Oil spills in Egyptian coastal waters have a direct impact on the national economy because of the potential environmental damage, and the corresponding negative effect on tourism. Computer simulations of oil spills were performed for four environmentally sensitive areas along Egyptian coasts using an existing oil spill model that incorporates the important variables and processes affecting oil transport in seawater. The expected slick trajectory and variation of oil properties with time were calculated for a proposed spill scenario at each site. Water current maps, the most critical model input parameter with respect to spill trajectory, were developed for each location. The simulations demonstrated that the most important oil property affecting spill response decisions and operations is the emulsion viscosity, in that it indicates when, where, and how responders can intervene for cleanup.
Methodology Model formulation and assumptionsWhen oil is spilled at sea, it undergoes a number of physical and chemical changes, some of which will lead to its reduction in the water column, while others cause it to persist. These transformation processes are rate limited and a function of the amount of oil spilled, its initial physical and chemical characteristics, and the prevailing climatic and sea conditions. A mathematical model can
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