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Was the Deepwater Horizon Well Discharge Churn Flow? Implications on the Estimation of the Oil Discharge and Droplet Size Distribution
Author(s) -
Boufadel Michel C.,
Gao Feng,
Zhao Lin,
Özgökmen Tamay,
Miller Richard,
King Thomas,
Robinson Brian,
Lee Kenneth,
Leifer Ira
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl076606
Subject(s) - wellhead , flow (mathematics) , plume , petroleum engineering , mechanics , environmental science , fluid dynamics , geology , meteorology , physics
Improved understanding of the character of an uncontrolled pipeline flow is critical for the estimation of the oil discharge and droplet size distribution both essential for evaluating oil spill impact. Measured oil and gas properties at the wellhead of the Macondo255 and detailed numerical modeling suggested that the flow within the pipe could have been “churn,” whereby oil and gas tumble violently within the pipe and is different from the bubbly flow commonly assumed for that release. The churn flow would have produced 5 times the energy loss in the pipe compared to bubbly flow, and its plume would have entrained 35% more water than that of the bubbly flow. Both findings suggest that the oil discharge in Deepwater Horizon could have been overestimated, by up to 200%. The resulting oil droplet size distribution of churn flow is likely smaller than that of bubbly flow.