Oil Spill Detection Analyzing “Sentinel 2“ Satellite Images: A Persian Gulf Case Study

Oil spills near exploitation areas and oil loading ports are often related to the ambitions of governments to get more oil market share and the negligence at the time of the loading in large tankers or ships. The present study investigates one oil spill event using multi sensor satellite images in the Al Khafji (between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) zone. Oil slicks have been characterized with multi sensor satellite images over the Persian Gulf and then analyzed in order to detect and classify oil spills in this zone. In particular this paper discusses oil pollution detection in the Persian Gulf by using multi sensor satellite images data. Oil spill images have been selected by using Sentinel 2 images pinpointing oil spill zones. ENVI software for analysing satellite images and ADIOS (Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spills) for oil weathering modelling have been used. The obtained results in Al Khafji zone show that the oil spill moves towards the coastline firstly increasing its surface and then decreasing it until reaching the coastline

A relocatable ocean model in support of environmental emergencies

During the Costa Concordia emergency case, regional, subregional, and relocatable ocean models have been used together with the oil spill model, MEDSLIK-II, to provide ocean currents forecasts, possible oil spill scenarios, and drifters trajectories simulations. The models results together with the evaluation of their performances are presented in this paper. In particular, we focused this work on the implementation of the Interactive Relocatable Nested Ocean Model (IRENOM), based on the Harvard Ocean Prediction System (HOPS), for the Costa Concordia emergency and on its validation using drifters released in the area of the accident. It is shown that thanks to the capability of improving easily and quickly its configuration, the IRENOM results are of greater accuracy than the results achieved using regional or subregional model products. The model topography, and to the initialization procedures, and the horizontal resolution are the key model settings to be configured. Furthermore, the IRENOM currents and the MEDSLIK-II simulated trajectories showed to be sensitive to the spatial resolution of the meteorological fields used, providing higher prediction skills with higher resolution wind forcing.MEDESS4MS Project; TESSA Project; MyOcean2 Projectinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparison of trajectory and concentration methods in oil spill modelling at sea

Oil spills in the marine environment cannot be entirely prevented. In order to diminish their consequences numerous oil spreading and weathering models have been developed. The NAFTA3d model is based on the particle tracking method, its results are usually presented as oil concentrations at specified times. A new module based on the trajectory method showing the probability of oil slick occurrence at a certain location after a spill was added to the model. The article first describes both methods and functioning of the model. In the second part we present the results of performed simulations and analyse the suitability of the trajectory method by comparing concentrations and trajectories in the Gulf of Trieste and in the Northern Adriatic. In the third section we describe the strengths and weaknesses of the trajectory method. The study reveals that the new module is most suitable for oil spill response modelling, its major advantages being high computational speed as well as simple and efficient presentation of the entire area at risk on a single map. Finally, we propose a procedure for practical use of the trajectory method

Long term simulations of potential oil spills around Cuba

Simulations over eight years of continuous surface oil spills around Cuba are carried out to identify the most likely stranding (beaching) locations. The open source Lagrangian oil drift model OpenOil is applied with high resolution hydrodynamic forcing. The actual fraction of the released oil mass reaching different regions is calculated, revealing small differences between a light and a heavy crude oil type. Similar stranding rates for the two oil types are found. Another important conclusion is that, due to the high temporal variability in stranding rates, short term simulations of a few weeks are not suitable to assess environmental risk. The highest stranding rates are simulated in winter in Northern Cuba. It is also found that oil could reach Northern Cuba, Yucatan or Florida in about 3–5 days after a spill.publishedVersio

Валидация метода спутниковой радиолокационной многоугловой диагностики нефтяных загрязнений морской поверхности

Предложена методика валидации метода спутниковой радиолокационной многоугловой диагностики нефтяных загрязнений морской поверхности путем сопоставления радиолокационных оценок массы и толщины нефтяной пленки с результатами моделирования, полученными с использованием новой модели растекания нефти FOTS (Floating Object Tracking System). Для валидации метода использованы экспериментальные результаты зондирования акватории Каспийского моря в районе нефтяного месторождения «Нефтяные Камни» при помощи радиолокатора с синтезированной апертурой (РСА) ИСЗ Envisat-1.Запропоновано методику валідації методу супутникової радіолокаційної багатокутової дiагностики нафтових забруднень морської поверхнi через зіставлення радіолокацiйних оцiнок маси й товщини нафтової плiвки з результатами моделювання, отриманими з використанням нової моделi розтiкання нафти FOTS. Для валідації методу використано експериментальнi результати зондування акваторії Каспійського моря в районі нафтового родовища Нафтовi Каменi за допомогою радіолокатора з синтезованою апертурою штучного супутника Землі Envisat-1.In the article the validation of the multiangle method for spaceborne radar diagnostics of oil pollutions on the sea surface are described. The validation was performed by comparing the radar estimates of the mass and thickness of the polluted oil film with the numerical simulation results obtained by the new Floating Object Tracking System (FOTS) model of oil drift dynamics. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite Envisat-1 data of the oil-producing area “Oil Stones” in the Caspian surveillances were used for the analysis

Vulnerability Assessment of The Northern Coasts of The Persian Gulf to Oil Spills

The occurrence of oil spills in the seas and oceans causes many short-term and long-term damages to the coasts and marine ecosystems. Therefore, in order to reduce the damage, comprehensive coastal vulnerability maps can be provided to coastal management decision-makers as well as the emergency response team as a powerful tool. In the present study, by combining the mathematical model of oil slick routing and ArcGIS software, the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf were evaluated based on exposure to oil pollution. For this purpose, 20 hypothetical fall scenarios with oil type and time of random occurrence in summer and winter were designed. Then, using GNOME Lagrangian software, the path of the oil slick and its arrival time to the shores were simulated, and based on that, the matrix of exposure of each coastal area to pollution was formed. Finally, the northern shores of the Gulf were classified into five levels of vulnerability. The results showed that in summer Assaluyeh and Bushehr ports with a cumulative probability of 120 and 94%, respectively, and in winter Assaluyeh port with a cumulative probability of 119% in all scenarios were in a very high vulnerability. In addition, the ports of Bushehr and Assaluyeh had the highest potential for damage to the region. According to the results of this study, coastal vulnerability is significantly affected by seasonal changes in climatic conditions and flow conditions

Influence of evaporation and emulsification on viscosity of oil spills at the sea

V diplomski nalogi obravnavamo spremembe viskoznosti nafte ob razlitju v morskem okolju. Ob razlitju nafte se pojavijo izhlapevanje, emulzifikacija, mehansko širjenje, raztapljanje, disperzija, oksidacija, sedimentacija in biološka razgradnja. V Mackayevih metodah za izračun viskoznost nafte imata največji vpliv procesa izhlapevanja in emulzifikacije, od okoljskih dejavnikov pa sprememba temperature in veter. Podane so tri empirične enačbe, s katerimi lahko z različnimi vhodnimi podatki določimo viskoznost razlite nafte po določenem času od razlitja. Izhlapevanje pri tem izračunamo po Fingasovi metodi, ki temelji na laboratorijskih poizkusih in empiričnih enačbah, kjer je podana odvisnost izhlapevanja od temperature in časa. Izdelali smo model VISKOZNOST, s katerim lahko na enostaven in hiter način izračunamo in grafično prikažemo spreminjanje viskoznosti številnih vrst nafte pri podanih okoljskih parametrih. Prikazana je uporaba modela na dveh vrstah nafte: Brent Blend in Maui. Poznavanje viskoznosti razlite nafte je pomembno pri študijah razlitij, izdelani model pa bo tudi uporaben pripomoček pri učnem procesu.In the thesis we discuss changes in viscosity of the oil spills in the marine environment. After the spill the following processes occur: evaporation, emulsification, mechanical spreading, dissolution, dispersion, oxidation, sedimentation and biological degradation. Evaporation, emulsification and the environmental factors, the change in temperature and the wind, have the greatest influence in Mackay\u27s methods for calculating the viscosity of the spilled oil. With the three Mackay\u27s empirical equations we can determine the oil viscosity at a given time after the spill from different input data. Evaporation is calculated according to the Fingas method, based on laboratory experiments and empirical equations wherein dependency of the evaporation from temperature and the time is given. With the newly developed model VISKOZNOST we can simply and quickly calculate the viscosity of several different oil types in given environmental conditions. The application of the model is presented on two types of oil: Brent Blend and Maui. The oil viscosity is an important parameter in oil spill studies and the developed model can be used as a useful tool in the framework of the teaching process

Numerical Modelling of Oil Spill Transport in Tide-Dominated Estuaries: A Case Study of Humber Estuary, UK

Oil spills in estuaries are less studied and less understood than their oceanic counterparts. To address this gap, we present a detailed analysis of estuarine oil spill transport. We develop and analyse a range of simulations for the Humber Estuary, using a coupled hydrodynamic and oil spill model. The models were driven by river discharge at the river boundaries and tidal height data at the offshore boundary. Satisfactory model performance was obtained for both model calibration and validation. Some novel findings were made: (a) there is a statistically significant (p < 0.05) difference in the influence of hydrodynamic conditions (tidal range, stage and river discharge) on oil slick transport; and (b) because of seasonal variation in river discharge, winter slicks released at high water did not exhibit any upstream displacement over repeated tidal cycles, while summer slicks travelled upstream into the estuary over repeated tidal cycles. The implications of these findings for operational oil spill response are: (i) the need to take cognisance of time of oil release within a tidal cycle; and (ii) the need to understand how the interaction of river discharge and tidal range influences oil slick dynamics, as this will aid responders in assessing the likely oil trajectories

Influence of evaporation and emulsification on viscosity of oil spills the sea

In the thesis we discuss changes in viscosity of the oil spills in the marine environment. After the spill the following processes occur: evaporation, emulsification, mechanical spreading, dissolution, dispersion, oxidation, sedimentation and biological degradation. Evaporation, emulsification and the environmental factors, the change in temperature and the wind, have the greatest influence in Mackay's methods for calculating the viscosity of the spilled oil. With the three Mackay's empirical equations we can determine the oil viscosity at a given time after the spill from different input data. Evaporation is calculated according to the Fingas method, based on laboratory experiments and empirical equations wherein dependency of the evaporation from temperature and the time is given. With the newly developed model VISKOZNOST we can simply and quickly calculate the viscosity of several different oil types in given environmental conditions. The application of the model is presented on two types of oil: Brent Blend and Maui. The oil viscosity is an important parameter in oil spill studies and the developed model can be used as a useful tool in the framework of the teaching process