Abstract: In one embodiment, dispersants are injected directly into a plume of oil in a subsea environment. The dispersant is supplied from a vessel, through a tubular string and flows through a routing manifold into a flexible hose. The hose then transports the dispersant to a distribution manifold, which is disposed on the sea floor, and permits injection of dispersants at multiple locations at the same time around the leaking oil. Injection of dispersants from the distribution manifold may be through injection wands, or the dispersant may be transferred to a containment or collection device located above the plume of oil, wherein nozzles are disposed around the circumference of such containment or collection device. If the dispersants are injected into the leaking oil through injection wands, such wands may be held and/or manipulated by an ROV.

Abstract: There is disclosed systems and methods for barring the advance of an oil spill from one area to another, or for corralling such an oil spill. The systems provide area bubble plumes of air that remain coherent to reaching the surface, in contrast to previous bubble curtains under waves. The area bubble plume may be formed by a plurality of parallel sparger elements that provide a wide plume of bubbles, and are suspended below the surface no more than 10 m. The sparger elements may be mounted in a matrix of structural support members. A series of discrete segments of the system can be connected together to form a flexible chain. The connected segments are desirably coiled around the spool on the rear end of a vessel for easy deployment. The sparger elements are desirably tubular and made of the porous, resistive material that requires a greater luminal pressure than the exterior pressure to create fine bubbles.

Abstract: In one embodiment, dispersants are injected directly into a plume of oil in a subsea environment. The dispersant is supplied from a vessel, through a tubular string and flows through a routing manifold into a flexible hose. The hose then transports the dispersant to a distribution manifold, which is disposed on the sea floor, and permits injection of dispersants at multiple locations at the same time around the leaking oil. Injection of dispersants from the distribution manifold may be through injection wands, or the dispersant may be transferred to a containment or collection device located above the plume of oil, wherein nozzles are disposed around the circumference of such containment or collection device. If the dispersants are injected into the leaking oil through injection wands, such wands may be held and/or manipulated by an ROV.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in products and processes for cleaning up oil, chemical, or other hydrocarbon spills, and cleaning up the environment where such spills have occurred. In one aspect of the invention, there is provided an adsorbent polymeric composition which is oleophilic and capable of adsorption of other chemicals and hydrocarbons from both land and water, the adsorbent composition including polyethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, catalyst, cross-linking agent, lubricant, blowing agent and a bulking agent. In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacture of an adsorbent composition for use in retrieving and recycling oil, chemicals and hydrocarbons from land or water environments.

Abstract: A catch basin configured to allow selective positioning of the outlet and inlet ports on the side walls of the catch basin's receptacle body. At least one of the receptacle side walls comprise a slide opening having opposing sides. A slide member has a pair of slide edges that slidably engage the sides of the slide opening to substantially close the slide opening. The slide member has a port section and two or more positioning sections, with at least one positioning section located above the port section and one below the port section. The port section has an outlet or inlet port integral therewith or fixedly attached thereto or the port section comprises a mechanism for attaching an outlet or inlet port thereto, such as a port cutout having a removable knockout plate. The slide member has section removal indicators to identify which positioning sections should be removed.

Abstract: Heavy oil or crude oil spills in sea water are recovered without polluting environment. A natural rubber latex and a coagulant are scattered around lumps of oil spills to coagulate the latex with the coagulant, so that a membrane of the latex is formed around the oil lumps.

Abstract: A system and method for removing light non-aqueous liquids via a wellbore from at least a water-saturated subterranean zone using an oleophilic absorbent wick by positioning the wick in a wellbore extending from the surface through at least a portion of the subterranean water-saturated zone; reducing the pressure in the wellbore and removing vaporized light non-aqueous liquids from the wellbore.

Abstract: An oil/gas collector/separator for recovery of oil leaking, for example, from an offshore or underwater oil well. The separator is floated over the point of the leak and tethered in place so as to receive oil/gas floating, or forced under pressure, toward the water surface from either a broken or leaking oil well casing, line, or sunken ship. The separator is provided with a downwardly extending skirt to contain the oil/gas which floats or is forced upward into a dome wherein the gas is separated from the oil/water, with the gas being flared (burned) at the top of the dome, and the oil is separated from water and pumped to a point of use. Since the density of oil is less than that of water it can be easily separated from any water entering the dome.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are used in shallow water areas having a depth of about two meters or less for producing a total water circulating flow from the bottom toward the top and then from the top toward the bottom, to thereby improve the quality of the total water. The method consists essentially of providing an upward jet of fluid under pressure acting upon a water flow rising from the bottom toward the top through a tubular passage of vertically disposed tubular construction so that the water flow can rise with an increased speed. At the top end of the tubular passage, the water flow is jetted out, forcing a circulating flow with circular motions. The apparatus comprises a vertically disposed tubular construction having a tubular passage through which the water flows and rises, including a member for producing an upward jet of fluid under pressure disposed inside the tubular passage and exposed to the water in the tubular passage.

Abstract: A method and controls for cyclical operation of ice reducers in open bodies of water. An ambient condition transducer provides an ambient signal representing the amplitude of a condition affecting ice formation. A timer cyclically produces a ramp signal, thereby setting the frequency of cycles for operation of a water movement device. In each cycle a comparator compares the relative amplitudes represented by the ambient and ramp signals and gates power to said device upon a change in the sign of the difference between said amplitudes. Thus the duration of gated power in each cycle is a function of the ambient condition.

Abstract: An oil boom for containing floating oil spills having an hose with a plurality of tubing members mounted to the periphery of the hose. Each tubing member has a nozzle assembly for directing an air jet stream against an oil spill along the top surface of the water. The oil boom is preferably connected to a tow line by a pair of connecting lines which are in a criss-cross pattern, allowing the hose to form a wave-like configuration so that the air hose may rise and fall with the movement of the surface of the water independent of the tow line.

Abstract: A disaster prevention apparatus is adapted to intercept and disperse gas leaking from a disaster ship offshore. The apparatus includes a marine mover and a water curtain forming device for forming a water curtain on the lee of the disaster ship. Pressurized water is supplied to the water curtain forming device by a water pump. The water thusly supplied is ejected from the water curtain forming device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the water surface, thereby creating a water curtain on the water.

Abstract: A pump driven by air only is disclosed for providing simultaneous aeration and flow at right angles to the rising air. The pump produces in a shallow tank particle-suspending turbulence which is particularly useful for growth of marine organisms in a sun-exposed tank confined shallow brine solution. The pump is preferably installed in a rectangular tank divided by a baffle between the two tank side walls. The baffle extends parallel to the major axes of the rectangle and stops short of both tank end walls. The fluid is pumped around this baffle in an oval flow pattern. On the shallow bottom of the tank on both sides of the baffle, there is a repeating foil shaped bottom with a manifold for discharging air. The foils of the bottom are generated at right angles to the baffle and oriented from leading edge to trailing edge in the direction of intended fluid rotation around the baffle in the tank. Air is pumped and discharged from the manifold in a rising curtain.

Abstract: A method of processing the water in a large water region such as a river, dam, lake and marsh is in which a local water processing area is provided for water cleaning, aerating and other purposes, the local water processing area being delimited by a produced water flow produced specific depth and width of the large water region and separating the local water processing area from the remainder of the large water region.The local water processing area may be delimited and separated by a water flow wall or barrier produced by a jet of water or a jet of air, thereby eliminating the need for any physical barrier such as sheet piles or other permanent structure and yet maintaining the continuity between the local water processing area and the rest of the large water region. In addition, the method allows the produced water flow to be localized, providing several advantages over the conventional methods in terms of the obstacleless navigation and less costly implementation.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for preventing foreign objects, such as ice floes, from entering into the docking basin of barge supporting floater-type vessels, floating docks, basin docks, canal sluices or the like, include nozzle apparatus provided at the regions of respective sides of the inlet to the docking basin for directing first and second strong, relatively narrow surface currents to create a flow field in the region of the basin inlet which prevents the foreign objects from entering into the docking basin. One of the surface currents is directed outwardly with respect to the docking basin so as to define an angle in the range of about 15.degree. to 35.degree. with respect to the transverse plane which passes through the inlet sides. The other surface current is directed outwardly with respect to the docking basin in a direction substantially normal to the transverse plane passing through the inlet sides.