What are the most cost-effective techniques for tracking subsurface oil plumes (or concentrations)? If one uses AUVs (ocean gliders, etc.), what detectors or other instrumentation should they carry? Assume two different cases, shallow waters and deep waters.
Hi Victor, a couple of options come to mind:
Fluorescence can be used to track hydrocarbons. I believe Turner Designs makes submersible sensors for this purpose. I am not sure of Turner's depth and platform capabilities.
In situ particle sizing instruments (Sequoia Scientific LISST-100X and -Deep) have also been used for oil plume tracking and for examining the effects of dispersants on the oil in situ and in test facilities (a couple sources below). The LISST-Deep is capable of deployment to 3000m. These instruments can be profiled, and can be adapted to various platforms, though I do not know of any researchers deploying specifically on an AUV for oil studies.
Li Z, Lee K, Kepkay P, King T, Yeung W, Boufadel MC, Venosa AD (2008): Wave Tank Studies on Chemical Dispersant Effectiveness: Dispersed Oil Droplet Size Distribution. In: Davidson WF, Lee K, Cogswell A (Eds.): Oil Spill Response: A Global Perspective. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security, Springer, pp. 143 – 157.
doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-8565-9
Li Z, Lee K, King T, Boufadel MC, Venosa AD (2010): Effects of temperature and wave conditions on chemical dispersion efficacy of heavy fuel oil in an experimental flow-through wave tank. Marine Pollution Bulletin 60(9): 1550-1559.
doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.04.012
Trudel K, Belore RC, Mullin JV, Guarino A (2010): Oil viscosity limitation on dispersibility of crude oil under simulated at-sea conditions in a large wave tank. Marine Pollution Bulletin 60(9): 1606-1614.
doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.01.010
The electric self-potential, usually measured at the surface, may be a possible way to detect contaminant plumes and their evolution. This is because the electrokinetic coupling between fluid flow and electric flow is different with different interfaces rock/fluid, specially with the electric conductivity of the fluid. This method can detect shallow contaminant plumes. For deep flow, the ability of the method depends on the subsurface conductivity. If it is too much conductive (because of water or clay), then the surface measurements will not investigate at depth. Some references below:
Review of self-potential methods in hydrogeophysics
Laurence Jouniaux, Alexis Maineult, Véronique Naudet ,
Marc Pessel, Pascal Sailhac, C. R. Geoscience 341 (2009) 928–936
J.E. Nyquist, C.E. Corry, Self-potential: the ugly duckling of
environmental geophysics Lead, Edge 21 (2002) 446–451.
[43] J. Overbeek, Electrochemistry of the double layer, in : H
B.J. Minsley, J. Sogade, F.D. Morgan, Three-dimensional self-
potential inversion for subsurface DNAPL contaminant detec-
tion at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, Water Resour.
Res. 43 (2007) W04429.
R.E. Nimmer, J.L. Osiensky, Direct current and self-potential
monitoring of an evolving plume in partially saturated fractured
rock, J. Hydrol. 267 (2002) 258–272.
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