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Technology Assessment & Research (TA&R) Program
 
Project Number 637
Date of Summary April 6, 2011
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 and Mr. Ben Fieldhouse
Contracting Agency Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
Estimated Completion June 30, 2011
Description In a previous BOEMRE-funded research project entitled: Identification of Window of Opportunity for Chemical Dispersants on Gulf of Mexico Crude Oils, 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 BOEMRE;

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 BOEMRE has sourced two crude oils from the Gulf of Mexico and ten crude oils from offshore California for this project. It took ten months to acquire the totes (350 US gallons each) of crude oil from platforms offshore California and the Gulf of Mexico. Quantities of each crude oil have been sent to the Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC) in Ottawa, ON for analyses and reporting. EC has completed the analyses of the ten crude oils and submitted a progress report with the analyses for review. BOEMRE completed the review of the analyses and sent comments to EC. BOEMRE has submitted suggested standard names for the large volume oil samples that were analyzed by EC. The names provide a more exact location of where the crude oil was sampled and will be beneficial to users of the Oil Properties database. EC will use these standardized crude oil names in their upcoming reports. Researchers at EC are conducting experiments to validate the time-window predictions and two correlation models (Tasks 1 and 2).

The contract has been modified to increase the scope of work and extend the period of performance. Two additional crude oils were sent to EC for physical and chemical analyses. Twelve samples of crude and fuel oils were sent to EC to have the SFT dispersant effectiveness tests conducted. Results from all new analyses will be included in the modeling effort. The period of performance was extended until June 30, 2011.