Oil Pollution at Sea

Oil consists of organic compounds, mostly hydrocarbons. Each type of crude oil and refined product has distinct physical and chemical properties depending on its number of hydrocarbons. These properties affect the way oil will spread and break down and the hazard it may pose to marine and human life. Of major concern are the impacts on marine life, and especially coastal areas. This book is divided into two parts. In the first part the environmental impact and the degradation processes are described. In the second part a mathematical model for the spreading mechanism will be used to simulate two oil spill accidents, one small close to a harbour and the other one emulating a large oil spill at sea. The results give an idea of how the oil slick forms and the probable movement of the spilled oil. In this way the model calculations can be used to find the most suitable responses to an oil spill accident.