# US 4,399,040 A · Open sea skimmer barge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,399,040 A - Document ID: US4399040A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/304,511 - Filed: 1981-09-21 - Granted: 1983-08-16 - Earliest claimed: 1980-06-19 - Assignees: Halliburton Company - Inventors: William M. Ayers; Ashok K. Maheshwary; Peter J. Young - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399040A ## CPC - E02B 15/046: {Collection of oil using vessels, i.e. boats, barges} - B63B 35/32: for collecting pollution from open water - Y02A 20/204: Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills - Y10S 210/923: using mechanical means, e.g. skimmers, pump - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract An open sea skimmer barge comprising a hull having a bow, bottom, side walls, stern having a substantially horizontal elongate slot extending across a portion thereof and a deck, a spill suction tunnel, a collection tank, secondary oil separation means and tertiary oil separation means. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of skimming oil and the like from the surface of a body of water utilizing a vessel having a hull having a bow, a stern having an elongate substantially horizontal slot extending across a portion thereof, side walls, a bottom, a deck, a spill suction tunnel, tunnel pump means, a collection tank, collection tank flap means located in the bottom of the collection tank and extensible into the spill suction tunnel, collection tank pump means, secondary oil recovery means, tertiary oil recovery means and oil boom means thereon, said method comprising the steps of: deploying the oil boom means on said vessel in said body of water; releasably securing oil boom means to the stern of said vessel; towing said vessel by the stern thereof into said oil and the like by the oil boom means; confining said oil and the like between the oil boom means thereby collecting said oil and the like adjacent the elongate substantially horizontal slot in the stern of said vessel; flowing said oil and the like and a portion of the water of said body of water underlying said oil and the like into the spill suction tunnel; flowing said oil and the like and an amount of water from said body of water which was flowed into the suction tunnel into the collection tank; separating said oil and the like from the water in the collection tank utilizing the secondary oil recovery means; and separating said oil and the like from substantially any remaining water contained therein utilizing the tertiary oil recovery means after the separation of said oil and the like from the water in the collection tank utilizing the secondary oil recovery means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: towing said vessel by the bow thereof to said oil and the like on the surface of said body of water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: adjusting the position of the oil boom means with respect to said vessel when releasably securing the oil boom means to the stern of said vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further wherein the tunnel pump means are utilized for flowing said oil and the like and a portion of the water of said body of water underlying said oil and the like into the spill suction tunnel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: extending the collection tank flap means into the spill suction tunnel to cause the flowing into the collection tank of said oil and the like and water from said body of water which was flowed into the spill suction tunnel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: controlling the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: flowing water from said body of water in the collection tank from said vessel into said body of water. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the collection tank pump means are utilized for flowing the water from said body of water in the collection tank from said vessel into said body of water. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: extending the collection tank flap means across the spill suction tunnel to cause the flowing into the collection tank of substantially all said oil and the like and water from said body of water which was flowed into the spill suction tunnel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of: controlling the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the collection tank pump means are utilized to pump the water from said body of water from the collection tank to said body of water thereby controlling the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: discharging the remaining amount of water in the spill suction tunnel means from said vessel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of: spraying dispersant chemicals into the spill suction tunnel after the flowing into the collection tank of said oil and the like and an amount of water from said body of water which was flowed into the spill suction tunnel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the initial portion of the spill suction tunnel is curvilinear. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: ballasting said vessel during said skimming oil and the like from the surface of a body of water. ### Claim 16 A method of skimming oil and the like from the surface of a body of water utilizing a vessel having a bow, a stern having an elongate substantially horizontal slot extending across a portion thereof, side walls, a bottom a deck, tunnel pump means, a collection tank, collection tank flap means located in the bottom of the collection tank and extensible into the spill suction tunnel, collection tank pump means, secondary oil recovery means, tertiary oil recovery means, and oil boom means thereon, said method comprising the steps of: towing said vessel by the bow thereof to said oil and the like of the surface of said body of water; deploying the oil boom means on said vessel in said body of water; releasably securing the oil boom means to the stern of said vessel; towing said vessel by the stern thereof into said oil and the like by the oil boom means; confining said oil and the like between the oil boom means thereby collecting said oil and the like adjacent the elongate substantially horizontal slot in the stern of said vessel; flowing said oil and the like and a portion of the water of said body of water underlying said oil and the like into the spill suction tunnel utilizing the tunnel pump means; extending the collection tank flap means into the spill suction tunnel; flowing said oil and the like and an amount of water from said body of wateer which was flowed into the spill suction tunnel through the collection tank flap means into the collection tank; separating said oil and the like from a substantial portion of the water which was flowed into the collection tank therewith utilizing the secondary oil recovery means; flowing water from said body of water in the collection tank from said vessel into said body of water utilizing the collection tank pump means; and separating said oil and the like from substantially any remaining water contained therein utilizing the tertiary oil recovery means after the separation of said oil and the like from the water in the collection tank utilizing the secondary oil recovery means. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: controlling the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the collection tank flap means are utilized for controlling of the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the collection tank flap means and the collection tank pump means are utilized for controlling of the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the collection tank flap means, the collection tank pump means and the secondary oil recovery means are utilized for controlling of the amount of said oil and the like and water from said body of water in the collection tank. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: discharging the remaining amount of water in the spill suction tunnel means from said vessel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of: spraying dispersant chemicals into the spill suction tunnel after flowing said oil and the like and an amount of water from said body of water which was flowed into the spill tunnel into the collection tank. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: releasing the oil boom means from the stern of said vessel; retrieving the oil boom means from said body of water; cleaning the oil boom means while retrieving the same; and storing the oil boom means on said vessel. ### Claim 24 A method of skimming oil and the like from the surface of a body of water utilizing a vessel having a bow, a stern having an elongate substantially horizontal slot extending across a portion thereof, side walls, a bottom, a deck, tunnel pump means, a collection tank, collection tank flap means located in the bottom of the collection tank and extensible into the spill suction tunnel, collection tank pump means, secondary oil recovery means, tertiary oil recovery means, and oil boom means thereon, said method comprising the steps of: towing the vessel by the bow thereof to said oil and the like of the surface of said body of water; deploying the oil boom means on said vessel in said body of water; releasably securing the oil boom means to the stern of said vessel; towing said vessel by the stern thereof into said oil and the like by the oil boom means; confining said oil and the like between the oil boom means thereby collecting said oil and the like adjacent the elongate substantially horizontal slot in the stern of said vessel; flowing said oil and the like and a portion of the water of said body of water underlying said oil and the like into the spill suction tunnel utilizing the tunnel pump means; extending the collection tank flap means into the spill suction tunnel; flowing said oil and the like and an amount of water from said body of water which was flowed into the spill suction tunnel through the collection tank flap means into the collection tank; separating said oil and the like from a substantial portion of the water which was flowed into the collection tank therewith utilizing the secondary oil recovery means; flowing water from said body of water in the collection tank from said vessel into said body of water utilizing the collection tank pump means; discharging the remaining amount of water in the spill suction tunnel means from said vessel; and separating said oil and the like from substantially any remaining water contained therein utilizing the tertiary oil recovery means after the separation of said oil and the like from the water in the collection tank utilizing the secondary oil recovery means. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the secondary oil separation means comprises filter belt module means. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein the tertiary oil separation means comprises gravity type oil separation means.