Relative sensitivity of hydrodynamic, thermodynamic, and chemical processes for simulating the buoyant multiphase plume and surfacing flows of an oil and gas blowout
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2023
Abstract
Deepwater hydrocarbon releases experience complex chemical and physical processes. To assess simplifications of these processes on model predictions, we present a sensitivity analysis using simulations for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. We compare the buoyant multiphase plume metrics (trap height, rise time etc), the hydrocarbon mass flowrates at the near-field plume termination and their mass fractions dissolved in the water column and reaching the water surface. The baseline simulation utilizes a 19-component hydrocarbon model, live-fluid state equations, hydrate dynamics, and heat and mass transfer. Other simulations turn-off each of these processes, with the simplest one using inert oil and methane gas. Plume metrics are the least sensitive to the modeled processes and can be matched by adjusting the release buoyancy flux. The mass flowrate metrics are more sensitive. Both liquid- and gas-phase mass transfer should be modeled for accurate tracking of soluble components (e.g. C1 − C7 hydrocarbons) in the environment.
Identifier
85145492014 (Scopus)
Publication Title
Marine Pollution Bulletin
External Full Text Location
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114377
e-ISSN
18793363
ISSN
0025326X
PubMed ID
36493519
Volume
186
Fund Ref
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative
Recommended Citation
Dissanayake, Anusha L.; Socolofsky, Scott A.; Gros, Jonas; Jun, Inok; Zhao, Lin; Boufadel, Michel C.; and Arey, J. Samuel, "Relative sensitivity of hydrodynamic, thermodynamic, and chemical processes for simulating the buoyant multiphase plume and surfacing flows of an oil and gas blowout" (2023). Faculty Publications. 2342.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/fac_pubs/2342