The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) developed i-Petrogel, a superabsorbent polymer that exhibits high absorption capacity of 30 to 40 times its weight, and that has the potential for being effectively refined as a regular crude oil. The objective of this project was to advance this polymer with a focus on the practical development and evaluation for oil spill containment and recovery under Alaskan Arctic Sea conditions using Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil.
This project was conducted in two phases. Phase I focused on tailoring the structure of i-Petrogel to absorb ANS oil, as well as small-scale testing at Penn State and medium-scale testing at the Ohmsett facility. Phase II focused on scaling up the process for producing i-Petrogel, and operational testing at the Ohmsett facility.
The project is complete. Phase I and Phase II reports are posted below.