Kevin Costner lends Hollywood star power and oil-separating centrifuges to Gulf cleanup fight

Costner’s centrifuges deploy for Gulf oil cleanup

PORT FOURCHON, La. — Kevin Costner is taking Hollywood star power and some oil-separating centrifuges to the fight against the Gulf of Mexico spill.

Energy giant BP PLC has ordered 32 of the centrifuges from a company co-founded by the Hollywood actor. Costner joined BP officials for an inspection Friday of a barge that will take three of the devices into the Gulf starting this weekend.

Officials say skimmer vessels will pump oily water onto the barge where the centrifuges can process a total of 600,000 gallons a day, separating the gunk from water. Costner says he “didn’t come to save the day” but is gratified the technology is being deployed.

Desperate crews are trying an array of tools, even shop vacs and vacuum trucks, in their quest to clean the Gulf waters.