Main Techniques of Cleaning up Oil Spills - Coursework Example

Main Techniques of Cleaning Up Oil Spills Main Techniques of Cleaning Up Oil Spills Oil spill relates to a process where a liquid petroleum hydrogen carbon manages to get its way into the environment with major cases on marine areas as a result of the activities of human beings and population. It is equally important to note that, although oil spills result from activities of human beings, majority of the spills result from mistakes and accidents as opposed from the knowledge of individuals. Although oil spill may occur on land, the term oil spills generally attribute to the releases of oil from various concepts that possess high amounts of the liquid that may include tankers, drilling rigs as well as wells among others (Parks, 2011, pg. 21). All oil components and their by-products once released in the marine areas cause significant damage t the marine ecosystem thus prompting the need for developing measures of cleaning as well as recovering the split oils. However, the development of oil cleanup and recovery processes is not a simple project and it has cost companies vast resources with an aim of developing the best measures of cleaning and recovering oil spills. The major challenges experienced relates factors like the type of oil spilled, temperature of the water in areas where the spills have occurred as well as shorelines of the types of beaches involved. Other challenges relates to destruction of the marine organisms mostly associated with some processes of oil clean up. The process may therefore develop into a hectic one, taking significant time from weeks or even years to clean up. The paper therefore, examines the main techniques of cleaning up oil spills in the marine areas while also providing challenges related with using such processes if there exists any. Thesis Statement: Cleaning of oil spills is a difficult challenge although the current developed techniques present possibility in achieving that goal without destruction of the marine ecosystem. Throughout the decades since major oil spills started to disrupt the marine ecosystem, various companies and researchers have embarked on possible techniques that ensure clean up of the oil spills. Moreover, recovery of the spilt oil also remains a core objective of these researchers and companies who continue to invest heavily on the process (Parks, 2011, pg. 49). However, despite the significant focus and emphasis on developing essential techniques that ensure oil spills clean up and recovery, only a few methods have been established. Some techniques are however attributed to cause negative effects on the marine ecosystem and in return limiting the process. The paper provides a close examination of the three renowned techniques of oil spills clean up referred to as deep cleaning using dispersant, slick solution; through the use of bacteria and the oil skimmer. These techniques are examined in respective manner of their order with positives and negatives of each examined. The first focus relates to the use of subsea chemical dispersant used to clear the oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and subsequently recommended for use in the future. The chemical dispersant proposed by experts comprised of a mixture of solvents as well as detergents possessing the capability of separating deep oil plume into finer droplets. The process ensured the vast deep oil deposits lying in the Gulf of Mexico attained speedy breakdown ensuring elimination of the oil deposits. However, critics of the process and through application of chemical dispersant feared the capability of a resulting damage to deep-water ecosystem (Schrope, 2013). The research conducted in January, 2013 to assess the implications of the chemical dispersant provided different conclusion resulting to the scant data. Industry scientists attribute the nearly three million litres of subsea dispersant to have worked effectively and attained the expected goal though with minimal ecological damage. The industrial scientists report suggests dispersants remain a standard option for ensuring the fight of sea-floor blowouts in the future. However, other researchers discredit the effectiveness let alone the safety of dispersants application at the sea depth. A study conducted by the U.S Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration as well as the oil industry representatives touted the aerial photos portraying the diminishing oil plume since application of the dispersant. Oil Company BP that possesses ownership to the well provided reports suggesting on air quality improvements an indicator that less oil is seen floating in the sea surface. Consequent studies of collected sea waters by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency also provided reports indicating the reduction of oils in the water surface an indicator that the dispersants worked. The report presented droplet sizes that matched the lab tests where oil and the dispersant are mixed in a wave tank a clear indicator of the effectiveness of the dispersant. Consequent lab tests provide the effectiveness of the dispersant in spreading the oil out prompting more research on the future use of dispersants in situations where oil spills occur (Schrope, 2013). Studies still aim at focusing on the best means of injecting dispersant into a deep oil plume while also considering possibilities of installing wellhead dispersants whenever a spill occurs. Ecologists however remain wary of the continuous recommendation of the use of dispersants to deal with oil spills citing reasons like causing damage to deep soft corals as well as organisms found in the deep sea. To some ecologists it sounds better to continue having the oil spills damaging the marine ecosystem than a combination of both oil spills and dispersants until a better and faster technique is developed. The second technique of providing a solution to the increasing challenge of oil spills relates slick solution. The process involves the use of microbes that comprise of hydro-carbon chewing microbes among them Alcanivorax borkumensis. The process of using bacteria in ensuring elimination of the oil spills was aimed at providing a solution to the spills in the Gulf of Mexico that would eventually lead to the best practice applied anywhere oil spires occur in the marine areas in the future. Microbial ecologists base the success of the use of these millions of hydro-carbon chewing microbes basing on the primary motive of the use of dispersants (Biello, 2010). They present that, the reason behind the use of dispersants is to ensure breakdown of the spilt oil into simpler droplets that will ensure easier consumption by bacteria. Therefore, they advocate for use of bacteria as the efficient process with further studies indicating that there is a likelihood of dispersants application in the sea stimulating microbial growth. In that essence, it signifies that the microbial will consume both the dispersants as well as the oil. The aim towards achieving genetic modifications that will enhance these bacteria the ability to ensure consumption of oil spills continues to be in search for decades. The achievement will not only benefit in ensuring consumption of oil in the marine areas, but also on land. The revelation indicates that unless the natural microbes that mange in utilizing hydro-carbons, man-made microbial are yet to achieve that goal. With the natural form of nature of destructing living organisms, the natural microbes continue to get depleted thus making the challenge much harder (Biello, 2010). However, an understanding of oil levels will play a significant role in determining the period taken by these bacteria to consume the oil. Irrespective of the availability of man-made microbial for chewing the oil spills, stimulating the growth of such bacteria is achievable through the application of fertilizers that include nitrogen, iron as well as phosphorus. Microbes therefore serves as a solution to ensure complete removal of oil from the oceans with scientists still working on the best practice of developing man-made microbial essential for that purpose. The last technique relates to the revolutionary Oil Skimmer that seems as the last solution to the challenge presented by oil spills in marine areas. The oil skimmer presents a cleanup technology that works ensures oil cleanup in the water surface in a much faster rate than even the designers first thought about. The development of the device was achieved by Elastec or in another word the American Marin with its base in Illinois leading the company into winning an X prize award (Mccleland, 2011). Elastec’s new oil skimmer development relied on the idea that oil attraction towards plastic is real while the same does not occur with water. The machine comprises of fourteen plastic discs taking an arrow arrangement while the top comprises of a scrapper with the size of the machine comparable to a large U-Haul truck. The machine picks the oil off, and then ensures the oil gets in a trough where it gets pumped away presenting a completion cleanup rate efficiency of ninety percent. With the X Prize Foundation inspiring Elastec to develop a technology that is essential in ensuring oil cleanup plus a funding by activist Wendy Schmidt, the company ensured achievement of its technological goal. With the industry standard skimmers presenting 1,100 gallons of oil in every minute, the X Challenge raised the bar high to 2,500 gallons of oil in every minute prompting the need to challenge companies to develop better oil skimmers (Mccleland, 2011). Elastec achieved the set target even surpassing the target to almost double bringing what is a breakthrough in the challenge relating to oil spills cleanup and recovery. The company now serves as the only provider of the best identifiable solution without repercussions and is receiving orders across the globe. In conclusion, the oil spills challenge has for wrong been attracted attention from companies as well as scientists with an aim of providing the best solution without causing damage to the marine ecosystem. Efficiency and effectiveness in the techniques of cleaning oil spills also remain a considerable issue owing to the quick destruction caused by oil spills once they reach the deep ecosystems. Use of dispersants, microbial and oil skimmers present the possible solutions to oil spills. While the dispersants remain effective in ensuring the split of oil, the dispersants possess side effects of harming the marine ecosystem. There still exists a challenge in developing man-made bacteria to consume the high oil spills and the oil skimmer developed by Elastec possesses the only solution with a ninety percent efficiency rate. It is equally important to note the speed from the oil skimmer indicating that attainment of the process is effected within a good time where the oil will have caused minimum destruction. References Biello, D. (2010, May 25). Slick Solution: How Microbes Will Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Retrieved March 25, 2015, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-microbes-clean-up-oil-spills/ Mccleland, J. (2011, October 19). Revolutionary Oil Skimmer Nets $1 Million X Prize. Retrieved March 25, 2015, from http://www.npr.org/2011/10/19/141481055/revolutionary-oil-skimmer-nets-1-million-x-prize Parks, P. (2011). Oil spills. Detroit: KidHaven Press. Schrope, M. (2013, January 22). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from http://www.nature.com/news/researchers-debate-oil-spill-remedy-1.12267 Read More