The intensity of vortex beams always changes on propagation through oceanic turbulence, which is influenced by parameters of turbulence. This property is usually researched only by numerical simulation. Recently, a new method with a spatial light modulator (SLM) can be used in a laboratory to show various turbulence, which makes it possible to construct a system of a beam passing through turbulence by experiment. We investigate a vortex beam propagating through oceanic turbulence with a spiral phase plate and SLM in the laboratory and obtain the intensity distribution images by a charge-coupled device. Compared with the simulation results, the applicability of this method is more valid.