Patent Publication Number: US-2012024782-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for treating an oil spill

Description:
REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims benefit of: 
     (i) pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/345,917, filed May 18, 2010 by William E. Baird et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AN OIL SPILL: BIOFENCE™ (Attorney&#39;s Docket No. BAIRD-1 PROV); 
     (ii) pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/362,909, filed Jul. 9, 2010 by William E. Baird et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AN OIL SPILL: BIOFENCE™ (Attorney&#39;s Docket No. BAIRD-4 PROV); and 
     (iii) pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/371,062, filed Aug. 5, 2010 by William E. Baird et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AN OIL SPILL: BIOFENCE™ (Attorney&#39;s Docket No. BAIRD-5 PROV). 
     The three (3) above-identified patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to methods and apparatus for treating an oil spill in general, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for treating an oil spill in water. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     An oil spill is a release of oil into the environment. The effect of an oil spill can be extremely detrimental to the environment, particularly when the size of the oil spill is substantial. Furthermore, when the oil spill occurs in water, the area of the oil spill can rapidly increase, exacerbating the environmental impact. Thus, where a large oil spill occurs in water (e.g., at an offshore oil rig or from a large oil tanker), the environmental impact can be enormous. The accident at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico makes it clear that better ways of treating an oil spill, and containing the spread of an oil spill, particularly a large oil spill in water, are needed. 
     It is well known that there are naturally-occurring oil-consuming microorganisms which break down or remove oil from a body of water. The natural process of breaking down or removing oil from a body of water is commonly referred to as biodegradation. These microorganisms biodegrade oil both aerobically and anaerobically. Aerobic degradation of oil is many times more efficient (i.e., faster) than anaerobic degradation of oil. However, when an oil spill occurs, and a large quantity of oil is released into a body of water, the microorganisms that biodegrade oil aerobically use a significant amount of the oxygen present in the water to biodegrade or remove the oil from the body of water. The removal of significant amounts of oxygen from the water often results in the death of fish and other marine life. Furthermore, the depletion of significant amounts of oxygen from the water can inhibit further aerobic degradation of the oil by the microorganisms. 
     Thus, there is a need for a way to enhance the biodegradation of oil in a body of water while still maintaining a sufficient level of oxygen in the body of water to support fish and other marine life. 
     In addition to the foregoing, there is also a need for containing an oil spill in water in order to prevent the spread of the oil spill in water, or in order to guide the oil spill in a certain direction in water (e.g., away from a beach or marsh). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel method and apparatus for treating an oil spill in a body of water (e.g., ocean, lake, river, etc.) through the effective use of water aeration and microbes. 
     More particularly, the present invention is designed to add oxygen to the water, and also to add large quantities of microbes (which have been specifically grown to degrade or digest oil) to the water, so as to enhance biodegradation of oil in water and aid in the cleanup of the oil spill. This biodegradation of oil by microbes is sometimes referred to as bioremediation. 
     In one embodiment, oxygen is added to the water in an aggressive manner so as to help disperse the oil in the water and thereby facilitate the mechanical breakup of the oil spill. Furthermore, microbes are added to the water so as to help degrade the mechanically dispersed oil in water. 
     The present invention also provides a way to contain the oil spill in order to prevent the spread of the oil spill in water. 
     The present invention also provides a way to guide the oil spill in a certain direction in order to prevent the oil spill from reaching certain areas (e.g., the shoreline, harbor, etc.). 
     In one preferred form of the invention, there is provided a method for enhancing biodegradation of oil in water, the method comprising: 
     positioning a hollow structure in water, the hollow structure comprising an inlet and at least one outlet; and 
     introducing an oxygen-containing fluid into the inlet of the hollow structure so that the oxygen-containing fluid exits from the hollow structure and engages the oil, wherein the oxygen-containing fluid engages the oil with sufficient force so as to cause a mechanical dispersion of the oil. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a system for enhancing biodegradation of oil in water, the system comprising: 
     a hollow structure for positioning in water, the hollow structure comprising an inlet and at least one outlet; and 
     apparatus for introducing an oxygen-containing fluid into the inlet of the hollow structure so that the oxygen-containing fluid exits from the hollow structure and engages the oil, wherein the oxygen-containing fluid engages the oil with sufficient force so as to cause a mechanical dispersion of the oil. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a method for creating a barrier against an oil plume in a body of water, the method comprising: 
     positioning a hollow structure in water, the hollow structure comprising an inlet and at least one outlet; and 
     introducing a gas into the inlet of the hollow structure so that the gas exits from the hollow structure and forms a curtain of bubbles in the water such that the curtain of bubbles provides an effective barrier against the oil plume. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a system for creating a barrier against an oil plume in a body of water, the system comprising: 
     a hollow structure for positioning in water, the hollow structure comprising an inlet and at least one outlet; and 
     apparatus for introducing a gas into the inlet of the hollow structure so that the gas exits from the hollow structure and forms a curtain of bubbles in the water such that the curtain of bubbles provides an effective barrier against the oil plume. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a method for directing an oil plume in a body of water, the method comprising: 
     positioning a hollow structure in water, the hollow structure comprising an inlet and at least one outlet; and 
     introducing a gas into the inlet of the hollow structure so that the gas exits from the hollow structure and forms a curtain of bubbles in the water such that the curtain of bubbles directs the oil plume in a body of water. 
     In another preferred form of the invention, there is provided a method for dispersing oil in water, the method comprising: 
     positioning a hollow structure in water, the hollow structure comprising an inlet and at least one outlet; and 
     introducing a gas into the inlet of the hollow structure so that the gas exits from the hollow structure and engages the oil, wherein the gas engages the oil with sufficient force so as to cause a mechanical dispersion of the oil. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein: 
         FIGS. 1-3  are schematic drawings illustrating a system for enhancing biodegradation of an oil spill in water; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing of the system of  FIGS. 1-3  being used to contain an oil spill in water; 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are schematic drawings illustrating a system for preventing an oil spill from reaching certain areas (e.g., a beach or marsh); 
         FIGS. 7-10  illustrate the system of  FIGS. 5 and 6  being used to prevent an oil spill from reaching certain areas; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic drawing of an anchor and cable which may be used to secure the system of the present invention in a body of water; and 
         FIGS. 12-17  are schematic drawings of an anchor which may be used to secure the system of the present invention in a body of water. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     System for Enhancing Biodegradation of Oil in Water 
     The present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel method and apparatus for treating an oil spill in a body of water (e.g., ocean, lake, river, etc.) through the effective use of water aeration and microbes. 
     In accordance with the present invention, and looking now at  FIGS. 1-3  there is shown a novel system for delivering oxygen to a body of water so as to help disperse the oil in the water and thereby facilitate the mechanical breakup of the oil spill. In this respect it should be appreciated that mechanically breaking up the oil spill facilitates the bioremediation and therefore the destruction of the oil. This is because the more the oil spill is broken down into smaller size, the more the surface area of the oil and, therefore, the more the area for the microbes to penetrate and destroy the oil. 
     System  5  comprises a pipe  10  preferably positioned along, or just above, the floor of a body of water and directly below an oil plume  12 , and a high pressure hose  15  for passing high pressure air (i.e., atmospheric air) into pipe  10 . Pipe  10  preferably has a straight elongated configuration, although it could also have other configurations if desired, e.g., arcuate (curved) or some other more complex shape. High pressure hose  15  is connected to an air source (e.g., air compressor  20 ) at one end of the hose and to pipe  10  at the other end of the hose. Air compressor  20  may be located on a vessel (e.g., barge or ship  25 ) or on land. Alternatively, if desired, high pressure hose  15  may be configured to pass another oxygen-rich fluid (e.g., oxygen gas) into pipe  10 . However, for clarity of description, the present invention will hereinafter generally be discussed in the context of passing high pressure air into pipe  10 . 
     Pipe  10  comprises perforations  30  along the length of the pipe. In one form of the invention, perforations  30  comprise a plurality of round holes. 
     In another form of the invention, perforations  30  comprise a plurality of longitudinally-extending slits. In still another form of the invention, perforations  30  comprise a single elongated slit. Preferably, at least the end of pipe  10  which is opposite to the end of the pipe connected to high pressure hose  15  is sealed (e.g., with a cap  35 ) so as to force the air passing into pipe  10  to exit through perforations  30  extending along the length of the pipe. The air bubbles  40  produced by the pressurized air exiting perforations  30  effectively form columns of air ( FIG. 2 ) that pass through oil plume  12  as air bubbles  40  rise to the surface of the water. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , as the highly pressurized air bubbles pass through oil plume  12 , the oil plume is mechanically broken up and dispersed throughout the body of water ( FIG. 3 ). In this respect it will be appreciated that it is important that the air be added to the water in an aggressive manner so as to facilitate the mechanical disruption of the oil plume, and this can be achieved by coordinating a number of different factors, e.g., the pressure with which the air is supplied to pipe  10 , the size of the perforations  30 , the velocity of the air bubbles  40  when they engage oil plume  12 , etc. The adjustment of these various factors will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     In the case of crude oil, tar balls may be trapped in the vertical flow of air and forced to the surface of the body of water, whereby the tar balls may be collected and removed from the water. 
     Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a system for delivering oxygen to a body of water wherein the oxygen is delivered to the body of water so that air bubbles  40  engage oil plume  12  with a sufficient amount of force to mechanically break up an oil plume. By delivering oxygen to a body of water in this manner, not only is the surface area of the oil greatly increased (and hence the surface area of the oil available for microbial biodegradation greatly increased), but the level of oxygen available for aerobic biodegradation of the oil is also increased, which in turn enables an increased degradation of the oil spill. In addition, by delivering oxygen to the water in this manner, a sufficient level of oxygen is maintained in the body of water to support fish and other marine life. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, system  5  further comprises a microbe mixer  45  and a microbe hose  50  for delivering microbes  55  ( FIG. 3 ) to the water so as to further enhance the biodegradation of the oil in water. Preferably, microbes  55  have been specifically grown to degrade or digest oil in a body of water. By way of example but not limitation, the microbes supplied through microbe hose  50  are contained in the microbial product supplied by MicroSorb Environmental Products, Inc. of Norwell, Mass., which contains billions of microbes per gram or liter, cultivated in a “fermenter” on crude oil and sea water so as to create enormous numbers of the desired microbes per gram or liter. 
     Alternatively, microbes  55  may be delivered to the water by encasing the microbes in a water soluble package which is introduced into the water, or by otherwise delivering microbes  55  to the water. By supplementing the naturally-occurring microbes indigenous to the water with specially grown microbes, the microbial activity, and thus biodegradation of oil, can be significantly enhanced. 
     In addition to the foregoing, nutrients (or other bioremediation-facilitating products) such as nitrogen and phosphorus may be delivered through microbe hose  50  or by other means (e.g., a water soluble package) in order to further enhance bioremediation. 
     System for Containing an Oil Spill in Water 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, and looking now at  FIG. 4 , one or more pipes  10  (preferably having a plurality of closely spaced perforations  30 ) may be placed in the water in a V-shaped configuration or a modified V-shaped configuration. The closely spaced air columns produced by the pressurized air exiting perforations  30  in pipe  10  and rising to the surface of the water effectively form a wall of closely spaced air bubbles (i.e., an “air curtain”) in the path of oil plume  12 . By ensuring that the air curtain is a relatively turbulent mass of air and water, the air curtain can effectively act as a barrier to the oil plume. The air curtains formed by each of the pipes, and the arrangement of the pipes in a V-shaped configuration or a modified V-shaped configuration, have the effect of containing the spread of oil plume  12 . In this respect it should be appreciated that these air curtains will provide a barrier to oil plume  12  regardless of whether oil plume  12  is at the surface of the water or below the surface of the water. In addition, since the air curtain contains a sizable amount of oxygen, the air curtain also has the effect of simultaneously introducing oxygen to the water so as to enhance aerobic digestion of the oil by microbes. 
     Significantly, if desired, bubbles  40  may be used solely to constrain movement of oil plume  12  in the water and not to supplement aerobic digestion of the oil. In this case, the high pressure fluid being introduced into pipe  10  need not necessarily contain oxygen (although atmospheric air is generally preferred due to its ready availability). 
     System for Guiding the Oil Spill in Order To Prevent Oil from Reaching Certain Areas Or for Directing the Oil Spill to a Specific Area to Facilitate Physical Removal 
     In some circumstances, it may be desirable to position the system of the present invention at the entrance to a bay, harbor or bayou, at the mouth of a river or canal, or along a shoreline, in order to prevent an oil plume from entering into these areas or from reaching the shoreline. In other circumstances, it may be useful to use the system to direct the oil spill to a specific area to facilitate physical removal of the oil spill. 
     To this end, and looking now at  FIGS. 5 and 6 , at least one pipe  10 , with perforations  30 , is positioned in the pathway of an oil spill  12 , preferably along (or just above) the floor of a body of water. If desired, pipe  10  (or pipes  10 ) may be placed in a V-shaped configuration or a modified V-shaped configuration. Pipe  10  is connected to a high pressure hose  15  for passing high pressure air (or another appropriate fluid) received from a source (e.g., air compressor  20 ) into pipe  10 . The source (e.g., air compressor  20 ) may be located on a vessel (e.g., barge or ship  25 ) or on land. 
     As stated above, pipe  10  is preferably capped at its free end (if high pressure hose  15  is connected to one end of pipe  10 ), or capped at both ends (if high pressure hose  15  is connected intermediate the length of pipe  10 ) so as to force the air passing into the pipe to exit through the perforations extending along the length of the pipe. The air bubbles  40  produced by the pressurized air exiting perforations  30  and rising to the surface of the water effectively form an air curtain in the path of oil plume  12 . Again, this air curtain is created so that it has sufficient turbulence to form an effective barrier for the oil plume. Since the pipe is located in the pathway of oil plume  12 , it will have the effect of creating a barrier in the water, thus preventing the oil plume from entering into a bay or harbor or river or canal, or from reaching shoreline, etc. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, pipe  10  (with perforations  30 ) may be attached to the side of a boat or may be towed behind a boat, preferably submerged in the water, and the pressurized air may be passed through pipe  10  and out of perforations  30  so as to prevent oil plume  12  from reaching sensitive areas (e.g., a shoreline or marsh). 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, and looking now at  FIGS. 7-10 , pipe  10  (with perforations  30 ) may be attached to the side of a dock and the pressurized air may be passed through pipe  10  and out of perforations  30  so as to direct the flow of air away from the dock, thereby preventing oil plume  12  from reaching land. 
     Additionally, as noted above, system  5  may be used to direct the oil spill to a specific area to facilitate physical removal of the oil spill, e.g, with surface skimmers. 
     Furthermore, system  5  may be used to mobilize sub-surface portions of an oil plume (such as floating tar balls or heavy oil) for surface recovery. By way of example but not limitation, some of the heavy oil that is sitting on the floor of an ocean oil spill could be mobilized by the turbulent air bubbles created by the system and rising in the water, so that the oil can be recovered on the surface. 
     It is important to note that perforations  30  in pipe  10  may be formed in the top of the pipe, in the side of the pipe and/or in the bottom of the pipe, and this may depend on where pipe  10  is positioned in the body of water. By way of example but not limitation, if pipe  10  is positioned on the floor of the ocean, perforations  30  could be formed in the top of pipe  10  so that air bubbles  40  rise to the surface of the water and effectively form an air curtain in the path of an oil spill. Alternatively, if pipe  10  is floating on a body of water, or attached to a boat or a dock, perforations  30  could be formed in the side of pipe  10  so that air bubbles  40  are directed through the body of water, thus forming a turbulent air bubble barrier to the oil spill. 
     General Construction of the Present Invention 
     Pipe  10  may be made of steel, heavy hose, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or any other material consistent with the present invention, and is preferably two inches to four inches in diameter, although it may also be of other sizes (e.g., 0.50 inch to 20+ inches in diameter). Perforations  10  are preferably 0.05 inch to 1.0 inch in diameter, although they may also be of any other size consistent with the present invention. 
     As stated above, pipe  10  may be anchored on the floor, or otherwise suspended a few feet above the floor, of the body of water. It is important that pipe  10  be secured in the body of water so that pipe  10  does not unintentionally move in the water, e.g., under the influence of a current or tide, etc. This is particularly important where there is a strong current, such as may exist at the entrance to harbors, bayous, rivers, bays, etc. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, and looking now at  FIG. 11 , pipe  10  may be anchored (with or without a flotation device  58 ) to the ocean floor through the use of an anchor  60  secured to pipe  10  by a cable  65 . In this embodiment, the length of cable  65  is selected so that pipe  10  is anchored in the body of water at the desired depth. By way of example but not limitation, when pipe  10  is to be secured a few feet off of the floor of a body of water, the length of cable  65  used to attach pipe  10  to anchor  60  would also be a few feet long. 
     In another embodiment, and looking now at  FIGS. 12-17 , pipe  10  may be positioned and secured to the floor of a body of water through the use of an anchor  70 . Pipe  10  may be attached to anchor  70  by U-bolts  72  or welding. 
     In one embodiment, anchor  70  comprises a steel skid plate  75  having an appropriate thickness (e.g., between approximately 1/16 of an inch and ⅜ of an inch, or some other appropriate thickness (which may be much thicker in high current areas or where the size, and hence the buoyancy, of pipe  10  is high) and having holes  80  formed therein. The unit (e.g., pipe  10  and attached anchor  70 ) is positioned along the floor of a body of water, and if the unit should unintentionally shift with the water current or tide, holes  80  fill with sand and further anchor the unit to the floor of the body of water. 
     In addition to using anchor  70  to secure pipe  10  in a body of water, anchor  70  may also be used prevent two sections of a pipe from being pulled apart. More particularly, anchor  70  may be attached to pipe  10  at each point where pipe  10  is connected (or coupled) to another pipe  10  in order to prevent the two sections of the pipe from being pulled apart. 
     Further Constructions 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, pipe  10  may also be provided with an equalization pipe so that air may be delivered into and through pipe  10  at both ends of the pipe. More particularly, and looking now at  FIG. 13 , a small diameter equalization pipe  85  is attached to pipe  10  for equalizing the air pressure so that air pressure may be delivered into and through pipe  10  at both ends of the pipe. 
     In still another embodiment of the present invention, system  5  may also comprise a chain or wire rope  90  attached as a yoke to anchor  70 , so that system  5  can be pulled into place or moved through the body of water by pulling chain or wire rope  90  attached to anchor  70 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a wire cable may be extended along the length of pipe  10  and attached to at least one of pipe  10  and anchor  70 . Hoses of various lengths may be attached to the cable or the pipe. The hoses deliver microbes or nutrients to the water to help degrade the oil. 
     Additional Concepts 
     It should also be appreciated that the air/oxygen emerging from pipe  10  can be directed by tide and/or wind to certain sensitive areas that require bioremediation. By way of example but not limitation, pipe  10  can be positioned off shore and tide and/or wind can be used to deliver the air/oxygen toward shore. 
     Furthermore, oyster beds and clam beds can be bioremediated by using system  5  to deliver air/oxygen and microbes to the beds so as to protect these important resources. By way of example but not limitation, system  5  may be placed on both sides of an oyster bed to continuously supply oxygen (and preferably bioremediation microbes as well) to the oyster bed and thereby facilitate a faster cleanup of oil in the oyster bed. 
     Modifications of the Preferred Embodiments 
     It should be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the present invention, may be made by those skilled in the art while still remaining within the principles and scope of the invention.