In this article, we describe the innovations available. How do you contain oil spills? Read on to become an expert.

The NOFI Current Buster 

It’s no wonder the NOFI Current Buster holds an international patent, it truly is a revolution in oil spill containment technology. The system is capable of sweeping, containing, and separating oil from seawater at towing speeds of up to five knots. That is due to its built-in oil-water separator, separating oil from water and retaining the oil.  The process results in a thicker layer of oil which in turn offers great advantages when pumping the collected oil onboard vessels or into storage tanks. It’s super high-speed and highly efficient so much so the system has been used in the likes of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

Boom Bag Systems 

Boom bag systems are fantastic to have on hand as they allow spills to be dealt with very quickly. Boom bags may be stored on the quayside for immediate deployment. Otherwise, you can store them in a warehouse and quickly transport them to the spill using a forklift or trailer. 

Another advantage of boom bag systems is that they require minimum use of boats and personnel, so it’s ultra economical. 

This type of system is best for spills when fast recovery is essential.

Inflatable booms

Inflatable containment booms are your first point of call for emergency situations in aquatic environments. Made from high-strength materials such as PVC, they are designed to prevent the spread of oil and other pollutants by forming a barrier around the affected area. They have excellent floating ability, wave-following priorities and are very stable even in bad conditions. 

Oil Absorbent Booms

Oil-absorbent booms are highly absorbent and difficult to rupture, made of cotton/plant fibre and polypropylene. 

Absorbent booms instead of strictly containment booms demand fewer resources. Sorbent booms can also be used to seal leakage points between mechanical booms and docks, mooring points, ships, and so forth.

An oil absorbent boom is usually used as a first responder product. If the spill takes place on the docks, sorbent booms and smaller absorbent formats can also be used to prevent the spill from reaching the water. An oil absorbent boom is suitable for any marine environment where there is a small spill that needs containing and absorbing.

Self-raising tanks

These are mobile tanks in various sizes ranging from 75L to 575L and 2,000L to 10,000L. They can withstand most acids, bases, oils, and chemicals, while also being resistant to UV radiation, abrasions and punctures. A self-raising tank is a cost-effective solution to the temporary storage of oil following a spill operation.

Introducing AllMaritim

SpillPro is proud to offer all of these products by AllMaritim.

AllMaritim is one of the world's leading suppliers of environmental and preparedness solutions. The company focuses on technological innovation and all products consist of the best available technology on the market. 

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Need oil spill solutions? Contact our expert team on 1800 368 450 today