Search

Transporting viscous oils through pipelines is usually challenging due to their very high viscosity. Significant friction reduction in the transportation of viscous oils through pipelines using an ecologically friendly way is the most appealing feature of the core annular Flow (CAF) technique. An experimental study has been conducted to investigate the flow patterns and pressure gradient of viscous oil-water two-phase flow in a horizontal acrylic pipe with a 50 mm inner diameter. The test section was equipped with a fluid lubrication injector element to artificially provide CAF. The pressure gradient measurements were focused on the CAF pattern. The prediction models of the CAF pressure gradient were reviewed and evaluated. An empirical prediction model of CAF pressure gradient was developed, relying on both the present and previously published experimental results. The flow patterns were classified into five patterns. It was observed that the CAF occupied a large region in the constructed flow pattern map and its frictional pressure gradient closely resembles that of water flowing alone. It was found that the developed empirical model provided quite good predictions of the experimental pressure gradients and significantly outperformed the original model. The reviewed prediction models in this area for CAF either overpredicted or underpredicted the experimental pressure gradients. Some of these models considered the extensive effect of viscous oil adhered to the inner wall of the pipe, while others neglected the effect entirely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The petroleum sector is essential to supplying the world's energy demand, but it also involves numerous environmental problems, such as soil pollution and oil spills. The review explores biosurfactants' potential as a new tool for the petroleum sector. Comparing biosurfactants to their chemical equivalents reveals several advantages. They are ecologically sustainable solutions since they are renewable, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Biosurfactants are used in a variety of ways in the petroleum sector. They can improve the mobilization and extraction of trapped hydrocarbons during oil recovery procedures. By encouraging the dispersion and solubilization of hydrocarbons, biosurfactants also assist in the cleanup of oil spills and polluted locations by accelerating their breakdown by local microorganisms. The review gives insights into alternative methods for the petroleum industry that are more viable and cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The petroleum sector is essential to supplying the world’s energy demand, but it also involves numerous environmental problems, such as soil pollution and oil spills. The review explores biosurfactants’ potential as a new tool for the petroleum sector. Comparing biosurfactants to their chemical equivalents reveals several advantages. They are ecologically sustainable solutions since they are renewable, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Biosurfactants are used in a variety of ways in the petroleum sector. They can improve the mobilization and extraction of trapped hydrocarbons during oil recovery procedures. By encouraging the dispersion and solubilization of hydrocarbons, biosurfactants also assist in the cleanup of oil spills and polluted locations by accelerating their breakdown by local microorganisms. The review gives insights into alternative methods for the petroleum industry that are more viable and cost-effective.

• The GO-PA coating has been demonstrated for the first time to inhibit wax. • Superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic property was achieved via GO-PA coating on carbon steel surface. • Optimised GO-PA carbon steel surface showed up to 89.5 % enhancement in oil passing speed in pipe transportation. • Wax inhibition efficiency of 95.8% was achieved with the optimised GO-PA carbon steel surface. • Mechanical and chemical stable GO-based coating was achieved via one-step low-cost approach. Wax deposition in pipelines is a global issue during the production and transportation of oil. Recently, superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic coatings have garnered much attention due to their wax inhibition potential based on water film theory. Herein, carbon steel (CS) substrates were made superhydrophilic by coating phytic acid (PA) functionalised graphene oxide (GO) materials prepared by very simple process. The superhydrophilic GO-PA coatings induced the formation of a hydration layer on the surface, thus inherently showing underwater superoleophobic properties in a water-contained waxy oil system. The optimised GO-PA/CS surface possessed a water contact angle of nearly 0° and an underwater oil contact angle of ∼ 160°. This coating demonstrated up to 89.5 % enhancement in oil passing speed during the oil transportation test. This enhancement is particularly significant for reducing wax deposition in laminar and transitional flow regimes. Moreover, in the cold-finger wax deposition tests, a wax inhibition efficiency of 95.8 % was achieved with the optimised GO-PA/CS surface in the laminar flow regime. Therefore, this research provides insights into a mechanically and chemically stable GO-based coating achieved via a facile one-step functionalisation, which has not been previously reported in the literature for applications in waxy oil transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to increase the efficiency of implementing the emergency response measures, the emergency response plan drawing up, revision and implementation at oil production enterprises, it is expedient to use an analogue of the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which generates an interactive mode that allows interaction with the person in charge for localizing and eliminating the consequences of accidents that negatively affect, inter alia, the environmental situation. The SCADA system was developed on the basis of the approved document “Emergency Response Plan” and provides for data exchange with the automated systems of the enterprise to form a complete description of the situation for the person in charge for localizing and eliminating the consequences of accidents. The automated system application software was developed using high-level programming languages (Embarcadero Delphi or analogues) and technologies for direct access to the Oracle database management system. The use of an automated system is feasible for large enterprises of the extractive and processing industries with the possibility of integration into the automated Manufacturing Execution System (MES-systems) of an enterprise.

In order to increase the efficiency of implementing the emergency response measures, the emergency response plan drawing up, revision and implementation at oil production enterprises, it is expedient to use an analogue of the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which generates an interactive mode that allows interaction with the person in charge for localizing and eliminating the consequences of accidents that negatively affect, inter alia, the environmental situation. The SCADA system was developed on the basis of the approved document “Emergency Response Plan” and provides for data exchange with the automated systems of the enterprise to form a complete description of the situation for the person in charge for localizing and eliminating the consequences of accidents. The automated system application software was developed using high-level programming languages (Embarcadero Delphi or analogues) and technologies for direct access to the Oracle database management system. The use of an automated system is feasible for large enterprises of the extractive and processing industries with the possibility of integration into the automated Manufacturing Execution System (MES-systems) of an enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make their business profitable, oil multinationals have to include in their strategies the transport of crude oil from production sites to markets. This article focuses on Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (Eni), the Italian state-owned oil company – a significant firm in the oil industry in the second half of the twentieth century – to show how oil businesses have overcome trading limitations by establishing transportation systems comprising ships, ports and pipelines. Initially, the article focuses on the relationship between oil market growth and the development of oil transport from 1945 until the early 1970s. Secondly, it analyses the growth of Eni's fleet and the increase in ship size, emphasising limitations and constraints in an international perspective. Finally, the development of ports and pipelines – vital links in the oil supply chain – is assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a fully passive, wireless solution for out-of-sight pipeline monitoring is presented. By predicting corrosion before its occurrence, a proactive response may be taken to mitigate the chance of an environmental disaster. The chipless radio-frequency identification system is a combination of a tag ID, consisting of an array of six rectangular spiral resonators, and a tag antenna consisting of two cross-polarized novel patch antennas etched on a skin-thin microwave laminate. The tags are grounded on a carbon steel pipeline coated with 3 mm Teflon (polyethylene-like electrical characteristics). The proposed system exhibits robust capability to create frequency signatures to detect and monitor defects underneath the pipeline coating owing to water ingress that could eventuate to corrode the pipeline. The reader antenna above the pipeline comprises two identically cross-polarized log periodic dipole antennas with the intent to remotely capture resonances of the tag ID in real-time for early detection and prediction of potential pipeline exposure to moisture. The proposed structure provides low-cost real-time solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the contracting behaviour of participants in the spot freight market for tankers by analysing the positioning of vessels at the time of fixture. For that purpose, we create a new dataset obtained by merging spatial ship positions, commercial fixtures and technical vessel specifications. Using quantile and quantile fixed effect regressions, we show how market conditions, vessel characteristics and charterers' preferences affect the fixture location. Our main result is that oil buyers secure tonnage earlier during strong tanker markets and that the geography of trade creates natural decision points that dominate in the spatial distribution of fixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, we investigate the dynamics mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannel using molecular dynamics simulations. It is demonstrated that the interaction between oil molecules and nanochannel has a great effect on the transportation properties of oil in nanochannel. Because of different interactions between oil molecules and channel, the center of mass (COM) displacement of oil in a 6-nm channel is over 30 times larger than that in a 2-nm channel, and the diffusion coefficient of oil molecules at the center of a 6-nm channel is almost two times more than that near the channel surface. Besides, it is found that polarity of oil molecules has the effect on impeding oil transportation, because the electrostatic interaction between polar oil molecules and channel is far larger than that between nonpolar oil molecules and channel. In addition, channel component is found to play an important role in oil transportation in nanochannel, for example, the COM displacement of oil in gold channel is very few due to great interaction between oil and gold substrate. It is also found that nano-sized roughness of channel surface greatly influences the speed and flow pattern of oil. Our findings would contribute to revealing the mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannels and therefore are very important for design of oil extraction in nanochannels.

The transportation of oil is the final step that the oil is taken before it is distributed to consumer. Road transport is a type of oil transportation methods, and transfers between facilities of primary and secondary bases are carried out by tanker trucks. A particular advantage of tanker trucks is that they provide direct travel from the source to the destination. However, road transport involves possible hazards for population and environment. At this point, this study presents a fuzzy-based risk assessment model for the routes in an oil transportation company. Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, which is a commonly used multi-criteria decision-making method, is applied in weighting nine criteria related to the road characteristics. Then, risk scores for eleven different routes which the tanker trucks of the company followed are determined by using a basic multi-criteria scoring method. Results of the case study emerge that the most important criterion is narrow road. The riskiest route for the company has been determined. In order to reduce risks to an acceptable level, a number of control measures are suggested such as to assign experienced drivers for this route, provide regular training for drivers, make regular vehicle maintenance and transport large quantities at one time as possible. To demonstrate validity, a comparison is also provided between the proposed approach and Pythagorean fuzzy analytic hierarchy process-based risk scoring model. In conclusion, this study contributes to the applicability of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to assess riskiness for routes in oil transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two diesel oil-in-water emulsions were formed by using positively charged alumina nanoparticles solely and negatively charged silica nanoparticls solely as emulsifier, respectively. The formal systems are typical Pickering emulsions in which alumina nanoparticles adsorb at oil/water interface endowing droplets very good stability, whereas the later systems are non-Pickering emulsions in which silica nanoparticles do not adsorb at oil/water interface but distribute in aqueous phase surrounding the droplets endowing droplets temporary stability. Trace amounts of anionic surface-active materials in the diesel oil are responsible for the formation of two different emulsions. In the Pickering emulsions they adsorb at alumina particle surface to endow particle surface activity via in situ hydrophobization, whereas in the non-Pickering emulsions they adsorb at oil/water interface constituting a novel emulsion co-stabilized by like charged surfactants and nanoparticles at very low concentrations. By addition of trace amount of extra anionic surfactant, such as 0.1 mM sodium dodecyl benzene sulfate (SDBS), the novel diesel oil-in-water emulsions with good temporary stability can be formed by using silica nanoparticles at a concentration as low as 0.01 wt%. The emulsions can be demulsified easily by addition of trace amount (0.06∼0.1 mM) of a cationic surfactant such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), or a low concentration (0.6∼3.0 mM) of divalent electrolyte such as CaCl 2 , and therefore have potential applications in oil transportation. On the other hand the Pickering diesel oil-in-water emulsions are relatively difficult to demulsify, and suitable demulsification protocols need to be developed for their applications in oil transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine transportation, the primary mode for oil and petroleum shipments, could result in oil spill episodes. Fortunately, catastrophic events such as Exxon Valdez, which resulted in enormous socioeconomic and environmental costs, are rare though smaller operational spills are rather frequent. Interestingly, most of the risk assessment engagements have focused on local geographical areas, thus not suitable for intercontinental transportation because of major variations in spill-related socio-economic and environmental costs around the world. We propose a risk assessment methodology that not only encapsulates the Formal Safety Assessment guidelines proposed by the International Maritime Organization, but also takes into consideration the location-specific economic and environmental costs. The methodology, which involves an expected consequence approach applied over a segmented route, is applied to solve a realistic size problem instance, which is then analysed to gain managerial insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Superoleophobic/superhydrophilic surfaces have incomparable advantages for oil–water separation and oil droplet manipulation; however, such surfaces are difficult to obtain on the basis of surface tension theory, and existing attempts are either not fully functional or are nondurable. Here, a solution to achieve the combination of superoleophobicity and superhydrophilicity by emphasizing the polar component of surface tension is proposed. The developed surfaces can be flexibly applied to almost any solid substrate and exhibit superoleophobic and instantaneous superhydrophilic property. The surfaces applied to certain substrates can be used for controllable oil transport, oil–water separation, and emulsion demulsification. Furthermore, a novel ferroconcrete‐like structure to substantially increase the durability of the developed surfaces without affecting the superwettability is developed. The coated steel meshes preserve the ability of the material to separate oil–water mixtures even after over 400 m abrasion, which can be a significant step toward its widespread application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper covers the current state of maritime oil transportation in the Baltic Sea and the development of oil transportation in the 2000s, as well as estimations of transported oil volumes in 2020 and 2030 in the Gulf of Finland. The scenarios were formulated on the basis of a current state analysis, energy and transportation strategies and scenarios and expert assessments. The study showed that the volumes of oil transportation in the Gulf of Finland will increase only moderately compared to the current status: 9.5-33.8 %, depending on the scenario. Green energy policy favours renewable energy sources, which can be seen in the smaller volumes of transported oil in the 2030 scenarios compared to the 2020 scenarios. In the Slow development 2020 scenario, oil transport volumes for 2020 are expected to be 170.6 Mt (million tonnes), in the Average development 2020 187.1 Mt and in the Strong development 2020 201.5 Mt. The corresponding oil volumes for the 2030 scenarios were 165 Mt for the Stagnating development 2030 scenario, 177.5 Mt for the Towards a greener society 2030 scenario and 169.5 Mt in the Decarbonising society 2030 scenario.

In this work, we investigate the dynamics mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannel using molecular dynamics simulations. It is demonstrated that the interaction between oil molecules and nanochannel has a great effect on the transportation properties of oil in nanochannel. Because of different interactions between oil molecules and channel, the center of mass (COM) displacement of oil in a 6-nm channel is over 30 times larger than that in a 2-nm channel, and the diffusion coefficient of oil molecules at the center of a 6-nm channel is almost two times more than that near the channel surface. Besides, it is found that polarity of oil molecules has the effect on impeding oil transportation, because the electrostatic interaction between polar oil molecules and channel is far larger than that between nonpolar oil molecules and channel. In addition, channel component is found to play an important role in oil transportation in nanochannel, for example, the COM displacement of oil in gold channel is very few due to great interaction between oil and gold substrate. It is also found that nano-sized roughness of channel surface greatly influences the speed and flow pattern of oil. Our findings would contribute to revealing the mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannels and therefore are very important for design of oil extraction in nanochannels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid increase in maritime traffic together with challenging navigation conditions and a vulnerable ecosystem has evoked calls for improving maritime safety in the Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea. It is suggested that these improvements will be the result of adopting a regionally effective proactive approach to safety policy formulation and management. A proactive approach is grounded on a formal process of identifying, assessing and evaluating accident risks, and adjusting policies or management practices before accidents happen. Currently, maritime safety is globally regulated by internationally agreed prescriptive rules, which are usually revised in reaction to accidents. The proactive Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) is applied to risks common to a ship type or to a particular hazard, when deemed necessary, whereas regional FSA applications are rare. An extensive literature review was conducted in order to examine the opportunities for developing a framework for the GoF for handling regional risks at regional level. Best practices were sought from nuclear safety management and fisheries management, and from a particular case related to maritime risk management. A regional approach that sees maritime safety as a holistic system, and manages it by combining a scientific risk assessment with stakeholder input to identify risks and risk control options, and to evaluate risks is proposed. A regional risk governance framework can improve safety by focusing on actual regional risks, designing tailor-made safety measures to control them, enhancing a positive safety culture in the shipping industry, and by increasing trust among all involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how change is brought about in quality governance of Baltic maritime oil transportation. Design/methodology/approach – This qualitative case-study sought to understand the underlying mechanisms of quality governance. The paper analyzed versatile empirical material (including expert interviews) to uncover how a particular constellation of public and private, binding and voluntary, internal and external quality standards impacted the process of institution building for quality management in Baltic oil shipping. Findings – The paper shows that emergence of quality practices in oil shipping is associated not only with the development of shipping industry as a whole, but also with the dynamics within the energy value chain. The findings suggest that alignment between rules and incentives is specific to a combination of given natural, political and economic contexts as well as physical infrastructure which set applied limitations upon the governance process and, eventually, impact the set of quality governance mechanisms available for use. Research limitations/implications – The paper shows that collective action is contextually-bound, thus the mechanisms of quality shipping governance can essentially differ from one locality to another. This implies that local solutions can be found to problems conventionally identified as global. Practical implications – Paper’s findings question the applicability of “one-size-fits-all” approaches to policy-making and calls for more targeted regulation. The research also stresses the role of technical modernization in prompting actual change in regards to quality practices. Originality/value – This research claims that transition to sustainable transportation systems requires institutions that are capable of linking actors and contexts in a way that balances supply and demand for quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper determines the burst failure causes of a reinforced thermoplastic pipe (RTP). • The liner pipe and reinforced fibers were swelled by the conveying medium. • Mechanical and thermal properties of the liner pipe and reinforced fibers decreased significantly due to the swelling. • The direct cause of failure is that the damage of sealing rings lead to the leakage of conveying medium in the joint. • The reinforced fibers were contaminated with the leaking medium, resulting in the decreased pressure capacity of RTP. A burst failure occurred in a reinforced thermoplastic pipe used in an oil transportation system for 5 years. Visual inspection, tensile test, FTIR, TGA, VST, DSC, and pressure test were conducted to find out the failure cause. The results show that the damage to sealing rings led to the leakage of conveying medium in the joint. The fibers in the reinforcement layer were contaminated by the leaked conveying medium, resulting in performance degradation. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the fiber all decreased by 60 ∼ 80%. The burst pressure of the contaminated pipe is only 6 ∼ 7 MPa, far lower than its PN. According to the operating record, the highest working pressure ever reached 5.2 MPa during the operation, which approached its burst pressure. Meanwhile, there were pressure fluctuations during the operation. When the transient pressure was higher than the burst pressure of the contaminated pipes, burst failure occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy costs of oil transportation by pipeline are one of the most important questions for oil companies. Large amounts of energy are used in the oil pumping process. One of the ways to reduce energy costs is to use additives, which can change the rheological characteristics of oil. Anti-turbulent polymer additives reduce the hydraulic resistance and allow a significant reduction in pumping costs. The hydrodynamic processes in the pipeline and efficiency of oil transportation costs, dependent on the concentration of anti-turbulent additives, are investigated in this paper. The pressure and velocity of the flow in each point of the pipeline are obtained by solving a system of nonlinear algebraic equations, which were solved utilizing the Newton-Raphson method. The dependencies of the efficiency coefficient in the oil pumping process were deduced, depending on the concentration of the additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FeO/polythiophene nanoparticles, possessing core-shell structure, were prepared by two-step method. In the first step, the FeO particles were synthesized via co-precipitation of FeCl and FeSO, using the NH·HO and NH·HO as precipitant system. In the second step, the thiophene adsorbed and polymerized on the surface of the FeO in the solvent of chloroform. Raman, FTIR, EDS, XRD, TEM, Zeta potential measurement and TG-SDTA were employed to characterize the composition and structure of the products. The results showed that the FeO/polythiophene nanoparticles were successfully synthesized with good dispersion and stable core-shell structure, provided with average particle size of approximately 20 nm, in which the diameter of FeO core was approximately 14 nm and the thickness of polythiophene shell was approximately 3-4 nm. Then, the nanoparticles were added into alkyd varnish to prepare a composite coating. The neutral salt spray test, paraffin control test and mechanical test were carried out to identify the properties of the composite coating. It was found that the composite coating had good performances of anticorrosion and paraffin controlling when the mass fraction of the nanoparticles was 0.8-1 wt% in alkyd varnish. As a multifunctional material, the FeO/polythiophene nanoparticles can be used in the internal coating of pipeline and have great potential application in crude oil pipeline transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine governance of oil transportation is complex. Due to difficulties in effectively monitoring procedures on vessels en voyage, incentives to save costs by not following established regulations on issues such as cleaning of tanks, crew size, and safe navigation may be substantial. The issue of problem structure is placed in focus, that is, to what degree the specific characteristics and complexity of intentional versus accidental oil spill risks affect institutional responses. It is shown that whereas the risk of accidental oil spills primarily has been met by technical requirements on the vessels in combination with Port State control, attempts have been made to curb intentional pollution by for example increased surveillance and smart governance mechanisms such as the No-Special-Fee system. It is suggested that environmental safety could be improved by increased use of smart governance mechanisms tightly adapted to key actors' incentives to alter behavior in preferable directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The semi-Markov model of the system operation processes is proposed and its selected characteristics are determined. A system composed on multi-state components is considered and its reliability and risk characteristics are found. Next, the joint model of the system operation process and the system multi-state reliability is applied to the reliability and risk evaluation of the port oil pipeline transportation system. The pipeline system is described and its operation process unknown parameters are identified on the basis of real statistical data. The mean values of the pipeline system operation process unconditional sojourn times in particular operation states are found and applied to determining this process transient probabilities in these states. The piping different reliability structures in various its operation states are fixed and their conditional reliability functions on the basis of data coming from experts are approximately determined. Finally, after applying earlier estimated transient probabilities and system conditional reliability functions in particular operation states the unconditional reliability function, the mean values and standard deviations of the pipeline lifetimes in particular reliability states, risk function and the moment when the risk exceeds a critical value are found. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The semi-Markov model of the system operation processes is proposed and its selected parameters are determined. The series ‘m out of k n ’ multi-state system is considered and its reliability and risk characteristics are found. Next, the joint model of the system operation process and the system multi-state reliability and risk is constructed. Moreover, reliability and risk evaluation of the multi-state series ‘m out of k n ’ system in its operation process is applied to the port oil transportation system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The essentials of multi-state system reliability analysis and an asymptotic approach to system reliability evaluation are introduced. The classes of limit reliability functions for multi-state series, parallel, series–parallel and parallel–series systems composed of different components are fixed. Moreover, auxiliary theorems useful in reliability evaluation of real technical large systems are presented. These are applied to reliability evaluation of an oil transportation system. Approximate mean values and standard deviations of this system lifetimes in the state subsets and in particular states are determined. This system risk function and the moment when the risk exceeds an admissible level are evaluated as well. The accuracy of the approximation is illustrated numerically and graphically. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examines the dynamic relationship between global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU) and tanker freight rates in both time- and frequency-domains. The tanker shipping market is shown to be susceptible to global political and economic risks. Given the recent high economic policy uncertainty pertaining to the world and the important role maritime transport plays in the global oil trade, it is a vital task to evaluate the dependence dynamics between economic policy uncertainty and tanker freight rates. The return series are first decomposed into different frequency components using wavelets in order to identify the dependence structure in different time scales. Second, the average and tail dependence behaviors are depicted using a wide range of both static and time-varying copula functions. The empirical results demonstrate significant time variations in the dependence structure between GEPU and tanker freight indices over different time scales. The results of this study convey significant policy implications and strategic planning for energy transport players. • Examines dependency between global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU) and tanker freight rates. • Considers both time and frequency domains. • Uses discrete wavelet decomposition to decompose original series into different time scales. • Depicts average and tail dependence using a wide range of static and time-varying copulas. • Results convey significant policy implications for energy transport players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple method to functionalize copper surface by nanosecond laser directly writing, 30 seconds alkali assistant oxidation reaction and 3 minutes perfluoroalkyl thiolate reaction. • The functionalized copper surface possesses excellent superamphiphobicity, with little sliding angle to water, peanut oil and hexadecane. • By changing grid spacing of the laser ablation path, surfaces with tunable oil adhesion in air can be obtained. • Oil (peanut oil, γ = 34.5 mN m−1 and hexadecane, γ = 27.5 mN m−1) transportation can be accomplished successfully. Researchers have been chasing controlling liquid adhesion for decades. Up to now, there are plenty of publications about controlling water adhesion in air and controlling oil adhesion underwater. However, the regulation of oil adhesive ability on superamphiphobic surfaces in air has been rarely addressed. In this article, we reported a method to fabricate superamphiphobic surface showing outstanding superhydrophobicity as well as tunable oil adhesion. Herein, a laser-chemical hybrid method was utilized to obtain superamphiphobic surfaces. We fabricated grid-like microstructures on copper substrate by nanosecond laser directly writing (LDW), and created nanorods on the surface by a facile alkali assistant oxidation (AAO) reaction, which was followed by a perfluoroalkylthiolate (PF-thiolate) reaction. By changing the grid spacing (GS) during LDW, the as-prepared superamphiphobic surface showed tunable oil adhesion, and oil (e.g., peanut oil and hexadecane) droplets could easily rolled-off from the surface (i.e., ultralow adhesion) or totally adhered to the surface (i.e., ultrahigh adhesion), upon which we realized oil droplets transportation. This work may provide a simple method of fabricating superamphiphobic surface and controlling oil adhesion in atmosphere, which can be potentially applied in numerous fields like microdroplet manipulation, microfluidic chips, microreactors and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil spills can result in changes in chemical contaminant concentrations along coastlines. When concentrations are measured along the Gulf of Mexico over time, this information can be used to evaluate oil spill shoreline exposure dates. The objective of this research was to identify more accurate oil exposure dates based on oil spill chemical concentrations changes (CCC) within sediments in coastal zones after oil spills. The results could be used to help improve oil transport models and to improve estimates of oil landings within the nearshore. The CCC method was based on separating the target coastal zone into segments and then documenting the timing of large increases in concentration for specific oil spill chemicals (OSCs) within each segment. The dataset from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill was used to illustrate the application of the method. Some differences in exposure dates were observed between the CCC method and between oil spill trajectories. Differences may have been caused by mixing at the freshwater and sea water interface, nearshore circulation features, and the possible influence of submerged oil that is unaccounted for by oil spill trajectories. Overall, this research highlights the benefit of using an integrated approach to confirm the timing of shoreline exposure. Image 1 • A new method is developed to compute oil exposure dates and regions. • Dates and regions were computed from concentrations of shoreline sediments. • Differences were observed against exposure dates predicted by oil spill trajectories. • Nearshore circulation features appear to account for some differences. • Cyclones also appear to influence exposure dates. Shoreline oil exposure dates were computed from concentrations of shoreline sediments measured during an oil spill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]