Wave Action for Remediation of Oil Spill

Yes, big massive waves of oil collectors, like suckers, skimmers, shovelers, rakers.

Unless such devices are employed, wave action will collect the spill onto the nearby coastlines.

As you say upper current flows and wind only will displace the carpet. With waves in my first post I meant big mobilization efforts like the different invasion waves on the coast of Normandy in WWII. Sorry for my skepticism.

Every effort, every plan, is merely supplemental. no single idea will overcome this tragedy.

The media is saying that efforts must be postponed due to weather. I am just trying to inspire creation of something that works non-stop with minimum attendance.

If it is not plausible. so be it.

I was thinking along the lines of an active system (as opposed to passive absorbers), where the vertical motion (in relation to the bottom) could be used.

The oil could be channeled to a central collection point.

This wave action is used to generate electricity, couldn't it be used to drive a mechanical action directly?

I think we are at the point where your "wave" idea might need to be implemented. We all know that as long as the responsible corporation is leading the effort they may appear to spend massive amounts of money and make full effort in their quest to stop the leak, but in actuality they are trying to control the bottom line without being too obvious.

I think that if the problem isn't solved in the near future the government will realize that this is a factor and someone will be put in charge of this operation that has the authority to bring into action all the resources that are available to us domestic and foreign with out regard to cost or consequence.

We need someone in charge of this mess that is a cross between Napoleon and Patton, and we need every piece of equipment available from whatever source.

We have proven once again that we aren't as smart as a bird, we continue to shit in our own nest.

How about applying this action to a diaphragm? As in diaphragm pump.

A way to prototype such a system would be to power it electrically or via diesels, etc. Then transition to wave power (direct mechanical or via electricity generated by wave action), if there seems to be some reason to do so.

But as of yet, there is no system that collects massive quantities of oil in an unattended fashion. If such a system existed, then powering it conventionally (diesel, electric, etc) would be the logical approach after it is developed. The problem is not power, the problem is in the system and process design.

You are right harness the constant kinetic energy of the waves and tidal movement, all you need is a mechanical pump that can be floated and pumped by a mechanical means, which has to be designed to be efficient and maintenance free, this is not beyond us designers and visionaries, as already we are extracting energy and converting to electricity from this form of constant wave movement, see 'The Saltire prize', Scotlands 1 million pound prize to enhance engineering and design in this worldwide field. We have the expertise and vision, you just need to know who to ask. but BP need to be asking the World for alternatives as their staff have not got the vision, we need thinkers, leaders but mainly inventors from a scientific and engineering background they are out there get them together and we will sort this once and for all, because we need a proven concept as we will need even more in the future this is by no means the last horrific event so we need these people in place for all eventualites, I have some concepts and drawings along these lines that BP can have (self activated mechanical floatation pumps) Anyone interested in saving this planet from corporate destruction contact me, together we can do anything even put a man on the moon.