Relationship between size of oil droplet generated during chemical dispersion of crude oil and energy dissipation rate: Dimensionless, scaling, and experimental analysis

► Droplet formation mechanisms during the crude oil dispersion were investigated. ► For droplets less than the Kolmogorov length-scale (η), a new scaling relation was identified. ► Droplet diameter (d) was found to scale with (energy dissipation rate, ε)(−1/4). ► Effect of viscous shear was mainly balanced by the effect of oil viscosity. ► We also found that for d>η, d can scale with ε(−1/4) and not only with ε(−2/5).