Controlled burning removes large portions of oil from the water’s surface, keeping it away from the shoreline and shifting the environmental impact from the sea to the air.
While it may seem like a simple solution, burning such a large mass of oil does have its consequences. Furthermore, burning does not get rid of the oil entirely. It leaves waxy residue that must either be skimmed from the surface or it sinks to the bottom of the ocean.
Controlled burning has been suggested by several agencies as a means of preventing large masses of oil from reaching the Gulf’s shore.