Oil spill

Analysis and Comment (6)

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South Korean volunteer workers clean up an oil spill in December 2007. Could such scenes soon be a thing of the past? AAP

Don’t cry over spilled oil – use nanosheets

By Weiwei Lei, Deakin University and Ian Chen, Deakin University

We’re all too familiar with footage of ruptured tankers or busted rigs dumping millions of litres of oil into the sea, coating shorelines and animals in crude sludge. Many traditional methods of cleaning…
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The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill was a tragedy, but what legacy has it left? AAP/Bevil Knapp.

Two years on: the legacy of the BP-Deepwater Horizon oil spill

By Richard A. Snyder, Ph.D., University of West Florida

It is now two and a half years since the Deepwater Horizon oil well blowout in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Both the people and the ecosystem of the Gulf were changed by this massive spill; how well…
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The company that owned the Montara platform has been fined for its oil spill, but fines won’t stop more oil disasters. John Amos

Meagre fines won’t stop oil spills, but cooperation could

By Carlos Duarte, University of Western Australia and Rob Condon, The Conversation

In August 2009, a blowout at the Montara wellhead platform became Australia’s third-largest oil spill. Three years later, a fine of $510,000 has been levied on the Thai-based oil company PTT Exploration…
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The wrecking of the MV Tycoon happened just as Christmas Island’s famous crabs began spawning. Justin Gilligan

Christmas Island oil spill: time to value natural treasures, not just trade

By Jean-Paul Hobbs, University of Western Australia and Carlos Duarte, University of Western Australia

Christmas Island has been once again in the headlines: not because of incidents involving asylum-seekers, but because of the recent sinking and breaking up of the Panamanian phosphate carrier MC Tycoon…
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Oil gets into the ocean in all sorts of ways, but oil spills are the most visible. AAP

How can we clean up the Bay of Plenty oil spill?

By Nic Bax, CSIRO

Responding to oil spills, like that in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, is a very complex, high pressure situation. Decisions must be made based on whatever data are available at the time. One of the difficulties…

Research and News (2)

Research Briefs (2)

New sponge to clean up oil spills

Rice University

A new type of carbon nanotube sponge can absorb over 100 times its weight in oil making it perfect for cleaning up oil spills…

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