Analysis of factors effecting oil weathering of Accidental Ocean spills

Abstract

The transportation and production of oil create a threat to marine environments through spillages. Sri Lanka being situated in the center of a major trade route has played an important role in fostering cross-border trade [1]. It is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, along with the maritime silk route between China and Europe. Every year, more than 60,000 ships use this route to carry half of all container goods and two-thirds of the world's oil [2]. Hence, there is a potential for oil spillages which was evident from the two recent ship accidents: MV Express Pearl and MT New Diamond. Once the oil spills in the ocean, it undergoes different physiochemical processes [3]. These oil weathering processes significantly affect the fate of oil and its impact on the marine environment [4]. Hence, a better understanding of the oil weathering processes and their sensitivity to different marine environmental conditions are vital in evaluating the environmental impacts of marine oil spills. Hence, this project aims to identify the oil weathering processes and transport of oil and their parameterization. In the present study, ADIOS2 (Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spill) oil spill model developed by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) was used to analyze the oil weathering processes of spillage.