What is the term for washing out, moving to containment, or driving oil away?

The correct term for washing out, moving to containment, or driving oil away is known as physical herding. This technique involves the application of physical methods to manipulate oil spills, guiding the floating oil towards designated areas where it can be collected and managed more effectively.

The term reflects how operators can use various mechanisms, such as barriers or booms, to herd or concentrate oil within a controlled area, facilitating easier recovery and minimizing the environmental impact. This is especially critical in marine environments where rapid response actions are essential to mitigate the spread of pollution.

Other methods like oil dispersal and skimming also play roles in oil spill response but do not specifically refer to the act of physically guiding the oil as described in the question. Oil dispersal involves breaking up the oil into smaller droplets that can be degraded by natural processes, while skimming refers to the collection of oil using specialized equipment once it has been contained. Containment, on the other hand, typically refers to enclosing or surrounding the oil spill to prevent its spread rather than actively moving it to containment areas. Each of these methods plays a part in oil spill response, but the focus on movement and manipulation of oil directly characterizes physical herding.