Over the years Somali pirates have been the scourge of virtually all shipping in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. These pirates have hijacked hundreds of ships and boats over the years with everything from supertankers to pleasure yachts being seen as a target. If successful, the pirates take the boats or ships to their strongholds and hold the crews and cargos for ransom. Many countries will not pay ransoms with the result that their citizens are held for many months or even years. Earlier this year, British registered shipping was given leave to apply to have armed guards onboard in order to offer protection from piracy. The main problem for the naval forces is that the Indian Ocean is vast and there are not the resources to cover it all. Most shipping is going to or from the Suez Canal which is the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea and this makes it easy for the pirates.

The response from international shipping has been positive so far, however, the risk is that the pirates will step up their attacks or even that violence towards captives will escalate. Until Somalia has a proper government and a coastguard piracy will continue.

The use of synthetic motor oil can be beneficial because all the molecules are of uniform size and it lacks unnecessary ingredients. This allows the oil to flow at lower temperatures and this can extend the life of your car particularly during the winter months when frost is common. Another benefit is that as the oil works more quickly, the engine is lubricated more quickly which prevents wear and tear on the engine parts. Synthetic oil may be more expensive than mineral oil but it is made up of ingredients that are essential for lubricating your engine. Synthetic oil does not last indefinitely and it will need changing but it can last up to 3 times as long as traditional mineral oil. This alone contributes to less waste and pollution and could cost you less in the long run.

As well as marine lubricants, there are also various types of greases, fluids, oils, etc that will be required in order to make the engine work properly. All these different greases, fluids, oils and so on are able to work in extreme conditions and will react collectively to increase thermal conductivity. Another important factor is that some of these lubricants are also being used in a variety of electronic devices such as capacitors and transformers. They are also useful for lubricating electrical components in order to disperse the heat that builds up. All lubricants used within industry are made from either synthetic or organic compounds. All the organic lubricants are derived from the petrochemical industry, whereas the synthetic lubricants are made in a laboratory.

As the demand for oil continues to escalate, the problem of oil field waste disposal has arisen. All oil reserves have layers of hydrocarbon and water and in order to carry out the separation process, more water has to be pumped in. The effect of this is that there is a lot of contaminated water to deal with. This along with tank cleaning, waste management and oil spill response are the vital services for oil field house keeping. As we become more environmentally aware, it is so important to keep these oil fields as ‘clean’ as possible so that the earth is not left contaminated for many years to come. We have all seen the effects of oil spills on the oceans but we also need to be aware of oil spills contaminating land. This can often be just as difficult to deal with.

This announcement has sent big shockwaves through the oil industry and also the stock markets. The move will see Argentina take 51% of Respol YPF and as a result, their stock price has plummeted. Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has accused Respol of failing to produce enough oil to meet the country’s needs. Interest in the country’s hydrocarbons has been raised upon the discovery of a shale oil field which could yield around 1bn barrels of oil. Politicians have accused Respol of not investing enough to ensure future production.

Oil industry experts have been astonished by such a development. “They are going to be closing the country as an investment destination,” Anish Kapadia, an analyst at the London-based energy investment house Tudor Pickering Holt, told Bloomberg. This will worry a number of foreign companies who own stakes in the Argentine oil and petroleum industry.

However, accidents do happen and spills do occur. These spills can be devastating to the environment. As we have seen, oceanic oil spills are a real disaster for the environment and for the communities who live and work there. The oil is very harmful and takes days, weeks or even months to clean up. The biggest problem with oils spills is that the wind and tide carry the oil and disperse it over a large area making the cleanup more difficult.

It may take years for an area to recover from a spill as the ecosystem has to repair and replenish itself. Birds, coral and fish are particularly vulnerable. The whole food chain is affected and this is where the human community can be badly affected. The good news is that spills are rare and providing the clean up can occur quickly, damage will be reduced.

Using automated lubrication equipment addresses the balance and ensures that your equipment is kept properly lubricated in the correct places and at the right time. There are different types of equipment and which one you choose depends upon the requirements of your machinery.

The type of lubricant is also very important and you need to use the correct one to ensure that your machinery is kept in good working order. When you purchase your machines you will be given advice on the right type of lubricants to use and when. With so many industrial lubricants on the market, you could be a bit bamboozled to begin with but once you know what you need, you will find it readily available. Always purchase your lubricants from a reputable supplier and only use as directed.

It is important to set the correct pressure levels for the surface you are cleaning. For instance surfaces like concrete can endure pressures as high as 3000 psi but a car or lorry would not be able to tolerate more than around 1500 psi without damage being done. High pressure washers are often used to clean factories, filling stations, commercial kitchens, airports and other areas where cleanliness is important for health and safety. The machines should be properly maintained at all times due to the stresses of high pressure functioning.

Industrial pressure washers can run on a variety of power sources which again makes them very versatile and depending upon the model, very portable. Much depends upon the type of area you are going to be cleaning, for instance large outdoor areas would be better served by diesel, petrol or gas run machinery whereas a commercial kitchen would be better with electricity.

Good vehicle maintenance is important for the correct and smooth running of your vehicle. Most regular maintenance jobs can be done by yourself fairly easily but if you can’t or don’t want to do these, a good mechanic will do them for you for a reasonable fee. Some of the weekly checks you can do for yourself are: checking the tyre pressures, refilling the screen wash reservoir and checking the oil levels. These three little jobs take very little time and are easy enough for even the biggest technophobe to do. By doing these things on a regular basis, you will be able to notice any anomalies particularly with your tyres.

Industrial lubricants are found in three forms – liquid, semi-liquid and solid. Motor oils, turbine oils, farming oils, gas engine oils, brake oils, hydraulic oils, etc are all types of liquid industrial lubricants. Semi-liquid industrial lubricants come in the form of greases and gels. These are commonly used as lubrication for the moving metal parts of machinery. The most common solid lubricant is graphite which generally comes in powder form. These days synthetic lubricants are becoming more available and these are proving to give better performance.

In order for industrial lubricants to work better, additives are included in the ‘recipes’ which improve overall performance. Additives have many specific purposes but they are generally used to increase viscosity and reduce oxidation, corrosion and contamination. These additives help to protect the machinery and extend the working lives of different parts by reducing friction and wear.