Chennai oil spill: IOC technology used for safe disposal of oil sludge

Chennai: An eco-friendly technology developed by the Research and Development wing (R&D) of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was adopted on Friday for the safe disposal of the sludge collected from the Chennai coast.

A committee formed with officials from the Ministry of Environment, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and Indian Oil Corporation, would closely monitor the disposal operations, which is a three-month procedure. Two scientists from New Delhi, namely Dr S. K. Puri and Dr M. K. Upreti have reached the city to conduct the same, said sources from IOC.

A bioremediation methodology called Oilivorous-S has been adopted to carry out the disposal operation in a 2,000 square-metre land identified at Kamarajar Port limits.

Explaining the technology, process, head of operations, IOC, Tamil Nadu, K. S. Rao said, “A pit 1.5 feet deep was dug in a land of 2,000 square metre. The pit was then covered with a high density poly ethylene sheet, followed by the collected oil-contaminated sand.”

Sludge collected in barrels from the beaches, which accounts to an estimate of 170 tonnes (10 per cent of bunker oil, along with sand and water) would be poured into the pit.

“The procedure of Oilivorous — S, which contains natural isolates and is used for tank bottom sludge — was adopted. A specific blend of microbes and nutrients — Bio Inoculam and optimized nutrients — developed by R&D of IOC was mixed with the sludge. It eats up the oil, converting the sludge to sand within three months,” K. S Rao added

According to chairman of Chennai Port, P. Raveendran, “500 kg of the microbes has been airlifted to the port. We will conduct the procedure at the earliest.”