A stochastic simulation model of oil spill fate and transport

A comprehensive stochastic model is formulated to simulate the fate and transport of oil spills. The model consists of a set of algorithms describing the processes of advection, turbulent diffusion, surface spreading, vertical mechanical dispersion, emulsification, and evaporation.Each algorithm is developed separately and is linked to related processes and to environmental and other parameters. The model requires as input the velocity field of the transporting medium. This can be obtained from a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model for tidal and wind-driven currents forthe region of interest. The oil spill fate and transport model is used to simulate a surface oil spill in the Abu Ali region on the western side of the Arabian Gulf. The simulation results indicate that the model can predict the fate and transport of oil slicks with reasonable accuracy.