An improved mathematical model for the fate of a crude oil spill

In the proposed model, first we break a crude oil into as much as 15 components and then for each sub-fraction, we calculate the amount of paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics. The whole crude will be presented by some 33 components with all characteristic properties. For each component, amount of hydrocarbons dissolved or sunk into water as well as the amount vaporized have been predicted by simple rate models. The model predicts concentration of each component in water, the amounts (both by weight and volume) of oil vaporization and sedimentation as well as surface area and the thickness of the oil spill versus time. The input data needed for the proposed model are: initial mass or volume of crude oil, its specific gravity, composition of hydrocarbons from ethane to hexane, heptane-plus fraction and its molecular weight, initial surface area of the spill, air and water average temperatures and the wind speed. One of the features of the present model is that it predicts concentration of various types of hydrocarbons especially aromatics in water versus time which is of great importance from the environmental point of view.