Numerical Modeling of Oil Slick Spread in the Persian Gulf

An oil spill model coupled with a hydrodynamic model was developed to simulate the spread of oil slick in real marine conditions considering the effects of tidal currents, wind and wave. The hydrodynamic model is verified using the measurements of tidal elevations and current speeds at the Persian Gulf. Effect of various governing factors on oil slick movement, tidal currents, wind and wave, are examined. It is concluded that the wind action is the predominant factor for the spreading of oil while the overlaying waves are the second important driving force. Although the tidal currents spread the oil slick on a wider area, they have limited influences on the net transformation of slick. The performance of the model on a field data in the Persian Gulf shows that the present model is capable to predict the spread of oil in early days of the oil spill.