Selected physical properties of Baltic crude oil

Selected physical properties of Baltic crude oil describing its behaviour during spills on water surfaces have been investigated. The temperature relationships of the density and dynamic viscosity coefficient of fresh crude oil in the 0-35 oC range are presented. The linear decrease in crude oil density and exponential decrease in its dynamic viscosity coefficient with increasing temperature were confirmed. Using these data, the mean activation energy of crude oil particles was determined (0.27 eV). The results of investigations into mass and viscosity variations during crude oil evaporation are given. The variations in mass, density and dynamic viscosity coefficient are described using power functions. The dependence of crude oil layer thickness on the rate of oil evaporation was examined: the results indicate that the greatest changes occur during the first 20 hrs of evaporation.