Effects of oil spill cleanup strategy on the transport and fate of oil spilled in the Penglai 19–3 oil spill accident

Abstract

Oil spills can result in significant economic loss, environmental contamination, and hazards to human safety. Although oil spill cleanup efforts are crucial for mitigating these impacts, the quantitative effectiveness of such strategies remains uncertain. This study utilised a three-dimensional underwater oil spill model to assess the impact of cleanup strategies on the transport and fate of oil spilled during the Penglai 19–3 oil spill accident. The wind drift coefficient was calibrated to an optimal value of 0.6 % using satellite remote-sensing data to track oil slicks on the sea surface, and the simulation start time of the accident was determined. The validated model was then used to simulate the Penglai 19–3 oil spill. Sensitivity experiments revealed that delaying the removal of a fixed area of surface oil resulted in an average increase of 6.88 % (0.96 %) in the final oil spill polluted volume (polluted area on the sea surface). Furthermore, cleaning up the entire surface oil a day earlier improved the cleanup efficiency by an average of 52.83 % (48.25 %) in terms of the final oil spill polluted volume (polluted area on the sea surface). The study has provided a quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of oil spill cleanup strategies and emphasised the importance of rapid emergency response to oil spills. It would provide guidance for offshore cleanup operations.