Absorbent
Boom: Similar in structure to a
containment boom, but with additional absorbent
materials attached that will absorb oil from the
surface of the water and aid in clean up.
Absorbent boom is usually more effective when
applied to very thin oil sheens. Once the boom has
absorbed oil it is collected and properly disposed
of onshore.
Barrel: Equals 42 US gallons
and is used as a measure of crude oil and other petroleum products. Elsewhere,
oil is commonly measured in cubic meters (m3) or
in tonnes (t). One cubic meter is equal to
approximately 6.3 barrels.
Cement Plug: A cement plug is
an obstruction made from cement that permanently
isolates the subsurface oil and gas reservoir from
the surface or seabed. A cement plug is made by
pumping cement into a well where it hardens to
permanently cap the well.
Containment Boom: A floating
chain of inflatable "pillows" that are able to
isolate and limit the movement of oil that is
floating on the water surface, within an area
enclosed by that boom. Once isolated and
contained, the oil can then be more easily removed
with skimmers and absorbent material. Booms are
used extensively in offshore oil spill situations,
where oil is floating on water.
Drilling Mud: Drilling mud is
a mineral-based product commonly used to
facilitate the drilling process that is commonly
used in the industry and is approved by relevant
authorities.
Oil "Fingerprinting": The
process used to identify oil traits and origins.
Crude oil is composed of many different
hydrocarbon molecules in different relative
proportions and combinations. Most crude oil
deposits have a different combination of
hydrocarbon molecules, just as each person has a
unique set of fingerprints, that can help identify
which oil accumulation was the source of that
crude oil. By analyzing the hydrocarbon makeup of
an oil sample, scientists can often determine the
specific identity, or source, of that oil.
Side-scan SONAR: Side-scan
SONAR (Sound Navigation And Ranging), is
technology similar to radar but adapted to
underwater applications; it provides an underwater
picture of seabed contours and objects located on
the seabed.
Skimmers: Skimmers are boats
that are especially equipped to skim off the top
layer of water and oil mixture as they move slowly
through the water, coalescing, capturing and
storing oil and oily water that float on the
surface.
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