You know this oil spill thing could work out handy in 10 years or so.

[uscitizen]

Imagine a ship that required no fuel tank, it just skims it's fuel out of the ocean.

 

[slackjawed]

Why wait? Get that to market now!

It could also be a boon to the gulf area's economy by offering eco-diaster tourism.

I am surprised someone isn't selling tarballs from the spill on ebay as well.

 

[uscitizen]

Why wait? Get that to market now!

It could also be a boon to the gulf area's economy by offering eco-diaster tourism.

I am surprised someone isn't selling tarballs from the spill on ebay as well.

they sell better when called Petro Spheres.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Funny how there are already ships that can skim oil off of the water but they aren't allowed into the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[Ravi]

The Gulf is full of skimmers.

 

[Old Rocks]

Funny how there are already ships that can skim oil off of the water but they aren't allowed into the Gulf of Mexico.

There are about 400 skimmers in the Gulf right now. However, there are some laws that will have to be bent to get more skimmers on site.

Red tape keeps prized oil-fighting skimmers from Gulf, coastline | NOLA.com

According to the latest numbers from BP, 433 vessels are collecting oil in the Gulf, but less than a third of those are specialized boats designed specifically for oil skimming.

On the Senate floor last week, Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla., pointed to a Coast Guard map detailing more than 850 skimmers available in the southeastern United States -- and more than 1,600 available in the continental United States.

"We are literally talking about more than a thousand skimmers that are available, but we only have 400 - if this number is correct -- at work," LeMieux said. "It is hard to believe that the response is this anemic; it is hard to believe that there is this lack of urgency or sense of purpose in getting this done."

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires regions to have minimum levels of equipment such as boom and skimmers, making it difficult for every oil-fighting resource to be directed to the Gulf of Mexico.