Page 10: of Marine Technology Magazine (June 2020)

Tech Files

Innovative products, technologies and concepts

Deploying Science for Oil Spill Containment

An innovative sub surface oil contain- and amount of oil and gas emitting from discrete location rather than over a wide ment and recovery system, installed in the site. Utilizing remote sensing tech- area. In 2018, the Bureau of Safety and

April 2019 over a damaged oil platform nologies such as drones, satellites, and Environmental Enforcement and the Na- in the Gulf of Mexico, is successfully underwater vehicles in combination with tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- preventing more than 1,000 gallons of oil on-site in-situ sampling and chemical istration undertook a follow-up study to per day from entering the environment. analysis, scientists were better able to determine the chemical characterization

Scientifc research and lessons learned characterize the oil release. of the release, and to generate a fowrate following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill Two separate studies conducted in 2017 (amount of oil and gas spilling in a given have allowed the development of unique determined that the oil and gas were period of time) estimate for the site.

oil spill response systems such as this to discharging from multiple plumes in a These studies helped determine that oil help protect the maritime environment was leaking from the damaged infra- from future threats. structure and could be contained, and

United States Coast Guard directed

In 2004 during Hurricane Ivan the that more than 1,000 gallons of oil per the installation of an oil containment

Taylor Energy Mississippi Canyon 20 day was being released, versus previous system (pictured in purple) which is (MC20) oil platform toppled creating estimates of 3-5 gallons per day.

designed to contain and recover as an ongoing fow of oil into the Northern The United States Coast Guard assumed much oil as possible. An oil recovery

Gulf of Mexico. Scientists from mul- partial control of the Taylor Energy oil vessel connects to the oil contain- tiple government agencies and academic ment system periodically to remove oil spill response after repeated past attempts institutions, conducted cutting-edge stud- failed to stop, or contain, the fow of oil collected in the system and transport ies that determined the location, source, in the years since the platform with 25 the oil to shore. June 2020 10

MTR