Assessment and modeling of the oil spill fate in the coastal region of Sultanate of Oman

Summary

Oil is the most important natural resource in the gulf region. Oil tankers transport more than 50% of the oil produced in the whole world through the Gulf of Oman. There are various causes of oil spill in the ocean from the tankers in the ocean. In the ocean, the oil spill may be observed in the form of an oil slick developed over the ocean surface. The photographs taken by US space shuttle Challenger clearly show the presence of a well-defined oil slick near Ras-al-Hadd (near Sur). This film of oil blocks the oxygen supply to the ocean thus seriously affecting the marine life. In addition to that, the soluble hydrocarbons found in the petroleum adversely affect the oceanic environment. Since detailed studies on the extent of the ocean water pollution by oil-related sources in Gulf of Oman are scarce. The study is being carried out using the state of the art measuring equipment. The collected data will be utilized for the calibration of numerical models and their subsequent application to predict the pollution transport and fate in surface water. The rectification measures will be outlined and a management plan would be proposed to control oil-related environmental hazards. The present project upholds the efforts of the Sultanate of Oman to emerge as an environmentally sensible country in the region.