Simulation of the movement and dispersion of oil slicks in the Arabian Gulf

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The extensive oil drilling and transportation activities in the Arabian Gulf increased the possibility of oil spills and the consequent threat of oil pollution to the regional ecology. The available literature concerning the main aspects of the physical oceanographic characteristics affecting the movement and spreading of oil spill in the Gulf are reviewed. It is concluded that evaporation, wind-driven currents, and sandfall are important as weathering processes, while tidal currents cause lateral spreading of the slick. Oil spill modelling has shown some usefulness in estimating the trajectories of few major spills illustrated by reference to three models developed for the Gulf. The performance of these models, their capabilities and limitations are reviewed. Recommendations are made to gather more data on the behavior of oil spills in this particular environment.