1.Booms:

Oil boom is a floating barrier, which is used in cleaning up oil on the surface of the water. Boom is used to contain oil, to collect oil, as a barricade to exclude oil  from a certain area; to absorb oil; and to deflect oil.

Floating booms are mechanical barriers that extend above and below the surface of the water to stop the flow of oil. They can be used in three ways:

Figure 1. General Boom Layout to control dispersing of oil.

Figure 2. Boom used to divert oil. 

Containment booming is the process of preventing the spread of an oil spill by confining the oil to the area in which it has been discharged. The purpose of containment is not only to localize the spill and thus minimize pollution but also to assist in the removal of the oil by trying to concentrate it in thick layers on the surface of the water.

Boom can also be used to divert pollutant to areas where cleanup can be conducted and to protect specific areas such as entrances to harbors and rivers or environmentally or economically sensitive areas.

The most important characteristic of a boom is its oil containment or deflection capability, determined by its behavior in relation to water movement. It should be flexible to conform to wave motion yet sufficiently rigid to retain as much oil as possible. No boom is capable of containing oil against water velocities much in excess of 1 knot acting at right angles to it. The escape velocity for most booms is around .7 knots, irrespective of skirt depth.