14
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. A. Murawski et al. (eds.), Deep Oil Spills,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2
Chapter 2
The Importance of Understanding
Fundamental Physics and Chemistry
of Deep Oil Blowouts
William Lehr and Scott A. Socolofsky
Abstract The science of deep oil spills is complex, spanning several engineering
and scientific specialties, different environmental conditions, and a large range of
dimensional scales. It is also an applied and pragmatic field where research is
expected to produce a better assessment and improved response of any spill incident. This summary chapter reviews at an introductory level the important physical
and chemical factors relevant to deep oil blowouts, beginning with the nature of the
crude oil itself. While knowledge of the necessary properties of such a mixture of
hydrocarbons is often limited, this chapter describes the information typically
known to spill responders, expressed in units common to the industry. Material
characteristics of the leaking reservoir are defined along with some special features
of the subsurface release and plume that are not present in surface spills. Finally, the
early far-field behavior of the submerged oil is described.
Keywords Bulk oil properties · API · Oil viscosity · Oil reservoir · Porosity · Gas
hydrates · Oil plumes · Oil jets
2.1 Introduction
A common expression, “challenging as rocket science,” is occasionally used to
describe a complex topic. Analysis of oil releases at great water depth is not rocket
science. It is in fact much more imposing than rocket science, spanning numerous
fields of science and technology and great extremes of environmental conditions.
Consider, for example, the extreme ranges of temperature and pressure to which the
spilled oil is subjected. For the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, pressure ranged
W. Lehr
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Response & Restoration,
Seattle, WA, USA
e-mail: Bill.Lehr@noaa.gov
S. A. Socolofsky (*)
Texas A&M University, Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, College Station, TX, USA
e-mail: socolofs@tamu.edu
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. A. Murawski et al. (eds.), Deep Oil Spills,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2
Chapter 2
The Importance of Understanding
Fundamental Physics and Chemistry
of Deep Oil Blowouts
William Lehr and Scott A. Socolofsky
Abstract The science of deep oil spills is complex, spanning several engineering
and scientific specialties, different environmental conditions, and a large range of
dimensional scales. It is also an applied and pragmatic field where research is
expected to produce a better assessment and improved response of any spill incident. This summary chapter reviews at an introductory level the important physical
and chemical factors relevant to deep oil blowouts, beginning with the nature of the
crude oil itself. While knowledge of the necessary properties of such a mixture of
hydrocarbons is often limited, this chapter describes the information typically
known to spill responders, expressed in units common to the industry. Material
characteristics of the leaking reservoir are defined along with some special features
of the subsurface release and plume that are not present in surface spills. Finally, the
early far-field behavior of the submerged oil is described.
Keywords Bulk oil properties · API · Oil viscosity · Oil reservoir · Porosity · Gas
hydrates · Oil plumes · Oil jets
2.1 Introduction
A common expression, “challenging as rocket science,” is occasionally used to
describe a complex topic. Analysis of oil releases at great water depth is not rocket
science. It is in fact much more imposing than rocket science, spanning numerous
fields of science and technology and great extremes of environmental conditions.
Consider, for example, the extreme ranges of temperature and pressure to which the
spilled oil is subjected. For the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, pressure ranged
W. Lehr
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Response & Restoration,
Seattle, WA, USA
e-mail: Bill.Lehr@noaa.gov
S. A. Socolofsky (*)
Texas A&M University, Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, College Station, TX, USA
e-mail: socolofs@tamu.edu