Oil

When it comes to systems for cleaning up marine oil spills, most of them simply float in place, waiting for the oil to come to them. A new robot, however, could proactively move through oil slicks – and it's inspired by both a dolphin and a sea urchin.

Love racing but not a fan of the sport's carbon footprint? Idemitsu is hoping to bring that down a notch with its new Plantech Racing engine oil, which uses plant-based raw materials for more than 80% of its base oil.

China's extremely rapid adoption of EVs has forced oil giant Sinopec to adjust its forecasts, saying peak domestic gasoline demand has already passed and it's all downhill from here. The repercussions will be global.

Scientists at the University of Georgia have created a "superfoam" with two very valuable potential applications. It could be used not only to clean up oil spills, but also to keep infections from occurring at medical implant sites.

A Texan company promises clean hydrogen at less than US$1/kg, after testing a fascinating new technique in the lab and the field. The idea is to pump specially developed microbes into depleted oil wells, where they'll eat oil and excrete hydrogen.

The global oil industry wastefully burns off about as much natural gas as is used by all of Central and South America – but a new methane binding agent offers a potential way for this greenhouse gas to be converted economically into liquid fuels.

It can be difficult to separate water from oil, which makes water pollution tricky to clean up. Now, researchers at North Carolina State University have found that a bacterial biofilm membrane can effectively let water through while keeping oil out.

Aviation history was made off the coast of Norway recently as a Camcopter S-100 drone rotorcraft delivered a 3D-printed part to an oil rig after a 100 km beyond-line-of-sight flight over the North Sea.

A highly porous and recyclable mat developed at Saudi Arabia’S King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) could mean good things for the environment, with its creators reporting it can adsorb oil with great efficiency.

Boston Dynamics put its nimble four-legged robot called Spot up for sale in September last year, and its unique abilities are catching the attention of oil companies looking toward a future of automation.

​Lubricating your bike's chain can be a messy and wasteful business, as excess oil drips off the chain and onto the ground. German startup The Outsider Team is out to do something about it, though, with its Flectr Lubri Disc.

​Removing oil spills from water is a difficult business, with various approaches having met with mixed results. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Forestry believe they may be onto something, however, in the form of a reusable "wooden" sponge that absorbs oil while leaving water behind.