Research on transport and weathering of oil spills in Jiaozhou Bight, China

Abstract

Jiaozhou Bight is a semi-closed embayment, located on the eastern coast of Jiaodong Peninsula. Qingdao Port located in the bight is one of the largest transportation trade and professional crude oil transportation ports in China. Potential oil spills will cause serious damage to the local ecological environment and lead to huge social and economic losses. In this study, the hydrodynamic model of Jiaozhou Bight was established and its accuracy was verified based on the tidal current data of Qingdao Port and Huangdao Station. The oil spill model of Jiaozhou Bight was constructed by coupling with wind, tidal current and other environmental fields. Taking the “11.22” Huangdao oil spill accident as a case, the accuracy of the developed oil spill model was verified. The key factors affecting oil spill movement in Jiaozhou Bight are found out and the influences of wind regime, tidal current, oil spill source location and oil spill amount on drift and diffusion movement are researched. The effects of wind speed and other factors on weathering of the oil spill are studied. The research results can provide technological supports for making emergency responses to the oil spill in Jiaozhou Bight.