Oil Spill Modeling

Oil Spill Modeling

Oil spill models constitute an essential element in contingency planning and in preparing effective response strategies to combat hazardous oil spills at sea. Such models rely on the ability to predict meteo-marine conditions of the sea through the use of atmospheric, wave and hydrodynamical numerical models; in combination with information on the location, rate, nature and characteristics of an oil spill, the derived forecasted fields are used to provide in advance some knowledge on the fate and track that the oil slick will follow in time.  With sufficient computer power, that is nowadays becoming more affordable, such a chain of numerical model activities can be automated and run in operational mode to provide a round-the-clock service to civil protection agencies, coastguards and maritime authorities for rapid intervention against oil spills originating from the sea, to control and limit impacts and damages on the coast and essential resources and structures.