SHOREDRIFT is a numerical oil drift model developed for the simulation of coastal zone spills. The model is integrated in an interactive GIS application (ref. /1/). The GIS application is a flexible oil spill management tool, which can be easily set up for new coastal areas.
SHOREDRIFT is developed by DNV, and the algorithms used in SHOREDRIFT are published in the open literature, many of them common with the DNV oil spill model OILTRAJ, developed for large-scale simulations offshore (ref. /2/).
The model can run in statistical mode as well as single scenario mode. Necessary input data are wind rose, current observations, type of shoreline, oil characteristics and release scenario.
The statistical mode of the model is based on Monte Carlo simulations and computes probabilities of pollution, mass budgets (for evaporation, downmixing (natural dispersion), water uptake and remaining oil mass) and drift times for the entire computation area. The model also includes the effect of recirculation of stranded oil back to sea due to tidal, wind and wave action. A simple tidal model is also included, setting up periodical changes in current direction and speed. The following figure shows the user interface of the interactive GIS application, and results from SHOREDRIFT simulations in statistical mode.
The model has been used in several Norwegian fjords and in the Orkney Islands archipelago. The oil spill results have mainly been used in environmental risk assessments. The following figure shows results from simulation in single scenario mode.
References:
- Johnsen, T. & Endresen, Ø. (1999): Shoredrift – System documentation. DNV report no. 99-2004. Det Norske Veritas, 1998
- Sørgård, E. (1993): "Oil drift simulations". Technical Report 93-2060, Det Norske Veritas Research, Høvik, Norway
