Nofi’s Current Buster enables efficient oil spill cleanup

Establishing, maintaining and operating oil spill response capacity is expensive, requiring vessels, personnel and equipment. Oil spills can happen at any time, originating from platform blowouts, wrecked tankers, ship collisions, pipeline ruptures, and rail and road accidents.

Oil weighs less than water and quickly spreads in a micrometre-thick film over the water surface. Over time spills spread to cover large areas and then break up into individual slicks. When responders appear, often days later, spills may have moved miles from the original spill site and present a risk to the environment.

NOFI’s Current Buster is designed for maximum cleanup efficiency in this demanding situation. The solution uses towing and wave energy to corral the oil into a thicker layer, which is then collected in an integrated settling tank, while continuously discharging cleaned water.

Available in four sizes, the system can collect any oil type at speeds up to 5 knots. It enables a single vessel to track down and collect scattered oil slicks quickly and effectively. The Current Buster’s performance has been tested and qualified in most weather conditions including waves, current and wind.

NOFI’s Current Buster significantly increases cleanup efficiency compared with conventional mechanical methods. It dramatically improves capacity per response vessel, necessitating a smaller permanent response setup. This is advantageous particularly in remote regions such as the Arctic, and reduces overall fuel consumption and associated carbon emissions.

The Current Buster is also qualified for year-round operation in the Barents Sea. The system allows the Norwegian authorities to enhance oil spill response capacity, also in the Arctic, and enables operators to respond swiftly and effectively, even in harsh conditions.

The global oil spill management market was valued at some USD 151 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 183 billion by 2030.

This development is due in large part to the expansion of shipping and other activities in the Arctic and the accompanying risk to the region’s fragile environment and habitats.

The Current Buster is suitable for use in open ocean, as well as in confined harbours, on lakes and in current-exposed areas including inland rivers.