Researchers Release Oil into the North Sea to Investigate How to Respond to a Spill

The immediate aftermath of an oil spill can be a crucial time for responders. Yet how exactly should we respond? The fate of oil during the first day after an accidental oil spill is still poorly understood but now, scientists have shed some light on the process which may help responders in the future.

In order to better understand what happens right after an oil spill occurs, the researchers collaborated with emergency response specialists in order to recreate a four cubic meter oil spill in the North Sea, in a shipping zone already burdened by pollutants. The scientists studied this relatively small oil release in depth, watching how the oil responded to changing conditions. In the end, they believe they can apply the findings to larger oil spills.

Following an oil spill, the oil suddenly finds itself in a radically new environment. It's exposed to light, air and water after millions of years underground. It's therefore not surprising that a chemical reaction takes place.

"In its new environment, the oil immediately begins to change its composition, and much of that change happens on the first day," said Samuel Arey, one of the researchers, in a news release.

Oil is a complex mixture of many hydrocarbon compounds. Certain volatile compounds evaporate within just hours, contaminating the overlying atmosphere. Others remain in the water and can dissolve, posing a threat to aquatic life. Using a computer model, the researchers used the data that they collected from the staged spill in order to be able to apply it to larger spills.

The findings could be crucial for planning emergency responses to oil spills in the future. This, in turn, could help contain the spill more fully within the first few days that it occurs.

The findings are published in the journal Environmental Science &Technology.