Skimming device could be more efficient

BAYOU LA BATRE, Alabama (WALA) - NEW DEVICE TO COLLECT TONS OF OIL

The latest weapon in the oil battle is being built in Bayou La Batre. A new skimmer called a 'Heavy Oil Recovery Device' can catch tons of the heaviest crude and it may be the most effective system yet.

It's a simple design. Essentially, a hollow aluminum cage lined with a nylon bag, but inventor Gerry Matherne is very confident in it's abilities.

"This works," Matherne said. "This is 100 percent effective. If the oil is in sight of this unit, it's mine. It belongs to me."

Matherne says from the first test they've been very successful.

"Each bag can hold two tons," explained Matherne.

Matherne says those bags are the key to collecting the weathered, gooey oil impacting our shores, which is too heavy for other skimming devices. The bags are a lot like the leaf catcher you put on the back of your lawn mower. The heavy oil and debris will go in and when they fill-up they will be removed and replaced with new ones.

LOCAL WORK FOR LOCAL WORKERS

Jemison Marine in Bayou La Batre is under contract to build 100 of the units, vital work in uncertain times.

Owner, Tim Jemison, says the oil business is keeping his ship yard afloat.

"Ever since the oil spill, our repair work has been very down," Jemison said. "Since BP has been here to have us build the boom weights and these, we've been real busy."

Six other marine yards on the Gulf Coast are also building the devices.

"Right now our production is about six units a day," Matherne said. "By the end of the week were going to be up to about 20 units a day."

Most of the devices will be attached to shrimp boats. Each one capable of collecting massive amounts of oil. The largest shrimp boats could drag three units on each side. The devices cost roughly $6,000 each.