Publication Name: The North West Shelf Australia
Authors: R.I. Kagi, S.J. Fisher and R. Alexander
Publication Volume: 1
Date Published: July 1988
Number of Pages: 21
Reference Type: Book Section
Abstract:
Australian light crudes or ondensates released on the warm waters of northern Australia will be dispersed rapidly by spreading and evaporation. These processes also occur with No.2 fuel oil (diesel), but at a reducedrate. Under favourable conditions, components up to approximately C1s will evaporate rapidly from thin petroleum slicks. This is important because these components comprise the more toxic material in petroleum. Laboratory evaporation experiments demonstrate that mixing or diffusion within the viscous hydrocarbon film is a major factor limiting the rate of evaporation of volatile components. Management strategies aimed at enhancing evaporation should have appeal in some circumstances in northern Australian waters.
Information about exposure histories of offshore sites to petroleum can be obtained by detailed chemical examination of hydrocarbons extracted from local populations of filter feeders such as oysters.