Oil Spill Remediation in the Gulf of Mexico

An oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico leaked an estimated 3 million barrels of oil, creating a significant environmental remediation challenge. Environmental contractors were evaluating treatment options for the contaminated water generated during the cleanup.

Hydrosil supplied HS-200 to the environmental remediation contractor working on the oil spill cleanup. The contractor first performed bench-scale testing to evaluate the media and treatment approach. Based on the testing results, the contractor designed a treatment system using HS-200.

The resulting treatment system was used to remediate millions of gallons of contaminated water.

Industry Type: Oil and Gas

Pollutants: Oil, Hydrocarbons, Heavy Metals

Media Used: HS-200 Organoclay Series

The Challenge: Treating Water Contaminated by an Oil Spill

The oil spill created a large-scale water remediation challenge for the environmental contractors involved in the cleanup. The contaminated water required treatment as part of the overall remediation process.

With millions of gallons of water requiring treatment, the contractor needed to evaluate an effective treatment approach before designing a larger-scale system. The oil that was in the water contained both complex emulsions and dissolved oil at high concentrations. 

Evaluating HS-200 Through Bench-Scale Testing

Hydrosil supplied HS-200 to the environmental remediation contractor for testing. The contractor first performed bench-scale testing to evaluate the media’s performance with the contaminated water.

The results of the testing were then used to guide the design of a treatment system incorporating HS-200. This testing-first approach allowed the contractor to evaluate the treatment media on a smaller scale before implementing the solution for large-volume water treatment.

Small scale column testing such as rapid small-scale column testing (RSSCT) is a common method of qualifying that a filter media is a successful option for a project. During RSSCT the customer quantified the treatment capacity of the media, removal efficiency, and media life before changeout.

Large-Scale Water Remediation

Following the bench-scale testing, the environmental contractor designed a treatment system using HS-200. The system was then used to treat millions of gallons of contaminated water generated during the oil spill cleanup. The HS-200 demonstrated an oil removal capacity of close to removing forty-four pounds of oil per cubic foot of media used. 

This application demonstrates how bench-scale testing can help guide the selection and design of a treatment approach for large-scale environmental remediation projects. By evaluating the media under representative conditions first, contractors can use the results to help develop a treatment system suited to the specific application.

For oil spill response, industrial wastewater, and other applications involving oil- and hydrocarbon-contaminated water, Hydrosil can help evaluate the application and identify an appropriate organoclay media solution for water treatment and remediation.