AIR BARRIERS AS OIL-SPILL CONTAINMENT DEVICES

Based on experimental investigations it is concluded that air barriers will not completely retain oil in the presence of currents normal to the barrier as low as 0.75 ft/sec. The main body of the oil slick is retained, but oil drops are torn from the bottom of the slick by the turbulent surface current produced by the air barrier. These drops are entrained in the current and swept through the bubble plume below the water surface. Air barriers will retain essentially 100 percent of the oil when placed across the mouth of an enclosed body of still water if the oil density-water velocity combination produces a headwave type of flow.

• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Petroleum Engineers

  6200 North Central Expressway
  Dallas, TX  United States  75206
• Authors:
  • Jones, W T
• Publication Date: 1972-4

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 126-142
• Serial:
  • Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Society of Petroleum Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Containing equipment; Oil spill cleanup
• Old TRIS Terms: Air bubbling systems; Oil containment systems; Oil removal systems; Oil spill control
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00041524
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 2 1973 12:00AM