Oil spill containment and recovery system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oil containment and recovery system for confining and collecting oil spills wherein the oil spill is surrounded and contained within a floating barrier and the oil is pumped from within the enclosure defined by the floating barrier into floating reservoirs proximate the barrier. The floating barrier utilizes an elongate inflatable buoyant member and an elongate suction conduit depending downwardly from the buoyant member and having a plurality of apertures formed therein through which oil flows into the suction member. The inflatable member is inflated with air to obtain the desired buoyancy. The weight means depends downwardly from the suction conduit to maintain the buoyant member and suction conduit in a desired orientation to facilitate containment and collection of the oil spill. The buoyant member is collapsible into a substantially flat configuration such that the floating barrier and conduit can be wrapped about a reel in a compact manner which facilitates storage and transportation thereof. A pump in fluid communication with the suction .conduit effects oil flow from the suction conduit to a centrifuge which separates water from the collected oil. The oil is then pumped to a floating reservoir proximate the floating barrier.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.