A Smarter, Safer Way to Clean Up Oil Spills

IRC for Integrative Petroleum Research (CIPR)

Research team:

Mr. Ali Binabdi, Dr. Theis Solling

Oil spills remain a serious environmental and industrial challenge worldwide, with thousands of incidents reported annually across oceans and coastal waters. These spills cause long-term harm to marine ecosystems, disrupt industries, and pose health risks to humans and animals. Existing cleanup methods often rely on chemical dispersants that sink oil to the seabed. While effective in the short term, these chemicals are costly, toxic, and environmentally damaging.

At KFUPM’s Center for Integrative Petroleum Research (CIPR), researchers Mr. Ali Binabdi and Dr. Theis Solling have pioneered an alternative solution that addresses these limitations. Once sprayed, their solution’s formulation contracts oil instead of further dispersing it, preventing its spread and enabling straightforward recovery through quick collection methods, such as skimming.

For the oil and gas industry, in particular, this advancement represents a practical step forward in minimizing operational and environmental risks. This technology directly targets such challenges by offering lower cleanup costs, significantly faster reaction times, and a reduced ecological footprint, particularly in handling thin oil layers, which are among the most difficult to treat. The formulation functions effectively under a wide range of salinity levels and seawater temperatures, making it adaptable to different marine environments.

The development process, which extended over two to three years, drew on Mr. Binabdi’s expertise in petroleum engineering and Dr. Solling’s background in chemistry. The interdisciplinary collaboration focused on ensuring chemical stability and efficiency despite environmental variability. To date, over 1,000 laboratory tests have been conducted on multiple oil types, confirming the solution’s consistent performance and reliability.

The innovation recently earned global recognition, winning the Special Prize for the 2025 Best International Invention at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva. The recognition was based on its scientific innovation, maturity of technology, environmental benefit, commercialization potential, and its relevance in addressing major global challenges.

The formulation is already patented under KFUPM ownership. Supported by an initial commercialization funding, the invention is positioned for future deployment in real-world spill response operations. 

United Nations SDGs

Through our commitment to sustainable development, this project aligns with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):