U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual Volume 6 - Oil Spill Response

S0300-A6-MAN-060Figure 7-1. Oil Behavior on Beach Surfaces.vehicles and heavy equipment should be weighed against the increased contamination of shorelinematerial.The best method of gross cleaning of sand is to skim the surface layers from the beach forremoval to a proper disposal site.• Mud shorelines are easily damaged by crossing personnel or vehicles. Allowing oil todrain across or through a muddy shore is preferable to attempting cleanup.Personnel working from shallow draft boats at high water can cut and remove vegetation to helpoil flow across the shoreline. Low-pressure water flow from hoses can flush oil from wetlands.7-5.5 Cleaning of Moderate Contamination. Cleaning of moderate contamination is the mostdifficult and time-consuming work of an oil spill response. It is labor-intensive and, dependingupon the local environment, can be dangerous for personnel. To be effective, cleaning methodsfor removal of moderate oil contamination must be well thought out.7-5.5.1 Rocks and Boulders and Artificial Structures. High-pressure water and steam removemoderate oil contamination from rocks and boulders. Oil flowing from contaminated objects mustbe collected quickly so additional areas do not become contaminated. Strategically placed containmentbooms or sorbents can collect runoff from final cleaning.Local climate and weather determine the best measures for cleaning moderate contaminationfrom rocks and boulders. In hot climates, oil bakes onto rocks and boulders, requiring high waterpressures and temperatures for removal. Hot water and steam are also necessary for cleaning inArctic or very cold regions because oil becomes very viscous or solidifies at low temperature.Viscosity and weathering influence removal. Because of their resistance to flow, high-viscosityand weathered oils are more difficult to remove than low-viscosity oils.Sandblasting can clean rocks and boulders by removing stains and moderate contamination. Thismethod is appropriate where all evidence of oil contamination must be removed.7-8