Key Points
The Mendes Oil Trap is a flow-through hydrocarbon collection system that has been tested in real-life shoreline and open sea conditions by the government of Aruba and the results show a consistent 99.8% oil from seawater removal rate.
- This proven and tested technology can serve as full-time fortification around platforms and as a first line of defense if an event occurs. It can be used–and, in fact, works particularly well–in rough waters. Oil does not go over or under the barrier, as happens with booms.
- Traps can be strategically located and shared in the event of a major spill. They can be towed behind a boat and easily connected in a train-like arrangement and/or tailored to the specific needs and conditions of a slick or potential contaminated water condition.
- Unlike booms, the traps are reusable. Oil-soaked materials inside the traps can be recycled to produce energy. There is no negative impact to the environment either on land or in water.
The Oil Trap System is financially feasible because the traps themselves and the absorbent materials, which consist of a synthetic polymer in the form of a hydro-phobic oleophilic fibrous material, are inexpensive. They do not require expensive or complex machinery to deploy.
