Environmental sensitivity mapping and risk assessment for oil spill along the Chennai Coast in India

• This is a unique study that integrates GIS with oil spill models for sensitivity index.
• Oil Spill Risk Assessment Modeler (OSRAM) is found to be faster and more efficient for assessing the impact of oil spills.
• An integrated oil spill model and coastal resource is proposed for the Indian coast.

Integration of oil spill modeling with coastal resource information could be useful for protecting the coastal environment from oil spills. A scenario-based risk assessment and sensitivity indexing were performed for the Chennai coast by integrating a coastal resource information system and an oil spill trajectory model. The fate analysis of spilled oil showed that 55% of oil out of a total volume of 100 m3 remained in the water column, affecting 800 m of the shoreline. The seasonal scenarios show major impact during the southwest (SW) and northeast (NE) monsoons and more fatal effects on marine pelagic organisms during SW monsoon. The Oil Spill Risk Assessment Modeler tool was constructed in a geographic information systems (GIS) platform to analyze the risks, sensitivity mapping, and priority indexing of resources that are likely to be affected by oil spills along the Chennai coast. The results of sensitivity mapping and the risk assessment results can help organizations take measures to combat oil spills in a timely manner.