Application of OpenOil in Modeling a Shipwreck Oil Spill: The Tobago Case

In February 2024, a shipwreck off Tobago caused a significant surface oil spill, highlighting the need for accurate modeling tools to support emergency response. This study applies the OpenOil module of the OpenDrift framework to simulate oil dispersion from this event, emphasizing the unique characteristics of shipwreck-origin continuous spills. The model incorporates three-dimensional ocean current data from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), along with wind and wave forcing, to simulate surface drift and weathering under tropical conditions. Validation against satellite imagery (Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2) and in-situ observations was performed using the Success Rate (SR), Centroid Displacement Index (CI), and Centroid Skill Score (CSS). OpenOil effectively reproduced observed spill trajectories, with CSS values between 0.89 and 0.98. Model sensitivity was primarily influenced by wind conditions and oil properties. These findings demonstrate OpenOil’s utility in simulating complex spill scenarios and underscore the need for scenario-specific calibration, improved environmental forcing, and expanded satellite-based validation for future response efforts.