The Acoustic Properties of Three Crude Oils at Oceanographically Relevant Temperatures and Pressures

TitleThe Acoustic Properties of Three Crude Oils at Oceanographically Relevant Temperatures and Pressures
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year2017
AuthorsLoranger, S, Cole, JP, Bassett, C, Weber, TC
JournalThe Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Volume142(4)
Pages2506-2506
Date PublishedNovember 15
PublisherAcoustical Society of America

The detection and quantification of crude oil in ocean environments is dependent on adequately constrained acoustic properties (e.g., density and sound speed). However, there is a paucity of published acoustic property measurements of crude oil at oceanographically relevant temperatures and pressures. Three medium crude oil samples (Alaska North Slope, Angola Bavuca, and Angola Xikomba) were tested to better constrain these properties for oceanographic applications. A temperature (−10 to 30 °C) and pressure (0.1 to 19.3 MPa) controlled sound speed chamber was developed for highly accurate differential time of flight measurements. Density and viscosity were also measured over the same temperature range. Finally, differential scanning calorimetry measurements (−40 to 50 °C) were conducted to identify phase changes in crude oil constituents that may contribute to nonlinearities in acoustic properties as a function of temperature at a constant pressure. Results are compared to previously available models for sound speed, such as the PC-Shaft model, and density as a function of temperature and pressure. The results can also be used to fully constrain models of the shape of oil droplets in the marine environment as a function of size, an important input for models of acoustic scattering.

DOI10.1121/1.5014153
Refereed DesignationRefereed