How do oil spills in the ocean cleans up?

Answer 1

Recovery of oil is possible at the surface of the water by using skimmers. It is a slow process, and skimming has not been able to keep up with the volumes being spilled. Wave action can make skimming difficult. Oil can be removed through controlled burns if there is sufficient oil to burn (near the location where oil is leaving the well). Dispersants do not remove oil, but help the oil breakdown.

Once an oil spill has reached land, the efforts to remove oil becomes more difficult. They have been able to net out some of the oil in the marshes, but a lot of effort is going into removing turtles that have come in contact with the oil. Oil as it washes up on beaches may be scooped up and placed in plastic trash bags. It should not be touched. BP and the government are working on special protective berms, which should be able to filter some of the oil out, to help protect the marine life in marsh areas.

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Answer 2

It does not, because it does not know how since none have ever occurred before human manipulation of the environment. If they had been going naturally since the beginning of the earth, nature would have figured out how to clean them up, otherwise we wouldn't be here now.

Exactly.

Answer 3

If a tanker has spilled a lot of oil into a large body of water, clean- up crews will often use oil booms to contain the spill. An oil boom is a floating device that looks like a string of floats that separate the deep end of a swimming pool from the shallow end. Oil booms, however are much bigger and longer.

Answer 4

Firstly, the oil is collected by the local Oil Collection Group, or 'OCG's. Then the oil is sold as lube to the housewives of the local towns and villages.