Oil transport in the Turkish Straits system: A simulation of contamination in the Istanbul Strait

The Turkish Straits system is the only navigational link between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The newly-developed oil and natural gas resources of the Caspian region and the surrounding countries have transformed this important link into a main energy hub. This fact has inevitably increased the risk of a catastrophic accident and consequent oil spill, especially in the Istanbul Strait. The issue is alarming not only in view of environmental hazards, but also for its influence on the world energy market. Therefore, in case of an accident, efforts should be made to contain the spilled oil so that damage is minimized. In this study, we present a numerical model of contaminant transport in the Istanbul Strait. The model is based on a flow field computed by finite element discretization of the shallow water equations.