Video recordings of jet break-up and oil droplet dissolution and fractionation during their buoyant rise through a column of synthetic sea water

In order to simulate the hydrodynamic forces on oil droplets rising through the water column over long distances (>1 km) from the seafloor to ocean surface in a finite height facility, buoyant droplets are stabilized in space by a downward flow of synthetic seawater. Drag forces on the droplet arising from the flowing water balance the buoyant body force. In the droplet frame of reference, this is approximately equivalent to the conditions experienced during free rise. The facility can alter the temperature of the synthetic seawater over time to simulate the ocean temperature gradient, but cannot replicate changes in ambient pressure. This data set contains video records of the buoyant rise of droplets. Two types of oil were used in the videos: Canadon Seco and Oseberg blend. Canadon Seco is a relatively heavy Argentine crude oil. Its properties can be found at http://www.etc-cte.ec.gc.ca/databases/Oilproperties/pdf/WEB_Canadon_Seco.pdf. Oseberg blend is a Norwegian crude oil. It is a low viscosity, light paraffinic blended oil similar in composition to the Macondo well crude oil that was released during the Deepwater Horizon incident. Experiments were run with varying amounts of Corexit 9500 dispersant mixed with the oil.