French term (edited): galettes et flaques de p�trole

a 'galette' is a stone-like mass of oil and sand, formed into the shape of a 'galette' by the action of waves

French term (edited): galettes et flaques de p�trole

I am far from convinced that in English we naturally make any distinction of this kind. Moreover, I wonder if it should not read "plaques", rather than "flaques". Have you ever tried picking up a "pool" of "puddle" of oil with a rake and a spade?

I think you can simply say "collect/pick up/gather the oil with rakes and shovels", unless there is some other form of oil pollution requiring other means. If there IS a more liquid form that can be gathered in buckets, say, you could talk about "hardened", "solidified", or "extremely viscous" oil in this case.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-02-13 18:31:05 GMT)
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pollution des plages - [ Translate this page ]
Après le Prestige qui coula au large des côtes de Galice le 13 novembre 2002 en
... et qui reste compact (nappes, galettes, PLAQUES) à la surface de l’eau. ...
www.chru-lille.fr/cap/ca5-03oct3.htm

qui ont été atteints par le pétrole, et n'ont pas encore nettoyés. ...
"tâches" (PLAQUES, galettes et boulettes) dans les eaux à proximité des côtes, ...
www.polmar.com/prestige/05fev.htm

A la sortie des cuves, le pétrole peut avoir plusieurs formes :
boulettes (diamètre inférieur à 5 cm )
palets (inférieur à 10 cm )
galettes (50 cm)
PLAQUES ( jusqu’à 30 cm )
nappes ( plus de 3 m )
Le pétrole à sa sortie des cuves a 2 « destins » : - Il parvient en surface de manière régulière et se répand en nappes et sera fractionné par le brassage des vagues. Il formera alors des plaques ou des galettes amalgament sédiment, algues ou détritus en arrivant prés du littoral



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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-02-13 18:41:47 GMT)
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Also simply "oil deposits".

However, there ARE some distinctions:
OIL AGGREGATES in the form of PETROLEUM LUMPS, TAR BALLS, OR PELAGIC TAR can be presently found both in the open and coastal waters as well as on the beaches. They derive from crude oil after the evaporation and dissolution of its relatively light fractions, emulsification of oil residuals, and chemical and microbial transformation. The chemical composition of oil aggregates is rather changeable. However, most often, its base includes asphaltenes (up to 50%) and high-molecular-weight compounds of the heavy fractions of the oil.
Oil aggregates look like light gray, brown, dark brown, or black sticky lumps. They have an uneven shape and vary from 1 mm to 10 cm in size (sometimes reaching up to 50 cm). Their surface serves as a substrate for developing bacteria, unicellular algae, and other microorganisms
http://www.offshore-environment.com/oil.html

TAR BALLS
Dense, black sticky spheres of hydrocarbons formed from weathered oil.

PANCAKES
Isolated, roughly circular patches of oil, ranging in size from a few feet across to hundreds of meters in diameter
http://oils.gpa.unep.org/facts/glossary.htm

from Golob’s Oil Pollution Bulletin,. published biweekly by World ... pieces or
tar balls. While some tar. balls may be as large as pancakes, ...
www.epa.gov/oilspill/pdfs/oildrp2.pdf

Tar balls, oil pancakes, oil slicks and sludgy, gooey globs of the ... Council's
report from the Committee on the Oil Pollution Act, ...
www.neaq.org/community/seabits/newsletters/03may.html


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Note added at 3 hrs (2006-02-13 18:53:24 GMT)
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IOW, though specific scientific words do exist in English, I feel we use them about as much as we use tibia, femur and scapula in everyday speech (the French, of course, have no option).

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Note added at 18 hrs (2006-02-14 09:54:59 GMT)
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I particularly like "sludgy, gooey globs".