The Basics of Oil Spill Cleanup

Reflecting the rapid progress in cleanup technology since the previous edition, this revised and expanded third edition of The Basics of Oil Spill Cleanup covers current cleanup techniques, how oil spills are measured and detected, and the properties of the oil and its long-term fate in the environment. It also deals with why, how often, and where oil spills occur as well as the chemical composition and physical properties of various oil types.

The chapters describe surface and remote sensing technologies used to detect and track oil slicks, and methods to contain oil on water (booms and ancillary equipment) and recover oil from the water surface (skimmers, sorbents, and manual recovery). The author discusses the use of pumps, in-situ burning, and chemical agents, such as dispersants, for oil removal. He also addresses oil-contaminated shorelines and the effects and behavior of oil on different ecosystems and the various organisms within them. Written for the general public as well as those directly involved with oil spill cleanup, this edition provides broad, up-to-date knowledge of the cleanup and control of spills.

Merv Fingas, M.Sc., MBA, Ph.D., has worked for more than 38 years in the field of oil spill technology. He was chief of Environment Canada’s Environmental Emergencies Technology Centre in Ottawa for over 30 years. He has conducted research in spill dynamics and behavior, and studies of spill treating agents, in-situ burning of oil, and oil spill chemistry and analysis. Dr. Fingas has authored or coauthored more than 800 technical reports and papers on various aspects of oil or chemical research. These include topics such as oil emulsion formation, oil evaporation, treating agent testing and use, studies of oil analysis and fingerprinting, in-situ burning of oil, oil spill remote sensing, and personal protection equipment. This is his seventh book.