Oil Spills

Offshore energy activities can pose significant risk to the environment as demonstrated by Deepwater Horizon and many other historic oil spills.

Oil Spill Modeling for Rapid Response & Planning

When oil reaches water — from pipeline spills to offshore blowouts — rapid, accurate modeling of where it travels and how it behaves is critical for emergency response, environmental assessment, and long-term planning.

Response to oil spill at Deepwater Horizon site (Credit: NOAA)

EEMS Capabilities

EEMS features a Lagrangian Particle Tracking oil spill module that simulates spill trajectories, oil thickness, volume, and biodegradation across the model domain. Users can configure multiple spill locations, track individual particle histories, and generate outputs that feed directly into response plans and species consultations.

Related Research

Analysis of the Contribution of Wind Drift Factor to Oil Slick Movement under Strong Tidal Condition: Hebei Spirit Oil Spill Case

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A simulation model driven by EFDC tidal fields and Automatic Weather System (AWS) winds was used to investigate the role of the wind drift factor in oil slick movement under the strong tidal conditions of Korea’s western coast during the 2007 Hebei Spirit oil spill. Comparison with five sets of optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite images showed the wind drift factor to be approximately linearly proportional to wind speed, leading to a modified empirical formula for forecasting coastal oil slick movement.

In the News: Taylor Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

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Directly covers a real-world oil spill event.

Hebei Spirit Oil Spill, South Korea — Tidal Transport Analysis

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Following the 2007 Hebei Spirit oil spill, EFDC+ was applied to investigate how strong tidal currents along Korea’s western coast influenced oil slick movement. Simulation results were validated against satellite imagery captured at five intervals after the spill, confirming EEMS’s ability to deliver accurate, field-validated trajectory predictions.

Kodiak, Alaska, USA — Hypothetical Oil Spill Scenario

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A 3D model of Chiniak Bay and St. Paul’s Harbor near Kodiak, Alaska was developed to simulate the behavior of a hypothetical oil spill. Particles were released simultaneously from two locations, with tidal forcing and variable winds driving their dispersion through this ecologically sensitive bay.

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