Oil spill vulnerable areas in Arzew Gulf: a study case

Abstract

This study focuses on the Gulf of Arzew in Oran, an important area of the Algerian economy and the first Algerian port in terms of hydrocarbon exports. Oil spills in this area represent a severe risk that can disrupt the marine and coastal ecosystem. Therefore, the aim is to estimate marine waters’ vulnerability to oil pollution, which has become a significant problem worldwide. Predictive simulations of oil slick drift, which may occur in the coastal area of Arzew in Oran, northwest Algeria, were carried out to study, prevent and map the spread of an oil spill in the context of a hypothetical oil spill. For this purpose, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s general operational oil modeling environment and the Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spills were also used. The results show that approximately 29.7 km of shoreline could potentially be impacted by oil during the winter season, with an evaporation rate of more than 74.6% of the spilled amount. In addition, the simulation results indicate that the area could be affected in distinct ways depending on the season, with completely different oil slick trajectories. It is important to note that no oil slick modeling work has been done in this area to date, although oil spills represent a serious risk that can disrupt coastal resources such as fisheries, tourism, aquatic life, and shoreline physical resources. The mapping results propose a new transposable approach to coastal risk and could serve as a decision-making tool.