Gulf oil spill: Could Norway have a solution?

While the Gulf of Mexico oil spill might seem like a US problem, the slick has the potential to devastate the world's ecology along with fish stocks and the economy connected to it. As such, everyone is trying to come up with ways to clear up the spillage, but a Norwegian company could have a naturally occurring tool that could be used to clean up the oil.

The company, Kallak Torvstrøfabrikk, has developed a super absorbent organic peat moss that can 'soak up' oil floating on water. Once the oil is absorbed, the peat can then be scooped out of the ocean along with the toxic oil. As the peat doesn't absorb water, there is no chance of it sinking. While the peat was billed as a useful tool for clearing up oil-spills after minor incidents, the scale of the Gulf oil spill means that every possibility is being looked at.

Traditionally the three-man company has traditionally sold treated peat moss as a component of soil for flowering plants and as growth medium, but the ability of the peat as an absorbent meant that the company looked at its potential in other areas.

Initial tests with SINTEF's Marine Environmental Technology department have yielded positive results along with a successful field test in 2009 when the tanker "Full City" ran aground off Langesund on the south-east coast of Norway, causing severe oil contamination along much of the coast. This incident gave Kallak Torvstrøfabrikk the chance to demonstrate the efficacy of its new product on land.

According to Science Daily, Svein Ramstad of SINTEF's Marine Environment department said that the peat moss "was deployed on a geological conservation area near Langesund and at Stavern. The area was heavily contaminated, and particular care needed to be taken. Gravel and stones were mixed with the peat moss and were laid back in their original position, to good effect."

Naturally occurring solutions

Peat isn't the only solution discussed; with the oil spill now said to be the size of the state of Delaware other solutions are being looked at apart from the traditional methods. Another natural solution is to use natural microbes, that are already present in every ocean. Microbes are excellent cleaners and it is believed that with a bit of fertilizer, they could multiple and dine on the oil en mass removing it from the Gulf.

There is a downside however, this process of bio-remediation will unfortunately only work once the oil reaches shore and there is the potential for the microorganism to introduce the heavy metals present in the spill into the food chain. Larger organisms would eat them and it would continue up the food ladder until it reaches humans.

However, it is at least good to know there are options...

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