The movement of spilled oil on water or sea surface depend mostly on the effects of wind and the
surface currents close to the site of the spillage and of less importance is the internal spread of the
slick itself and when the tidal waves are absent. When spillage occur at shoreline areas, the slick
movement predictions could be used to determine the probable location of potential shoreline
contamination and thereafter direct the prevention of its spread to sensitive spots or area. The
parameters of importance in predicting oil-spill movement on water surface include surface current,
speed and direction, wind speed and direction, oil spreading characteristics. The spreading behavior
depends mostly on the physical properties of the spilled oil i.e., evaporation rate, specific gravity or
density, boiling range, viscosity, pour point, emulsification ability, dissolution/water solubility. The
forces that contribute to oil spill movement on calm sea (water surface) are gravity force, viscous
force, surface tension and inertia force and by making a force balance around a spilled oil molecule,
an empirical model is obtained for predicting spill movement and to determine the critical diameter of
spilled oil molecule. This helps in the assessment of spill-volume required for determining clean-up
equipment and man power requirements for the entire operation. Some of the techniques used in
preventing oil-spills include: Proper automation of oil/gas well; Running of pressure element on a
wire line; Permanent installation of pressure elements; The use of high resolution aerial
photographs; Monitoring oil facilities regularly; The use of oil drainage collection platform. The
simulation model was developed from first principles and used to obtain the velocity distribution and
validated with MATLAB software implemented on a digital micro-computing device HP model X590
Series.
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