Predicting the Behaviour of Drilled Cuttings Released into Sea Water

摘要

The principles behind a model which has been developed by the authors specifically to predict the behaviour of drill cuttings and associated discharge are described. The model incorporates the influence of short range mixing driven primarily by the kinetic energy of the discharge and proceeds to evaluate the influence of ambient turbulence and advection. A mixing length approach is used for the near field behaviour. The modeling methodology then transfers to a stochastic Lagrangian methodology which takes account of ambient influences on the discharge. Simulation results, for widespread particle dispersion, in the form of contamination density profiles, are presented and the sensitivity to environmental and discharge parameters examined. The limitations of the model are discussed and the relationship between the model as presently formulated and on-going research is outlined. Similarly, anticipated future modifications to the model are briefly described.