Probability Distribution, Statistical Characteristics and Power Potential of Seawater Velocity around Boubyan Island in Kuwait
Abstract
One of the most important parameter of seawater is its velocity, since it is responsible for exerting drag forces on marine structures, movement of sediments and nutrients from one place to other, varying the water quality due to mixing of water and is also the main input for electric power generation using marine water current. Within the Arabian Gulf, the northwestern part is characterized by currents of high magnitude, to the order of 90 cm/s. Boubyan Island is located in this region. A detailed study on the seawater velocity around Boubyan Island, Kuwait is needed to analyze the impact of the mega port under construction. The sea water intake channel for the Sabiya power plant, and the marina in Failaka Island has significant sedimentation problems due to the sediment movement by the marine currents. This area is also biologically very productive and seawater velocity is the main parameter for transport and distribution of the planktons. In this study, seawater velocity is measured at five locations around the Boubyan Island for a year, Viz. Boubyan port, Sabiya military area, Warba Island, Failaka Island and Sabiya coast guard area. Probability distribution and statistical analysis were carried out. The annual average measured velocities in these locations were 25.30, 22.22, 27.44, 19.66 and 18.35 cm/s respectively. However, the maximum velocity in a year has reached 81.72, 82.38, 80.25, 85.49 and 72.54 cm/s respectively. For the theoretical probability distribution analysis, four theoretical distributions were considered, namely Rayleigh, Exponential, Gumbel, and Log-Normal distribution. Based on the study, it was found that none of these distributions consistently represented the measured sea water velocity for these locations. The seawater velocity value for 20% exceedance is 35.5, 33.5, 39.5, 26.3 and 25.5 cm/c for these locations respectively. It is found from this study that Warba marine area is the most suitable location for marine current power generation. The next attractive location is the Boubyan Port area, followed by Sabiya military area. In the Warba marine area, the incident energy density of 189.184 Mwh is available. With 0.3 m/s as threshold velocity for power generation by mini-marine current convertors, the incident energy density of 171.107 Mwh is available. The results of this study are important to understand the effect of current on cohesive and cohesionless sediment transport and coastal morphodynamics around Boubyan Island, expected annual sedimentation of the ongoing mega Boubyan port and the approach channel under construction, sedimentation issues of power plants in Sabiya and the Failaka marina, since current velocity dictates all these issues.
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