Fire tornado experiment could transform how we tackle ocean oil spills

Researchers from Texas A&M and UC Berkeley have pioneered the first large-scale experiment using fire whirls—tornado-like spinning flames—to remediate offshore oil spills. This innovative method offers a greener and faster alternative to traditional in-situ fire pools, which burn oil on the water’s surface but produce thick soot and leave behind toxic tar mats. By constructing a 17-foot-tall, three-walled triangular structure to control airflow around a crude-oil-coated pool, the team demonstrated that fire whirls can consume up to 95% of the oil fuel while generating 40% less soot. The vortex effect acts like a natural turbocharger, drawing in oxygen to vaporize the oil more completely and rapidly. The fire whirl technique significantly reduces atmospheric pollution and toxic residue, transforming oil spill cleanup into a rapid “search-and-destroy” operation that can prevent oil from reaching sensitive marine habitats. Fire whirls burn oil nearly twice as fast as conventional fire pools, offering faster response times for emergency crews.