Apparatus and method for recovery of hydrocarbons from the surface of a body of water

Abstract

An apparatus for the removal of hydrocarbons from a body of water comprising a temperature reduction device comprising a heat exchange in thermal communication with a flow of a liquefied cryogen, the temperature reduction device being adapted to receive a hydrocarbon/water mixture, position a first surface of the at least partially phase separated mixture in thermal communication with the heat exchanger, and reduce the temperature of the at least partially phase separated mixture to a temperature sufficient to cause the hydrocarbon phase to at least partially congeal or at least partially solidify.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.