Written By: Simon Bennett

Are oil skimmers effective in removing oil from groundwater? This is the question Canada’s two major railways faced over the past couple of decades as the railway industry has been forced to downsize operations with the advent of cheaper methods of moving freight. One of the results was the closing of remote wilderness depots that once serviced the mining and hydro-power industries. After years of active operation, many of these depots had contaminated local water tables. The railways were faced with how to remove oil from water with minimal impact on the environment. One of the solutions chosen are belt oil skimmers, specifically remediation or well oil skimmers.