Cleaner oil

 

Oil is being made cleaner to help protect the environment. Harmful chemicals can be taken out of oil so it pollutes the environment less. Scientists are also finding safer ways to carry oil. They want to prevent oil spills and protect wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New oil tankers are safer than old tankers.

Oil tankers carry millions of gallons of oil. If they become damaged in an accident, they can cause huge oil spills. Nowadays, tankers can be built with double hulls. This means that if only the outside hull is damaged, the oil is still held safely inside the inner hull. Soon only double-hulled oil tankers will be allowed to carry oil.

 

 

 

Cleaner oil is being used to heat our homes.

We can use cleaner heating oil in our boilers to heat our homes. It has up to 90 percent less sulphur in it than normal heating oil. This new oil burns cleaner and more efficiently. Cleaner oil helps to reduce pollution.

 

 

 

 

This sludge is left at the bottom of oil containers.                                   

Oil sludge is the thick, sticky substance left at the bottom of oil tankers and storage containers. It is difficult to get rid of. In the past it has been disposed of in landfill sites or burned, but this causes pollution. A new method has been invented which cleans the sludge with steam. This separates the oil from the sludge. This recycled oil is then used to power ships.