Atla condensate - properties and behaviour at sea

A small scale study of the weathering properties of Atla condensate has been performed in SINTEFs laboratory. The data are used as input for SINTEF's Oil Weathering Model (OWM) to predict the properties and behaviour of the Atla condensate in a spill situation at sea. The weathering properties are discussed related to oil spill response; mechanical recovery and chemical dispersion. Atla is characterised as being a light condensate with a high degree of evaporation. It has no water uptake and does not form emulsions on the sea surface, and will under breaking wave conditions show a high degree of natural dispersion into the water column. Atla condensate is predicted to have a very short lifetime at the sea surface.