Sammendrag
Russian version: SINTEF A9527 The physical and chemical properties of various bunker fuel oils vary to a large extent. The properties of various bunker fuel oils differ even within the same IFO-grade due to differences in the refinery processes, the quality of the feed oil to refinery process and variable addition of distillate to give a viscosity at 50°C in accordance with the specifications. Variation in the physical and chemical properties influences highly the weathering properties for oil at sea. Good laboratory data as input to models is therefore crucial in order to obtain realistic model predictions of the weathering properties, which are used as important operational tools both in contingency planning and decision- making during response operations. This study is a part of a project to upgrade the laboratory at MCSM (Murmansk Centre for Standardization, Metrology and Certification) to perform chemical and physical characterization and weathering studies of crude oils and heavy fuel oils, according to the Norwegian standardized weathering methodology. The SINTEFs Oil Weathering Model (OWM) and OSCAR oil drift and fate model is placed at Hydromet (Murmansk Administration for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring) in order to establish an oil drift forecast services in Murmansk. The project is funded by StatoilHydro based on an initiative from SINTEF and Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA).