Containment of oil spills

One of the most common forms of pollution at sea is oil. Oil spills may result from an accident at sea, a fire on an oil production platform, a collision of two tankers, or a tanker with another ship, accidental rupture of pipes carrying oil, washing of tankers at sea, etc. After an oil spill occurs at sea, it must be contained to prevent it from traveling toward the shore and being washed on beaches or entering the estuaries. Two methods of oil containment at sea are reviewed, the pneumatic and mechanical barriers.