Ship-borne oil dispersant procedure and apparatus

An oil disperser system comprising:

• (a) means for automatically detecting a leak of oil from an oil tank in a ship into a body of water;
• (b) means for holding an oil dispersant;
• and
• (c) means, responsive to said detecting means, for automatically releasing said oil dispersant from said dispersant holding means into said oil so that said oil is dispersed in said body of water;
• said ship supporting said holding means and said detecting means;
• and
• said detecting means comprising means for detecting a deformation of the walls of said tank indicative of said leak.

An oil disperser system comprising:

• means for automatically detecting an oil flow at an off-shore drilling platform, into a body of water;
• means for holding an oil dispersant, said platform supporting said holding means;
• and
• means, responsive to said detecting means, for automatically releasing said oil dispersant from said dispersant holding means into said oil so that said oil is dispersed in said body of water;
• and
• wherein said holding means includes a second container having a plurality of sections, said releasing means including means for releasing said dispersant from each of said sections in a predetermined sequence.

A method for dispersing oil with an oil dispersant in the event of a leak of said oil from a first container having exterior walls adjacent to a body of water, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing said dispersant in a second container adjacent said oil;
• automatically sensing a condition caused by said leak including sensing a change in oil pressure inside the first container, and sensing a change in the volume of oil in the first container;
• and
• automatically releasing said dispersant from said second container into said oil in response to said sensing so that said oil may be dispersed thereby.

A method for dispersing oil with an oil dispersant in the event of a leak of said oil from a first container having exterior walls adjacent to a body of water, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing said dispersant in a second container adjacent said oil;
• automatically sensing a condition caused by said leak including the step of sensing a deformation in the walls of the first container;
• and
• automatically releasing said dispersant from said second container into said oil in response to said sensing so that said oil may be dispersed thereby.

A method for dispersing oil with an oil dispersant in the event of a leak of said oil from a first container in a ship, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing said dispersant in a second container adjacent said oil, said second container being mounted inside said first container;
• automatically sensing a condition caused by said leak including the step of sensing a deformation in the walls of the first container;
• and
• automatically releasing said dispersant from said second container into said oil in response to said sensing so that said oil may be dispersed thereby.

A method for dispersing oil with an oil dispersant in the event of a leak of said oil from a first container in a ship, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing said dispersant in a second container adjacent said oil, said second container being mounted inside said first container;
• automatically sensing a condition caused by said leak;
• and
• automatically releasing said dispersant from said second container into said oil in response to said sensing so that said oil may be dispersed thereby;
• and
• storing a second quantity of dispersant along the outside surface of said oil tank, so that said second quantity of dispersant will mix with said oil as said oil leaks from said tank in the event of a rupture of said tank.

A method for dispersing oil with an oil dispersant in the event of a leak of said oil from a first container comprising an oil platform drill casing having exterior walls adjacent to a body of water, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing said dispersant in a second container adjacent said oil by mounting said second container to an off-shore oil drilling platform;
• automatically sensing a condition caused by said leak including measuring a pressure variation in said drill casing;
• and
• automatically releasing said dispersant from said second container into said oil in response to said sensing so that said oil may be dispersed thereby.