Pollution Control
Aggressive hydrocarbon pollution
1. Prevention
1.1. Contingency plans:
Measures defined by governmental authorities and companies in order to guide and train staff to deal with companies that manipulate oil and its derivatives on a daily basis.
1.2. Filtering:
1.2.1. Water engineering
1.2.2. Use of equipment
1.2.3. Use of products
1.3. Control of leaks and spills
1.3.1. Leakage check points
1.3.2. Maintenance of pipelines, flanges, valves, means of transport, etc...
2. Spillage Containment
2.1. Type of accident:
2.1.1. Large spills: Water Resources / Coastal and Off Shore:
The measures usually used consist in the isolation of the spillage site with floating booms and the use of equipment for separating water and oil on the spot. Remember that this procedure is only appropriate if the polluted water extension does not exceed 12 meters, and when there are no strong currents or adverse weather conditions (strong winds, ice, etc.).
• Use of products and later removal.
- Coastal Shores: The measures currently used are the applications of sheets and booms, but with the development of new products such methods are becoming obsolete, due to their difficult final application and failure to totally contain the pollutant agent thereby causing an ecological imbalance.
- Land: depending on the land, scraping can be used or ditches can be dug to contain the pollutant element and take the residue to the Lands Farms, i.e., oil farms for its subsequent metabolism. If there are rivers or dams nearby, there should be a geo-biological assessment of the site to measure the extent of the environmental impact, in order to take the appropriate measures for the protection of the ecosystem, such as the evacuation of animals and / or treatment of animals already affected. Polluted areas should be cleaned to prevent harm to non-affected areas.
So far, existing measures have tended to entail a very long period of labour, the use of very expensive equipment and the final outcome has been jeopardised by excess volume of waste and sometimes by very uneven land sites.
2.1.2. Small spills:
- Water Resources - On Land and Off Shore
• The measures used for small spills in both water and land situations are identical to those used for large spills, though obviously to a lesser extent, and often, erroneously, they are disregarded in isolated cases.
