Crouse Oil Spill Response System

Abstract

This invention relates to oil spill response. This invention is several independent inventions making up a system. Each part of the system can be used by itself, with each other, and or with any other oil spill response equipment or system. This provides particular methods of crating barriers between the oil and areas to be protected, a method of gaining access to environmentally sensitive areas for spill clean up and response, a particular method of suctioning the spilled oil or pollutants, particular equipment used to suction oil from the water surface, and a way to create efficiency in the clean up and response operations.

1 . A method for responding to oil spills comprising of:
 (a) a method of creating barriers between the oil and protected area or any other area to be protected consisting of linked barges called a Barge Wall  700  with or not with Skirts  778 , which can be connected to, backed up by, or extended by traditional barriers and or other new methods of creating barriers called Pipe Boom Barriers  780 ;   (b) a method of a more environmentally safe form of travel by water to get workers and oil clean up and or vacuum equipment through or to the protected areas such as marshes and swamps, etc. for the purpose of suctioning and or cleaning the oil from the water or area using smaller vacuum vessels which are normally used for recreation and or fishing in the protected areas;   (c) a more environmentally safe method of suctioning the oil from the surface of the water in the protected areas using hoses or vacuum tips connected to smaller vacuum units such as Shop Vac brand vacuums and or industrial style wet/dry vacuum units on barrels or 55 gallon drums, and or other vacuums properly connected to containers, etc. for the purpose of suctioning the oil from the surface of the water;   (d) a method of suctioning the oil from the water using skilled workers holding the hoses or tips of wet/dry capable vacuum units directly above the surface of the oil floating on top of the water and slowly lowering the vacuum down onto or just close enough to the oil until the oil begins to suction into the vacuum, and without submerging the vacuum hose or tip all the way under the water;   (e) a method of creating a team style operation to increase efficiency using Team Vessels, which are more environmentally acceptable vessels for travel to and or through protected areas. The team vessels are the same types of vessels normally made for fishing or recreation in or around protected areas, and that help increase the efficiency of the clean up operations by performing any or all of the following tasks: servicing the needs of the workers, refueling or servicing equipment on the vacuum vessels, refueling vacuum vessels, transporting the suctioned oil from the vacuum vessel to the barge wall or to docks near the area for disposal, having first aid or medical capabilities, helping to spot and or mark GPS coordinates of pockets of oil so to transfer information to the vacuum vessels or any other personnel, and or helping in any way.   
     
     
         2 . A part of the method or system of  claim 1 , the Barge Wall, also which has the option of being a place capable of housing in any way numerous equipment helpful to the overall task of oil clean up such as: housing for workers, food and drink stations, vacuum equipment of all kinds including vacuum trucks, traditional or alternative oil collection equipment, many empty containers for holding collected oil, fuel and or fuel trucks, etc. 
     
     
         3 . A part of  claim 1 , the Barge Wall, which can also be wrapped in a ‘skirt’ on one or both sides, and or have skirts hanging from the sides where two barges connect or butt up against one another which can also act to further block the oil; 
     
     
         4 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , a Pipe Boom Barrier  780  for holding back oil, Pipe Boom, can form a long rigid barrier system formed in two ways. One way is by linking pipes to pipes via pipe fittings and extensions (also angled extensions), and the other way is link Pipe Boom segments to other pipe boom segments (discussed in several ways) forming a longer stronger rigid barrier more capable of holding up to and or withstanding forces associated with the ocean areas such as wind, currents, waves, etc. The Pipe Boom Barriers  780  can also be linked to other forms of barriers, backed up by other barriers, be extended in length by tying or affixing to other forms of barriers such as traditional barriers like oil absorbent booms, etc. Pipe Boom Barriers can also be connected to the Barge Wall or other Pipe Boom Barriers, etc. Pipe Boom Barriers  780  are made up of piping materials such as PVC and or hard Plastics or thinner metals which are more rigid and stronger barriers than traditional oil absorbing booms made buoyant in ways discussed. The Pipe Booms  780  a.k.a. Pipe Boom Barriers  780  may have affixed to or be wrapped with Skirts  778 . One side of the skirt may or may not hang down several feet below the water surface via tied to Skirt Weights  799 . 
     
     
         5 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , the Barge Wall, which can have equipment that vacuums or suctions the oil from off the sides of the wall, from the surrounding area, and or from the containers of the vacuum vessels and or the team vessels. 
     
     
         6 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , a Barge Wall, which may or may not be used in conjunction with or adjacent or next to, a Air Bubble Curtain, which releases air bubble from below the oil so that it helps to raise the oil to the surface for ease of collection. 
     
     
         7 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , a Barge Wall, having the option of alternative devices or equipment being attached or affixed to it in any way for the purpose of collecting, shifting, or moving oil in any way. Any potential alternative device or equipment can be used. One potential alternative device may be the use of nets, either used by skimming vessels running along the wall or used from the wall by workers walking on the wall, or used by equipment on the wall, etc. where non porous netting, but porous only to the extent that water but not oil passes through, may be used in to manipulate or collect the oil. 
     
     
         8 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , vacuum vessels consisting of shallow hulled vessels better suited for the environment such as marshes, swamps, etc. where traditional deeper hulled cannot go. Examples of these vessels include: bass boats, shrimp boats, swamp boats also called fan boats, john boats, fishing boats, police boats, etc. The boats can get to the shallow waters near the shore or go through protected areas doing minimal harm to the environment. 
     
     
         9 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , a vacuum method consisting of holding a vacuum hose and or vacuum hose tip connected to a vacuum hose, for the purpose of collection of oil from the surface of the water using a specific method where the worker physically holds the hose about a inch or two above the water then slowly lowers the hose onto or just above and barely touching the oil on the water surface so that the oil starts to suction or vacuum, and then the hose is held still or raised from the water slowly at just at about a half inch to one or two inches allowing the thick oily texture of the oil to help in the suction or collection process. This methods helps to collect crude oil better and limits water intake. 
     
     
         10 . The method or a part of  claim 1 , consisting of using smaller vacuum equipment placed on the vacuum vessels such as wet dry Shop-Vac brand and or industrial wet/dry capable vacuum units affixed to drums, barrels, or the containers they are sold with for the purpose of oil collection. These vacuums are not built specifically for collecting oil, but they are used for this purpose. The actual vacuum units can be taken off one filled container, drum, or barrel and placed on another empty container, drum, or barrel. A top can then be placed on or secured to the filled drum or barrel for off loading onto another vessel or the Barge Wall, or the collected oil can later be pumped or suctioned out into container units on other vessels. 
     
     
         11 . A method or part of  claim 1 , where Team Vessels or spotters from blimps, drone, airships, planes, helicopters, other vessels etc. can work together for efficiency and mark GPS coordinates of spotted oil pockets so that the information can be used and or transferred to vacuum vessels or other personnel for collection. This increases efficiency of the overall operation while also helping this system to work with others in a seamless way. 
     
     
         12 . A method of part  1 , where more environmentally safe vessels can be used travel to and or through the protected areas by team vessels. These vessels are vessels normally used for fishing and or recreation in or close to those same areas. These vessels have shallow hulls where most all oil collection vessels and equipment are deeper hulled vessels. Examples of those vessels would be fan boats also called swamp boats, fishing boats, john boats, bass boats, police boats, etc. Barges may also be anchored and used in some areas.