Subsea Mechanical Dispersion (SSMD) offers a potential alternative for at source oil dispersion compared to Subsea Dispersant Injections (SSDI). Using water jets rather than chemical dispersants, SSMD has been shown to disperse oil from simulated subsea blowouts with similar dispersion effectiveness to SSDI. However, the difference in coalescence behavior of oil droplets created by SSMD and SSDI is currently unknown. With separate efforts underway to develop deployable versions of SSMD technology, it is important to understand the dynamics of dispersed oil droplets resulting from this response method. Understanding the droplet coalescence behavior is important for understanding the plume dynamics and fate of oil in the water column, necessary for accurate trajectory modeling.
The aim of this project is to study the behavior of oil droplets produced from SSMD in a simulated water column. The custom designed water column tank will employ tracking cameras to observe the behavior and interactions of oil droplets as they rise. The coalescence behavior of oil droplets produced by SSMD, with and without gas bubbles present, will be compared to that of chemically dispersed oil. The interactions of these dispersed oil plumes with sediment particles and marine snow will be examined. The results of these experiments will be used to produce an open-source update to the VDROP-J Coalescence Model. This work will be done through contract with Texas A&M University, with a value of $486,951 and a projected end date of September 30, 2027.
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