OIL BOOMS:

Floating barriers or structures strategically placed on water surfaces to contain and absorb spilled oil, preventing
its spread and minimizing environmental damage. These booms typically consist of a buoyant material encased
in a durable fabric, forming a barrier that corrals the oil for later recovery or disposal. The effectiveness of oil
booms in controlling spills depends on factors such as the type of oil, weather conditions, and the speed and
direction of water currents. Cleanup efforts involve deploying these booms around the affected area, with
specialized teams using skimmers and other equipment to recover the oil trapped within the boom.

OIL SKIMMERS

These devices utilize a variety of methods such as belts, drums, or disks to attract and collect oil while allowing
water to pass through. Positioned on the water's surface, oil skimmers effectively skim and separate the oil from
the contaminated area. Some skimmers employ mechanical means, such as rotating drums or belts that pick up
oil, while others use suction or absorbent materials. Once collected, the recovered oil is typically stored for
proper disposal or potential recovery.

SORBENTS
These materials, often in the form of pads, booms, or loose particles, are designed to selectively absorb
hydrophobic substances like oil while repelling water. When deployed on an oil spill, sorbents attract and capture
the oil, turning it into a more manageable solid or semi-solid mass. The choice of sorbent material depends on
factors such as the type of oil, environmental conditions, and the specific application. Once saturated, the oil-
laden sorbents can be collected and properly disposed of, contributing to the mitigation of environmental
damage.

BURNING IN-SITU

Involves intentionally igniting the spilled oil to accelerate its removal and reduce the environmental impact. This
process is most effective in open water settings where containment and recovery efforts may be challenging. In
controlled conditions, a specially trained response team ignites the oil slick using igniters or other means,
allowing the oil to burn on the water surface. The combustion process breaks down the spilled oil into simpler
compounds and gases, minimizing its volume and potential harm to the environment. However, in-situ burning
also raises concerns about air quality due to the release of combustion byproducts, and its application is subject
to regulatory approvals and careful consideration of environmental factors.

DISPERSENTS

Oil dispersants function as chemical agents applied to oil spills to break down the oil into smaller droplets,
enhancing its natural dispersion and microbial degradation in the water. These dispersants typically contain
surfactants that reduce the surface tension of the oil, allowing it to mix more readily with water. When sprayed
or applied directly onto the oil slick, dispersants facilitate the formation of smaller oil droplets, increasing the
surface area exposed to natural processes like wave action and microbial activity.
Hot Water and High-Pressure Washing

This procedure is mainly used in situations where the oil is inaccessible to mechanical removal methods such as
using booms and skimmers. It is used to dislodge the trapped and weathered oil from locations that are generally
inaccessible to machinery.
Water heaters are used to heat water to around 170°C, then sprayed by hand with high-pressure wands or
nozzles. The oil is thus flushed to the water surface, which can be collected with skimmers or sorbents.

BIOREMEDIATION

Bioremediation refers to the use of specific microorganisms to remove any toxic or harmful
substances. For example, various bacteria, fungi, archaea, and algae degrade petroleum
products by metabolizing and breaking them into simpler and non-toxic molecules (mostly fatty
acids and carbon dioxide). Sometimes, reagents and fertilizers may be added to the area.
These phosphorus-based and nitrogen-based fertilizers provide adequate nutrients for the
microbes to grow and multiply quickly.
This process is generally not used when the spill has happened in the deep seas and is gradually
implemented once the oil approaches the shoreline.
Chemical Stabilisation of oil by Elastomizers
Right after an oil spill, the immediate concern is to prevent the oil from spreading and
contaminating the adjacent areas. While mechanical methods like using oil booms effectively
contain the oil, they have certain limitations to their use.
Experts have recently been using compounds like ‘Elastol’, which is basically poly iso-butylene
(PIB) in a white powdered form, to confine oil spills. The compound gelatinizes or solidifies the
oil on the water surface, thus preventing it from spreading or escaping. In addition, the gelatin
is easy to retrieve, and this makes the process highly efficient.
Natural Recovery
The simplest method of dealing with the oil spill cleanup operation is to use the vagaries of
nature like the sun, the wind, the weather, tides, or naturally occurring microbes. It is used in
certain cases when the shoreline is too remote or inaccessible, or the environmental impact of
cleaning up a spill could potentially far outweigh the benefits.
Due to the constancy of these elements, the oil generally evaporates or is broken down into
simpler components.