Bubble curtains could contain oil spills in harsh conditions

A recent trial of the technology used a bubble curtain measuring 12m in length and 1.5m in width to contain a mock spill at the Trondheim Fjord in Norway.

‘We already knew that the bubble curtain works in still water and that it actually has a calming effect on waves. What we wanted to test in this field trial was the maximum current strength that our equipment could deal with,’ said Grim Eidnes, a marine technology scientist at Norwegian research institute SINTEF.

The hardware consists of a large grating covered in perforated rubber air hoses that release bubbles generated by a compressor. The grating is submerged to a depth of a couple of metres, where it releases a dense ‘wall’ of bubbles.

As they rise to the surface, they drag the surrounding water with them. When this water reaches the surface, it creates a horizontal surface current that keeps the oil in place and prevents it from spreading further. This makes it easier to control and collect the oil spill.