Probability distribution, statistical characteristics, and power potential of seawater velocity around boubyan island in Kuwait

Seawater velocity 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. A detailed field measurement, probability, and statistical analysis of seawater velocity at five stations (Boubyan port, Sabiya military area, Warba Island, Failaka Island, and Sabiya coast guard area) for a year around Boubyan Island, Kuwait, is 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 with incident energy density of 189.18 Mwh. The results of this study are useful for more understanding of marine hydrodynamics of this area, where many mega projects are ongoing such as Boubyan port and Failaka Island development.