Physical Dynamics That Enhance the Mitigation of Oil Spills

Oil spills pose severe environmental and economic consequences, necessitating effective mitigation strategies. Despite the widespread use of chemical dispersants, gaps remain in understanding the relationship between turbulent energy, dispersant effectiveness, and real‐world spill conditions. This review addresses this gap by analyzing how turbulence, wave action, and energy dissipation rates influence oil dispersion. Utilizing Kolmogorov's −5/3 law, experimental wave tank studies, and laboratory flask tests, we quantify energy dissipation and its effect on droplet formation and dispersion. Results indicate that energy dissipation rates exceeding 10 −4 W/kg significantly enhance dispersant efficiency, with Corexit 9500 achieving up to 75% dispersion under high‐energy conditions. The findings provide critical insights into optimizing dispersant application based on real‐time hydrodynamic conditions, thereby improving response strategies for oil spill mitigation.