ABSTRACT
These measures vary based on the type of skimmer type, its characteristics, and are defined for a known range of operational conditions. However, in practice, a skimmer may not recover oil as it is stated by the manufacturer. In other words, the amount of oil that a skimmer can recover with a given period of time depends not only on its working principle, type, size, and performance criteria, but also on a number of operational conditions such as physical and chemical properties of spilt oil, weather conditions, personnel skill, and sea state (Broje & Keller 2006, Broje & Keller 2007, Fingas 2011, Jensen & Mullin 2003, Nordvik 1995). Concept of system effectiveness then may be utilized to evaluate the extent, to which a system meets the planned objectives or the objectives stated by the by the manufacturers (ISO 2005). In this regard, the operational conditions and their impacts on the throughput efficiency, recovery efficiency and oil recovery rate of skimmers are discussed in the context of the effectiveness of skimmers.
