How to apply dispersants from vessels: a practical field guide
This short field guide is intended to be used by anyone using dispersants to combat oil spills at sea. Basic coverage of set-up, spraying and maintenance are included to assist the operator in the safe, efficient and effective use of this response tool.
Dispersants are chemicals designed to change the black oil that is floating as a layer on the sea surface into a plume of small droplets that move into the water column to a depth of 5 – 10 meters.
This cloud of oil will quickly be diluted to a low concentration where it will be naturally degraded, reducing its impact on the environment by decreasing the:
- Persistence of the oil in the environment
- Risk of oil impacting the shoreline
- Volume of waste created
