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Aug 13, 2009 Sunken and submerged spilled oils Despite stringent precautions, accidents can happen at sea, and at times oil may be spilled. Oil has the potential to cause significant environmental damage, especially if spilled near sensitive resources. Counter-pollution response measures are used where possible to minimise any damage that may be caused. Oil spill response techniques may appear straightforward; oil is spilt, oil floats on water, so corral the oil with booms and pick it up with skimmers, or disperse it into the sea if appropriate. In reality, the problems of responding to spilled oil at sea are never simple; spilled oil will spread out over a large area, the properties of the spilled oil change with time and the oil drifts with currents and the wind. Prevailing weather and sea conditions often impose severe limitations on the effectiveness of any response and the time available for response before the oil impacts a sensitive location is often very short.

There can be a further unwelcome complication. What if the oil does not float, but sinks or submerges below the sea surface? This has happened at various locations around the world in the past and will almost certainly happen again.

From PTI 41 page 22. Read the full article here.