Oil spill dispersant spray system (arms type, boat mounted)
SLICKSPRAY 3210 Slickbar

Removal of spilled oil from the surface of the sea is, at best, a very difficult problem. Mechanical removal equipment, such as skimmers, work effectively when the oil slick is quite thick. However as the oil spreads, the oil becomes thinner and it becomes exceedingly difficult to remove the oil with mechanical equipment. This problem is further compounded by the mechanical equipment's tendency to pick up large quantities of water, causing the oil to emulsify, making ultimate disposal of the oil/water mixture extremely difficult. The final cleanup of the slick can be accomplished by the proper application of chemical dispersants if they are applied prior to the formation of oil/water emulsions and mousse.

Chemicals used in early oil spill incidents were industrial emulsifying agents. These were effective at dispersing oil, but because of their high hydrocarbon content, were harmful to the marine environment. These chemicals were applied to the oil slick in high concentrations, which rendered them not only ineffective in dispersing the oil, but caused severe damage to the marine life along the shore.

Many years of research and development have resulted in chemical dispersants that now are very low in toxicity, are self-mixing and biodegradable. Application equipment has been improved to such a degree that it is now possible to apply the proper amount of dispersant to the slick in an efficient manner. The dispersant chemicals must be applied to the oil. Application to the water will have no effect and will result in misusing and wasting the chemical.