Nalco Oil Dispersant Information

Contact Information

Global Nalco Locations
Local Sales Offices
Energy Services Contacts

Nalco Company
Corporate Headquarters
1601 W. Diehl Road
Naperville, Il 60563-1198
630-305-1000 Phone
630-305-2900 Fax

Nalco Energy Services Headquarters
7705 Highway 90-A
Sugar Land, TX 77478
281-263-7000 Phone

Oil Dispersant FAQ

(NEW) What do we know about the biodegradation rate of chemically-dispersed oil?
Chemical dispersants are designed to form smaller droplets when mixed with oil. These smaller droplets are more readily available to be biodegraded by micro-organisms. EPA has published research on the biodegradation of dispersed oil which suggests that the dispersant speeds the biodegradation of oil. Based upon this research, the rate of biodegradation increases almost 50% in the presence of COREXIT 9500 vs. oil without dispersant.

What is Nalco’s role in the recent oil spill in the Gulf?
Our company is providing oil dispersants and technical support to government responders who are seeking to combat the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Government officials – including those from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Coast Guard and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – are continually consulting with on-the-ground response teams to make decisions related to the use of dispersants. As such, we will continue to provide them as requested for as long as responders determine there is a need.

Our sole focus is to help government agencies mitigate this incident, and improve the outlook for those who live along the Gulf Coast and derive their livelihood from the region.

What is a dispersant and how does it work?
Dispersants are a relatively common product used to clean and control oil spills in the ocean; they are special fluid chemicals that bond to the oil molecules and separate them from water molecules - thus breaking up the oil.

In other words, the process works like dishwashing soap that breaks apart oil and water in a kitchen sink. In the ocean, they break down oil into droplets that mix with seawater. The droplets are then digested by naturally occurring micro-organisms. Dispersants inhibit oil from forming a slick and make oil less likely to stick to animals, shoreline rocks and vegetation.

This video from CNN shows the dispersed oil droplets in the water.

This segment from ABC 13 in Houston describes how dispersants work and provides insight into their safety.
You can also see the story from this link http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=7465781.

What is the chemical makeup of Corexit? (UPDATED)
The ingredients found in COREXIT products can be found here.

Who makes the decision to use dispersants and how are they applied?
The response effort is being led by team comprised of BP, the EPA, NOAA, the Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior and other officials. These response officials make the determination of how and when dispersants are utilized, based on factors such as weather, sea conditions and the composition of the oil. (They have established a special website for the latest updates on the response efforts: www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.)

Dispersants are usually used on the surface of the ocean and distributed by aircraft flying over an oil spill. But government responders recently began injecting dispersants directly into the stream of oil emerging from the ocean floor. The EPA approved this tactic after conducting testing and analysis.

Are Nalco dispersants used internationally and domestically?
Yes, our dispersants are used in over 30 countries, including Australia, Norway, and Canada, in response to oil spills. Our dispersants are meant to be used at sea – away from the shoreline. In some regions, like the United Kingdom, a dispersant is only permitted for use if it can be used both at sea and on the shoreline.

Is the use of dispersants underwater common?
Using dispersants underwater is a relatively new idea; the goal of such a technique is to break up and disperse the oil before it reaches the surface.

Are dispersants harmful to the environment?
Scientists and policymakers agree that the greatest threat to wildlife and vegetation is from the oil spilled in the Gulf. The dispersants being used to break apart the oil are safe and effective, and have been approved by the EPA. In fact, their basic properties are similar to detergents and other household cleaning products.

Corexit contains six primary ingredients. Examples of everyday products with specific ingredients in common with COREXIT 9500 include:

One ingredient is used as a wetting agent in dry gelatin, beverage mixtures, and fruit juice drinks.
A second ingredient is used in a brand-name dry skin cream and also in a body shampoo.
A third ingredient is found in a popular brand of baby bath liquid.
A fourth ingredient is found extensively in cosmetics and is also used as a surface-active agent and emulsifier for agents used in food contact.
A fifth ingredient is used by a major supplier of brand name household cleaning products for “soap scum” removal.
A sixth ingredient is used in hand creams and lotions, odorless paints and stain blockers.

The response effort is being led by team comprised of BP, the EPA, NOAA, the Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior and other officials. These response officials make the determination of how and when dispersants are utilized, based on factors such as weather, sea conditions and the composition of the oil. (They have established a special website for the latest updates on the response efforts: .) Dispersants are usually used on the surface of the ocean and distributed by aircraft flying over an oil spill. But government responders recently began injecting dispersants directly into the stream of oil emerging from the ocean floor. The EPA approved this tactic after conducting testing and analysis. Using dispersants underwater is a relatively new idea; the goal of such a technique is to break up and disperse the oil before it reaches the surface. Scientists and policymakers agree that the greatest threat to wildlife and vegetation is from the oil spilled in the Gulf. The dispersants being used to break apart the oil are safe and effective, and have been approved by the EPA. In fact, their basic properties are similar to detergents and other household cleaning products.

Data published by Environment Canada, that country’s main environmental agency, showed common household dish soap as having a substantially higher rainbow trout toxicity than COREXIT 9500. Put another way, COREXIT 9500 is the more than 27 times safer than dish soap.

Jane Lubchenco, the undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere for NOAA, recently said: “I think it's important to note that the dispersant being used is one/tenth to one/one hundredth of the toxicity of oil.” For a sampling of other recent remarks by government leaders and energy and environmental experts about how dispersants are aiding the Deepwater Horizon cleanup mission, please click here. To see the Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) for the oil dispersant being used in the Gulf, click here.

How long has Nalco been involved in the Gulf clean-up effort?
Soon after oil began leaking, the response team requested dispersant supplies to help minimize the effects of the accident. We immediately shipped our stocked supply, and have been increasing production in order to respond to government requests. We are deeply committed to helping the government during this difficult period, as well as to assisting the people of the Gulf Coast recover as soon as possible.

How long does a dispersant take to work?
The success of a dispersant is affected by the timeliness of their use, the composition of the oil, how they are applied, as well as water and weather conditions and overall climate. With the right delivery mechanism and conditions, the process of dispersing oil in seawater is rapid and begins to occur within minutes.

How do you know if a dispersant is working?
There is a visible effect. Oil creates a sheen or color on the surface of the water, and as the dispersant is applied – it is highly soluble in water – the oil is quickly dispersed as marine currents distribute the oil to very low concentrations.

How long has Nalco been in business?
Nalco has been in the water, oil and gas treatment business for over 80 years. We are the world’s leading water treatment and process improvement company, delivering significant environmental, social and economic performance benefits to our customers. We help them reduce energy, water and other natural resource consumption, enhance air quality, minimize environmental releases and improve productivity. Dispersants are one very small part of our business.