Simulating pathways of subsurface oil in the Faroe-Shetland Channel using an ocean general circulation model

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:114

Article

Main, C. E.^1,2,3  Yool, A.¹  Holliday, N. P.¹  Popova, E. E.¹  Jones, D. O. B.¹  Ruhl, H. A.¹ 

[1] Natl Oceanog Ctr, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, Hants, England

[2] Univ Southampton, Ocean & Earth Sci, Waterfront Campus,European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, Hants, England

[3] Royal Soc Protect Birds, Western Isles Off, Pairc Niseaboist HS3 3AE, Harris, Scotland

关键词: Oil spill;    Blowout;    Plumes;    Pollution;    GCM;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.041

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Little is known about the fate of subsurface hydrocarbon plumes from deep-sea oil well blowouts and their effects on processes and communities. As deepwater drilling expands in the Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC), oil well blowouts are a possibility, and the unusual ocean circulation of this region presents challenges to understanding possible subsurface oil pathways in the event of a spill. Here, an ocean general circulation model was used with a particle tracking algorithm to assess temporal variability of the oil-plume distribution from a deep-sea oil well blowout in the FSC. The drift of particles was first tracked for one year following release. Then, ambient model temperatures were used to simulate temperature-mediated biodegradation, truncating the trajectories of particles accordingly. Release depth of the modeled subsurface plumes affected both their direction of transport and distance travelled from their release location, and there was considerable interannual variability in transport. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

【 授权许可】

Free