Specialized foam takes on new role in Gulf cleanup
A polyolefin foam used in the medical and construction fields has taken on a new role as a powerful tool in BP's Gulf response efforts to remove oil from the water, shorelines, and marshes. The foam, called Opflex, allows water to flow through, but attracts and traps oil. It can be made in various shapes, including in pads to mop up oil from coastal marshes and in sausage-like rolls for deployment as offshore booms.
Scott Smith, chief executive officer of Cellect Plastics, the maker of Opflex, sees great potential for the product in oil cleanup and other water treatment applications that go beyond its original uses in the medical and construction fields.
"The advantage of Opflex is that it's buoyant open-cell foam that repels water while absorbing oil," says Smith. "It is 70% lighter than conventional booms, costs a fraction of conventional material, is biodegradable, and is highly efficient — absorbing 60 pounds of oil with a 12-foot boom."
"It's better than good," says Larry Hooper, who formerly served as captain of a charter fishing boat and now is providing BP with logistics support. "I've used it out in the ocean and the old-type booms can't come close to matching its performance."
Ken Rice has used Opflex-based pads in cleanup operations in the North Pass marshes of South Louisiana. "People love it once they get their hands on it," he says.
Another key feature is reusability. "Unlike conventional pads, which are considered hazardous waste after absorbing oil and must be disposed of in accordance with various government regulations, Opflex can be reused up to 100 times," says David Kinnaird, who led the first BP response team to evaluate the material.
Various methods for extracting the oil from the foam include using centrifuges or wringers similar to those on old-fashioned washing machines. After Opflex has collected the oil, the foam can be wrung out into a suitable container.
Early in the Gulf response, Kinnaird was impressed by a product demonstration of Opflex and contacted Lou Weltzer, who was stationed in the Critical Resources Unit in New Orleans with responsibility for evaluating cleanup materials. After receiving his own product demonstration, Weltzer placed an order for a truckload of the material. Subsequent orders from BP total about two million square feet. Weltzer also began contacting associates at other locations to spread awareness of Opflex's capabilities. Since the experience with BP, Smith has received an order from the Chinese government to assist in the Dalian Oil Port cleanup, as well as a range of other cleanup operations throughout the country, which continues to solidify Opflex's role as a new and effective method for oil spill cleanup.
|
|
