A Response Guide for Sunken Oil Mats (SOMs): Formation, Behavior, Detection, and Recovery

Based on past spills, the conditions under which floating oil mixes with enough sand to form sunken mats (SOMs) are identified. SOMs mostly during spills of heavy crudes or fuel oils, but also highly weathered and viscous crude oils. They usually when both suspended in water column by breaking waves erosion heavily oiled from beach. The oil–sand mixture needs an area nearshore where it can accumulate into mats, such as troughs inside lagoons, wave energy is reduced. be oily (>40% oil) sandy (<<40% oil), posing risks separating refloating. Methods described for detection recovery based their location, either surf zone open-water environment seaward zone. A matrix provides guidance methods effectiveness environmental impacts different site conditions.