Abstract
A small and meso-scale study of the weathering properties of Maria crude oil has been performed at 5°C and 13°C in SINTEFs laboratory. The data are used as input for SINTEF's Oil Weathering Model (OWM) to predict the properties and behaviour of the Maria crude oil in a spill situation at sea. The weathering properties are discussed related to oil spill response; mechanical recovery and chemical dispersion. The oil forms stable and viscous emulsions, and is predicted to be relatively persistent at the sea surface.