Current status of deepwater oil spill modelling in the Faroe-Shetland Channel, Northeast Atlantic, and future challenges. (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gallego, Alejandro; O'Hara Murray, Rory; Berx, Barbara; Turrell, William R.; Beegle-Krause, C.J.; Inall, Mark; Sherwin, Toby; Siddorn, John; Wakelin, Sarah; Vlasenko, Vasyl; Hole, Lars R.; Dagestad, Knut Frode; Rees, John; Short, Lucy; Rønningen, Petter; Main, Charlotte E.; Legrand, Sebastien; Gutierrez, Tony; Witte, Ursula; Mulanaphy, Nicole
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 127(2018)
• Page Start: 484
• Page End: 504
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: Oil spill -- Modelling -- Deepwater -- Faroe-Shetland Channel -- Northeast Atlantic; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.12.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: As oil reserves in established basins become depleted, exploration and production moves towards relatively unexploited areas, such as deep waters off the continental shelf. The Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC, NE Atlantic) and adjacent areas have been subject to increased focus by the oil industry. In addition to extreme depths, metocean conditions in this region characterise an environment with high waves and strong winds, strong currents, complex circulation patterns, sharp density gradients, and large small- and mesoscale variability. These conditions pose operational challenges to oil spill response and question the suitability of current oil spill modelling frameworks (oil spill models and their forcing data) to adequately simulate the behaviour of a potential oil spill in the area. This article reviews the state of knowledge relevant to deepwater oil spill modelling for the FSC area and identifies knowledge gaps and research priorities. Our analysis should be relevant to other areas of complex oceanography. Highlights: Oil exploration and production is moving increasingly to deeper waters. The Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC) is a complex area in terms of metocean conditions. Such complexity is a challenge for deepwater oil spill modelling. We review the state of knowledge relevant to such modelling in the FSC.