Sammendrag
Based on an initiative from SINTEF and Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA), StatoilHydro is funding the project for establishing a laboratory in Murmansk for chemical and physical characterization of oils and performing weathering studies of oils, according to the Norwegian standardized weathering methodology. A study of the weathering properties of two Russan crude oils has been performed. The data from the laboratory study is used to predict the behavoiur of the Russian crude oils at different weathering conditions. The weathering properties are discussed in relation to both mechanical and chemical dispersion in oil spill response.