Battelle will build a $500,000 laboratory at its Duxbury, Mass., oceanographic lab to study the effects of weathering on crude oil.

The goal of the project is to develop characterization technology for fresh and weathered oils, and their emulsions. Crude oils that are commonly transported will be characterized and the data used to gain understanding of the behavior and characteristics of the oil, and also to develop and refine a model that will aid in the cleanup of oil spills at sea. Base technology for the project has already been obtained through cooperative work with IKU Petroleum Research in Norway. IKU, a division of the SINTEF group, developed the original laboratory oil weathering methods and the model for predicting changes in oil properties as a result of weathering. Through technology transfer, sponsored by Marine Spill Response Corp. in Washington, D.C., the IKU's oil weathering capabilities have been transferred to Battelle, and its successful implementation verified through rigorous interlaboratory calibration.

Gregory S. Durell, a lead scientist on the project, said the oil weathering database and modeling software program will enable workers to know within minutes the best way to treat an oil spill. "We're going to test a number of crude oils and see how they behave under various weather conditions," Durell said. "Many of our experiments will be done in a circular flume tank that we're building.

"We'll apply oil to the water surface and then subject the system to different temperatures, winds, wave conditions, and water currents to see how the characteristics of the oil change under different conditions. Also, we'll be performing rigorous bench-top physical and chemical oil characterization and weathering testing.

"Different oils will react differently to the same conditions. A heavier crude from Alaska will not weather the same as a light crude from the Middle East. We'll also be able to test various methods of cleaning spills." Ultimately, the database and model will enable the worker to feed variables into a computer and receive a clean-up solution. It will tell them whether they should try to burn the spill, treat it with chemical dispersants or demulsifers, apply physical cleanup methods, or simply allow it to dissipate. For example, if a million gallons of North Slope Crude were spilled in the North Atlantic, a scientist would punch various environmental variables into the computer. Such as:

• Oil type
• Age of the spill
• Water temperature
• Air temperature
• Water currents and wave conditions
• Speed of winds

The oil characterization and weathering capabilities are not only being developed to provide data for the oil weathering model, but also will be used in separate studies for clients who wish to characterize oil and other petroleum products.

For more information, contact Gregory S. Durell, Battelle Ocean Sciences Laboratory, 397 Washington St., Duxbury, Mass. 02332-0601; telephone (617) 934-0571; fax (617) 934-2124.

Battelle serves industry and government by developing, commercializing, and managing technology. With a wide range of scientific and technical capabilities, Battelle puts technology to work for clients in 30 countries.