"Relative sensitivity of hydrodynamic, thermodynamic, and chemical proc" by Anusha L. Dissanayake, Scott A. Socolofsky et al.
 

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

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