Heidrun Åre – Weathering properties and behaviour at sea

Abstract

A standardized small-scale weathering and dispersibility study has been conducted on Heidrun Åre crude oil from 2023 at 13 °C. The dispersibility testing was included to estimate the viscosity limits and time window for dispersant use. The obtained laboratory data were further used as input to the SINTEF Oil Weathering Model (OWM) for weathering and dispersibility predictions of Heidrun Åre 2023 at sea at 5 and 15 °C, reflecting winter and summer conditions. The weathering properties of Heidrun Åre are also discussed in relation to oil spill response.