Dispersant Effectiveness Testing on Viscous, U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Crude Oils. Final Report

摘要

The objective of the work was to determine the viscosity limit for the effectiveness of chemical dispersants applied to viscous US Outer Continental Shelf (US OCS) crude oils of varied origin. Large-scale tests were completed at Ohmsett, the National Oil Spill Response Test Facility in Leonardo New Jersey. Presently there is a lack of data and knowledge on the dispersibility of heavy, viscous crude oils under at-sea conditions. It is generally thought that oils with viscosities less than 2000 cSt are dispersible and that oils with viscosities higher than 20000 cSt are not. There is considerable debate and uncertainty regarding the dispersibility of oils with viscosities between 2000 and 20000 cSt.