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Project Number 637
Date of Summary December 15, 2008
Subject Validation of the Two Models Developed to Predict the Window of Opportunity for Dispersant Use in the Gulf of Mexico
Performing Activity Environment Canada
Principal Investigator Dr. Ali Khelifa
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Estimated Completion December 31, 2009
Description In a previous MMS-funded research project entitled: Identification of Window of Opportunity for Chemical Dispersants on Gulf of Mexico Crude Oils http://www.mms.gov/tarprojects/595.htm, two correlation models were developed to predict the window of opportunity (or time-window) for successful chemical dispersant use in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The models consist of correlation relationships established using best-fit correlation between readily available fresh oil properties and the window of opportunity for successful chemical dispersant use estimated using data from GOM crude oils and spill volumes of 1,000 and 10,000 barrels. The study showed that combination of Sulfur, Saturate and Wax contents of the fresh oils correlated best with the time-window for dispersant use.

This project aims to validate and improve the two correlation models using a well know oil spill model OILMAP, adding crude oils from outside the GOM for which physical and chemical properties are available, introducing ten new crude oils from the GOM for which physical and chemical properties will be measured in this study, considering existing data from large tank tests and field trials/spills, and using data from new small tank tests. The project also aims to evaluate the sensitivity of the models to water temperature, wind speed and the oil viscosity with the aim to include effects of these parameters into the models.

Objectives: the goals of the one-year research project are:

1. To validate the time-window predicted by SL Ross for the 24 crude oils selected from the Environment Canada’s oil propriety database and using the SLROSM oil spill model.

2. To validate and to improve the two correlation models proposed by SL Ross using 24 or more additional crude oils outside the GOM for whish physical and chemical properties are available in the Environment Canada’s oil property database or provided by the MMS;

3. To validate and to improve the two correlations models using ten new crude oils from the GOM. Physical and chemical properties of these new oils will be measure in this study;

4. To perform sensitivity analysis of the correlation models to show how the time-window varies with temperature, wind speed, viscosity cutoff (threshold) and the spill volume;

5. To validate and to improve the correlation models using existing data from large tank tests and field spills;

6. To validate and to improve the correlation models using new experimental data from small tank tests. The new dispersion experiments will be conducted in this project.

7. Data Analysis and Final Report Preparation.
Progress This project has recently been initiated

 

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Last Updated: 12/18/2008, 10:10 AM

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