Expanded oil recovery system from Elastec

American company Elastec has announced that it has expanded the capabilities of its unique oil spill recovery system by developing a complete system that includes the launch and recovery of the oil collector.

In developing this expanded system, Elastec has simplified the launch of the recovery unit so that it can be done by the three man crew of a recovery vessel. The full unit does not have to be installed permanently on the vessel but can be quickly loaded and installed. The full system can be housed within a 20 foot container.

"This system is a turning point in offshore and near shore mechanical oil spill recovery technology", said Donnie Wilson, the CEO of Elastec. "If the X Skimmer launching system had been available in concert with our fire boom systems in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, the oil clean up operation would have been much faster and more efficient."

The X150 skimmer, which is one of Elastec's popular units, is at the heart of this integrated oil recovery system. This unit was developed as a system designed for recovering extreme volumes of oil. It has a verified oil recovery rate of 150 cu. metres per hour and an oil recovery efficiency, which measures the oil-to-water collection ratio of 87.6%. A unique feature of the X150 are the rotating grooved discs incorporated into the unit and these discs pick up the oil from the water and it is them wiped clean with the oil being transferred into storage tanks.

The launch and recovery unit for the X150 is compact and when the recovery unit is lifted up under hydraulic power a gantry arm is extended over the side or stern of the recovery vessel allowing the X150 to be launched into the water. The inflatable booms that guide the oil into the recovery unit are attached and are deployed already connected and the hydraulic power hoses and the hose that collects the recovered oil are contained within the booms.

A unique feature of the Elastec system is that one arm of the collecting boom is extended out by means of a boom vane which acts like the otter boards on a trawl to keep the mouth of the booms wide apart. This takes away the need for a second vessel for the oil collection and simplifies the operation because just the one vessel is in control.

The self-contained system is wirelessly remote controlled and includes the launcher, the X150 skimmer, boom and reel, Boom Vane and power unit. With the hydraulic and discharge hoses built into the sweep boom, this eliminates any need for external umbilicals. With the complete system fitting into a container it can be shipped around the world at short notice and fitted to ships of opportunity.