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CSIC ENV018- Removal of petrol from sunken oil tanker by using supercritical fluids
A Spanish research institute has patented a new method for the removal of petrol from sunken oil tankers to the water surface by using supercritical fluids in the conditions presented at such depths. The process has clear economical advantages over existing methods for the extraction of petrol from sunken containers avoiding environmental disasters. The research institute is looking for industrial partners interested in licence the patent and in a further development of the technology.
Specification sheet:
DESCRIPTION

This technology constitutes a procedure for modifying the chemical composition, viscosity and/or density of a hydrocarbon, contained within a vessel at the bottom of the sea or lake, for the purpose of immobilising it within sunken containers or of removing it to the surface. The procedure is based on the use of a supercritical fluid as a consequence of the pressure conditions existing at the working depth. There are two uses that can be addressed based on this technique:

1. By acting with a suitable supercritical fluid upon a portion of the hydrocarbon in the vicinity of a crack, a selective extraction may be made of the lighter fractions, thereby enriching the heavier fractions of the hydrocarbon, which would lead to the sealing of the crack, when the overall bulk of the hydrocarbon, in its natural tendency to flow out, pushes this highly viscous portion towards the crack.

2. By acting with the suitable supercritical fluid upon the whole of the bulk of the hydrocarbon, with non-selective dissolving, this will increase its fluidity and subsequently facilitate its removal through a conduit. A mixtures of various supercritical fluids, together with the application of suitable modifiers, lead to the development of fluids which are supercritical at the pressures and temperatures present on the sea bed, without the requirement for heating.

An experimental plant has been constructed and some experimental verifications have been carried out successfully. The equipment required for the implementation of the technology has been designed and the Spanish government is funding an RTD project for a further study of this technology.

INNOVATIVE ASPECTS

The innovative aspect of the present process is the use of supercritical fluids to extract oil from sunken container to the water surface. Supercritical fluids reduce the viscosity of the greater part of the bulk to be removed, which facilitate the removal to the surface of the stored crude. The technology can also be used to modify the chemical composition of the hydrocarbon in the vicinity of the crack by altering its viscosity and/or density, for the purpose of halting the outward seepage of hydrocarbon.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

After “Prestige” oil spill accident causing an environmental disaster in Spain, it was manifested that the existing technologies to remove hydrocarbon from sunken container to the water surface are not only extremely expensive, but also not efficient enough to remove the oil in time avoiding the environmental disaster. By the proposed technology oil can be removed from sunken containers by using a fast and simple method while resulting much cheaper than other alternative technologies.

KEYWORDS

Petrol removal, wreck removal, marine salvage, prevention of environmental disasters, transport and storage of fuels, water pollution

PATENT

ES 200300180-618, applied for at 24/01/2003

CONTACT

Javier Maira Vidal
email: j.maira@orgc.csic.es
phone: +34 91 5854954

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