Oil Removal

Heavy fuel oil is a particularly noxious pollutant and proves difficult to remove, especially at greater depths and colder temperatures.

We have been involved in several operations to remove oil from such potentially polluting shipwrecks involving innovative techniques to heat the oil to pumpable temperatures, or develop specific oil removal equipment.

The European Commission are aware of this potential time bomb and have carried out research into possible mitigation techniques.

We have presented papers to the EU and UK Coastguard on the practical difficulties that such operations face.