Method and apparatus for recovery of spilled oil or other viscous fluid

A method, apparatus and system for increasing the recovery efficiency of spilled oil or any other viscous fluid. The surface of a rotatable oleophilic fluid recovery unit in an adhesion (oelophilic) skimmer or other recovery apparatus is patterned with a plurality of grooves configured for formation of menisci and pooling of fluid in the grooves when the surface contacts a viscous fluid. When the surface of the fluid recovery unit rotates out of (e.g., is withdrawn from) the body of viscous fluid, an amount of the viscous fluid adheres to the patterned surface. A scraper is provided having a surface geometry that matches the surface geometry of the fluid recovery unit and allows the viscous fluid to be scraped off the surface of the fluid recovery unit and transferred to a collector. Accordingly, both fluid separation and fluid recovery are made possible.