Technologies Used
Oil Skimmers
separate the oil from the water so that it can be siphoned away.
Dispersants
are chemicals used to break up oil, much as dish soap helps remove oil from dirty dishes in the sink. Dispersants break the oil
into smaller blobs, so that nature can better dissolve the oil through turbulence and other natural means. Oil is, after all,
a naturally occurring substance made of liquefied dinosaurs.
Microbes
are oil-eating fungi and bacteria that break down the oil to extract hydrocarbons.
Relief Wells
help lessen the pressure on the main well, so that the oil can be redirected rather than spilling
into the water.
Containment Domes
are giant domes that are lowered over the leaks in order to catch the oil and then pipe it
to the surface.