Oil spill combat process descriptions : a literature review and modeling

This study, in the frame of an engineers thesis at the Delft University of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Coastal Engineering Group, Offshore Study group, concerns a literature investigation about the processes involved in the combat of oil spills at sea. Different combat processes are fit into a model. Also a new model is proposed for the description of the vertical dispersion of oil particles in the water column, which is essential for the description of the efficiencies of the combat methods that are fit into a model. Subjects which are discussed are the fate of an oil spill e.g. spreading, aging processes and evaporation and methods to combat an oil spill : booms, sinking methods, sweeping, chemical dispersion, skimmers, application of nets and biodegradation.