Patent ID: 6267901
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A method of treating wastewater containing oil from a structure above a body of water, comprising:(a) supplying a caisson, having an upper end and a lower end open to said body of water and adapted to extend from said structure into said body of water;(b) introducing wastewater through an inlet pipe carried by and within said caisson;(c) separating oil from wastewater within said caisson to produce an oil layer, a vapor/oil interface, oil/water interface and a water layer;(d) skimming oil from said oil layer into an oil sump to produce a recovered oil using an oil collection tube, carried by and within said caisson and having an upper end extending above said vapor/oil interface, through at least one slotted opening proximate said vapor/oil interface;(e) removing said recovered oil from said oil sump to a location external from said caisson.