Abstract:

A new framework based on multiscale coupled computational domains is used to simulate deep-water blowouts, which is able to accurately track the oil from the wellhead to its transport in the ocean mixed layer. The nearfield blowout is simulated by standard large-eddy simulation (LES), while the farfield transport of oil plumes under the effects of dispersant from deep-water blowout is studied using extended non-periodic domain large-eddy simulation for scalar plumes (ENDLESS). Two cases with and without dispersant are run in a wavy ocean condition. Based on the data set, the difference of oil plumes with and without the effects can be illustrated.

Suggested Citation:

Charles Menevean, Marcelo Chamecki. 2018. Effects of dispersant on oil transport within the ocean mixed layer. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N70000F7

Publications:

Chen, B., Yang, D., Meneveau, C., & Chamecki, M. (2018). Numerical study of the effects of chemical dispersant on oil transport from an idealized underwater blowout. Physical Review Fluids, 3(8). doi:10.1103/physrevfluids.3.083801

Purpose:

To estimate the impact of oil dispersion on oil transport in the ocean.

Data Parameters and Units:

2D snapshots of oil concentration fields at the ocean surface and vertical cross-section; geometry and mass distribution of oil plume; mean transport directions of vertically-integral oil plume; surface oil plume horizontal growth rates. Plume_evolution_farfield: vertically-integral oil concentration after surface-dispersant application. con: concentration fields (kg/m^2) x: unit for coordinates is (m) y: unit for coordinates is (m) plume_statistics: statistics of oil plume where surface-dispersant is applied. z_oil: depth of oil mass center (m) speed_oil: horizontal advection speed of oil mass center (m/s) angle_speed: angle of horizontal advection velocity of oil mass center (degree) size_oil: horizontal size of oil plume (m) apparent diffusivity of oil plume (m^2/s) time (s) simulation_setup: the oil and bubble concentration at the time point of surface-dispersant application. oil_surface.npz: the oil concentration at the ocean surface. con_top: concentration fields (kg/m^2) x_top: unit for coordinates is (m) y_top: unit for coordinates is (m) oil_cross_section_farfield.npz: the cross-section (y=500 m) of oil plume in farfield simulation. con_far: concentration fields (kg/m^2) x_far: unit for coordinates is (m) y_far: unit for coordinates is (m) oil_and_bubble_cross_section_nearfield.npz: the cross-section (y=500 m) of oil plume in nearfield simulation without wellhead-dispersant application. ocon_near: oil concentration fields (kg/m^2) bcon_near: bubble concentration fields (kg/m^2) x_near: unit for coordinates is (m) z_near: unit for coordinates is (m) oil_and_bubble_cross_section_nearfield_wellhead_dispersant.npz: the cross-section (y=500 m) of oil plume in nearfield simulation with wellhead-dispersant application. ocon_disp: oil concentration fields (kg/m^2) bcon_disp: bubble concentration fields (kg/m^2) x_disp: unit for coordinates is (m) z_disp: unit for coordinates is (m) velocity_profiles: the vertical profiles of Eulerian velocity and Stokes drift velocity. v_eulerian: v-component Eulerian velocity u_eulerian: u-component Eulerian velocity u_stokes: u-component Stokes drift velocity v_stokes: v-component Stokes drift velocity z: depth (m)

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