On 28 January 2010, philanthropist Wendy Schmidt announced a $1.4 million Oil Cleanup XCHALLENGE to spark rapid‑response equipment after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The competition demanded teams recover at least 2,500 gallons per minute with 70% efficiency, and over 350 entries from 30 countries entered.
The finalists were narrowed to ten and tested at the U.S. Department of Energy’s OHMSETT facility in New Jersey, a controlled environment that replicated real‑world spills.
Elastec/American Marine’s Grooved Disc Skimmer eclipsed every target, pulling in 4,670 gallons per minute and 89.5% efficiency. The system relies on rotating plastic discs that attract oil while rejecting water, a refinement of the company’s earlier prototypes.
The $1 million prize, part of the $1.4 million purse, placed Elastec at the forefront of commercial deployment. Norwegian firm NOFI earned $300 k for its 2,712 GPM system, and both teams moved beyond the competition to scale production.
A Biloxi, Mississippi family displaced by the 2010 spill now sees hope: the new skimmer could cut cleanup time from weeks to days, a claim backed by a local environmental group.