Abstract:
Spreading is one of the most important processes of the early stages of
oil slick transformation. Four physical forces were considered to develop spreading:
gravity, inertia, viscous and surface tension forces. In this study Fay’s analytical
approach was used to predict the spreading of Sudanese Nile Blend in the Red Sea
coastal water. These results were verified using experimentally determined data from
the measurement of the spread of Sudanese crude oil and kerosene on the surface
seawater of the Red Sea. Two different weather conditions (wind and calm weather)
were considered. The spread under calm condition was found to be slower than that
under wave action. Field data showed that Fay's theory greatly underestimates slick
growth. The spreading rate of kerosene is found to be 1.12 to 4.78 times the spreading
rate of NB crude oil. The results of NB was compared with other three crude oils
namely Arabic Light crude oil, North Sea crude oil, and Venezuela crude oil using
Fay spreading theory. The results show that spreading rate of Arabic light, North Sea
and Nile Blend are all most the same. Venezuela crude oil showed a lower spreading
rate.
