The Spilled Oil Containment Kit (SOCK), developed by Shell Development Company, was tested in a controlled crude oil dumping off the New Jersey Coast in early 1980. The skimmer had been designed as a physical attachment to an oil industry work boat in a vessel-of-opportunity deployment mode. The United States Naval Ship (USNS) Powhatan T-ATF fleet tug was chosen as a similar vessel and one that had an oil spill recovery operation mode. The test program is described, including the oil/water distribution and collection system, deployment and retrieval of the SOCK, the onboard fluid measurement, data analysis, logistics, weather and environment measurements, and the Powhatan/SOCK interface. The light crude oil and ocean water collected were stored aboard the vessel and decanted; the emulsified oil was later sold as waste oil. Eight experimental crude oil dumps are described and analyzed. The sea conditions varied from calm to 1.8-m significant wave heights. During the 6 days at sea, 50cu m of oil were dumped, and the skimmer collected 32 m of oil. The program is analyzed for future improvements to open ocean testing plans incorporating oil skimmers with and without vessels of opportunity.

This study conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Geological Survey. Project officer: John E. Brugger. Contract no. 68-03-2642. Project officer: Richard A. Griffiths. Photocopy.