MMS

SCIENCE

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE

Using Physical

Oceanography

Catching 

the Wave

Working with

Students and

Teachers

Oil-Spill

Modeling

Exploring 

Jet Power in

the Gulf

Making 

Drilling Safe

for All

Using Physical

Oceanography

Catching 

the Wave

Working with

Students and

Teachers

Oil-Spill

Modeling

Exploring 

Jet Power in

the Gulf

Making 

Drilling Safe

for All
2 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 Volume 1 Issue 5

3 Using Physical Oceanography

How Water Moves

4 Physical Oceanography –

Catching the Wave!

6 Working with 

Students and Teachers

Cook Inlet Study

8 Understanding the Dynamics

Oil-Spill Modeling

9 Study of Responsible Forces

Exploring Jet Power in the Gulf

10 Learning About Ocean Dynamics

Making Drilling Safe for All

11 Latest Discoveries

Gulf of Mexico Shelf – 

Shallow-Water Deep Gas Discovery

12 New Waves

Late-breaking News & Information

For more information about the Minerals Management Service, 

check out our site on the World Wide Web:

www.mms.gov

Subscribe

To receive MMS OCEAN SCIENCE, sign up on the website

www.gomr.mms.gov, click on e-mail subscriptions on the left hand

column, check the box marked Environmental Studies or e-mail

mary.boatman@mms.gov or call (504) 736-2781

MMS

SCIENCE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 

Volume 1 Issue 5

MMS OCEAN SCIENCE is published 

bi-monthly by the Minerals

Management Service to communicate

recent ocean science and technological

information and issues of interest related

to offshore mineral recovery, ocean

stewardship, and mineral revenues.

Please address all questions,

comments, suggestions, and changes

of address to:

Mary Boatman

MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Editor

Minerals Management Service

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard

New Orleans, LA 70123

mary.boatman@mms.gov

(504) 736-2781

ABOUT THE COVER

Top: Texas A&M University research vessel R/V Gyre.

Bottom: A National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) data buoy

used to collect surface wind and current information.

Photo courtesy of NDBC.

All photos courtesy of Minerals Management Service

unless otherwise noted.

Publication services provided by 

Schatz Publishing Group
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 3

HOW

Photo courtesy of C&C Technologies

Top left: A graphic demonstrating the flow of water

at various depths in the northeastern Gulf of

Mexico. Top center: Recovery of CTD rosette that

includes an instrument to measure conductivity,

temperature, and depth as well as collect water

samples. Top right: A cluster of glass floats from a

mooring. Above: A pressure inverted echo sounder

(PIES) used to measure currents at depth. 

Using Physical Oceanography

I

magine that you are stranded on a

desert island less than 100 miles

from shore. You write a message,

stuff it into a bottle, and toss it into

the ocean. Do you know what the

chances are that a floating message in a

bottle will be found? They’re not bad --

you actually have about a 50% chance

that the bottle will be carried by the

ocean to land. The ocean is a constantly

moving force that influences our global

climate, provides routes for ships, and

creates fascinating challenges and

movements that we are just beginning to

understand.

The ocean moves in many ways;

tides, waves, and currents aren’t the only

forces at work in the ocean. Eddies,

gyres, deep currents, and rings provide

circulation patterns that make each

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) region of

the Minerals Management Service

(MMS) unique. After 30 years of

funding scientific studies, the MMS has

found that, although some

characteristics, such as the response of

currents to wind forcing, are common to

many continental shelves, the relative

importance of various physical processes

in influencing the shelf varies from

region to region.

Researchers use many different

methods to measure the ocean’s moving

forces. Drifters, which are instruments

that move with the water and record

location, have long been used by

oceanographers like a message in a

bottle to discover and study ocean

currents. Technological advances have

led to important discoveries. Through

the use of satellite imagery, specialized

moorings, and acoustic techniques,

researchers have gained vital information

used to model and predict the ocean’s

movements.

The physical oceanography research

supported by MMS provides information

used in oil-spill trajectory analyses,

discharge models, larval dispersal, and

engineering designs for platforms. These

studies directly support MMS

management decisions and are useful in

the review of development and

production plans and oil-spill

contingency plans.

“Researchers use many

different methods to

measure the ocean’s

moving forces.” The need to balance the value of

OCS resources against the potential for

environmental damage is an important

concern for MMS. As offshore activities

expand into new geographic areas such

as the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico,

an understanding of the complete

dynamic environment of the ocean will

play a major role in MMS’s management

of these ocean resources.
4 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

climate variations affect human safety,

biological distribution, and the

equipment used in exploration and

development for oil and gas and other

mineral resources. The ability to

anticipate these changes will ensure the

safety of both onshore and offshore

environments. 

Methods

Studies of physical oceanography are

done by direct observations or by

modeling. Direct observations are

expensive and can only be accomplished

in a relatively small area. Direct methods

range from simple to complex. For

example, samples collected in water

bottles are used to determine salinity,

oxygen, and nutrients, while

thermometers attached to the bottles

measure temperature. Buoys tethered to

the bottom of the body of water provide

hourly observations to measure wind

speed, direction, and gusts, barometric

pressure, air temperature, sea surface

temperature, wave heights, and currents.

These measurements are sent via satellite

and made available in real time at

NOAA’s website on the Internet. Floats

or drifters actually move with the water

and are tracked by satellite or

programmed to store their movements

until they are recovered, depending on

whether they are at the surface or

beneath the water at depth. Inverted

Echo Sounders (IES) are moored on the

ocean bottom and measure the time it

takes for acoustic pulses to travel from

the ocean floor to the surface and back.

The IES can calculate hydrostatic

pressure and temperature profiles as the

acoustic pulse travels through water

columns. 

Remote sensing is done in large areas

by satellite-borne devices such as

altimeters, which calculate ocean heights

within centimeters, and scatterometers,

Understanding physical

oceanography is vital to the

environmental future of our

ocean resources – in fact, the

Minerals Management Service

(MMS) has spent over $200 million on

the study and research of the physics and

geography of ocean currents and

properties of water. In the past five years,

MMS has spent more than $25 million

on the study of ocean currents, making it

a leader in ocean science research. Just

within the Gulf of Mexico region, more

than $15 million was spent to

understand water movement. The

interaction of wind and water and the

effect of that interaction on ocean

currents, climate changes, water

temperature, and salinity are of special

interest. 

Oceans cover over 70% of earth’s

surface and are constantly moving and

interacting with wind and coastal

structures. This interaction between wind

and water regulates our climate. Wind

brings daily short-term climate changes,

while water has slower, but long-lasting

effects. Whether short or long-term, such

which measure how microwaves are

reflected back from the ocean surface.

From these data, direction and speed of

near-surface winds and the amount of

heat stored in the ocean can be

measured.

The information is charted to show

the direction of water flow and intensity.

To supplement this information and

predict the movement of water, scientists

also use complex mathematical models.

Models are used to expand predictions

over large areas on the basis of

measurements at a few points. 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

The Gulf of Mexico Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS) has been the

site of major research efforts investigating the effects of the Loop Current and

Loop Current Eddies (LCEs) on offshore

facilities. The Loop Current flows up

from the Caribbean, across the Gulf and

exits at the Florida Straits near Cuba. The

current is inconsistent and moves farther

north and west, then back south and east

depending on time and season.

Periodically, the current parts and an

eddy current spins off like a cyclone and

travels freely across the Gulf until it

dissipates or dies in the western Gulf, in

an area called the Eddy Graveyard. The

Loop Current is known to have speeds

Above: The Loop Current as defined by sea surface

height from satellite data. The contour intervals

represent 2.5 centimeters or one inch.

Loop

Current

PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY –

CATCHING 

Above: Distribution of funds spent by MMS for

physical oceanography research in each of the three

regions and headquarters for the past five years.

Physical Oceanography

Research – 2000-2004

Headquarters - 

$1.17 million Pacific - 

$4.35

million

Alaska - 

$4.71 

million

Gulf - 

$15.40

million
reaching as high as four knots, the

equivalent of a 60 mile-per-hour galeforce wind at depths down to 1,000 feet

but slowly dissipating at depths of 3,000

feet.

Another less predictable current exists

below 3,000 feet. This current is usually

slow, but occasionally can speed up near

flat bottoms or near escarpments or

cliffs. Intense cold water jets appear

sporadically here – giving no warning.

The jets have speeds of up to four miles

per hour and may last for hours or days. 

Deepwater leases are now extending

beyond depths of over 10,000 feet, but

current studies only extend to

approximately 4,300 feet. The MMS is

funding several studies that extend from

the eastern Gulf of Mexico to the

western, off the coast of Texas and south

into Mexican waters. Through collaborations with Mexican scientists, the

recently awarded study Direct

Observations of Ocean Currents Over the

Western Slope in the Gulf of Mexico, will

result in a more complete understanding

of currents, from top to bottom,

throughout the Gulf.

Alaska OCS Region

Current, temperature, and salinity

time series are – for the most part – not

available in the Arctic Ocean, which

includes Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, the area

of active oil and gas exploration in the

Alaskan OCS. Only one year of data

collected along the Alaskan Beaufort

coast exists, and MMS has funded a

second year of data acquired from

moored instruments along the outer

shelf and slope. Buoys transmitting to

satellites are being used for “drifter”

testing in the Cook Inlet. Although the

tides are the dominant currents in the

inlet, the testing will include “locally

forced, wind-generated currents.” The

data from each of the sites will be used

to help MMS establish an accurate oilspill trajectory model to be used when

choosing among lease sites. 

Surveys of the sea ice in the Beaufort

Sea covering the last 44 years are now

available through a study funded by

MMS. The data have been compiled

from diverse charts and sources, digitized

as vector data and then converted to

gridded fields consistent with the World

Meteorological Organization’s Sea Ice

Format. The atlas shows not only ice

movements, but changes in the historic

temperature of the Beaufort Sea. These

changes will be factored into ice

condition studies for current and

proposed oil and gas exploration and

development plans. 

Pacific OCS Region

For over a decade, MMS has

supported studies and modeling

programs in the Santa Barbara ChannelSanta Maria Basin, California, to understand better the physical oceanographic

processes needed to support management decisions, such as reviews of oilspill response plans. The ocean

circulation model aids in the primary

form of risk assessment of spilled oil.

Varying oceanographic currents affect

variations of the biological characteristics

in the area, such as the transport of

nutrients, fish larvae, plankton, and

other biota.

The MMS has recently funded a 

$1.3 million circulation study of the

Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Maria

Basin. Buoys gather meteorological

information for ocean studies being

conducted in the area. Wind and wave

data in the region have been recorded

long enough to be used as input for the

Oil-Spill Risk Analysis (OSRA) model, as

well as air quality and ocean circulation

studies. Biological studies are also being

helped by sea surface temperature, wind,

and wave conditions measurements

from the buoys. 

The decisions MMS makes about oil

and gas exploration affect the

environmental future of the Nation. It is

vital that they be made with knowledge

of the natural processes involved, the

areas to be leased, the ecosystems

affected, the safeguards needed, the

equipment used, and the ramifications if

safeguards fail. As data are gathered,

interpreted, and applied to computergenerated models, the body of

knowledge increases, ensuring quality

development decisions now and in the

future.

MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 5

Above: An example of a mooring showing the

various pieces of equipment attached. At the top is a

buoy and glass floats to keep the cable vertical. The

top buoy is at least 65 ft below the surface to avoid

having a ship damage it. A variety of instruments are

attached to the cable to measure the currents; in this

example there is a sound source. Near the bottom is

an acoustic release that is triggered by sound when it

is time to recover the instruments. At the base is an

anchor, frequently railroad car wheels, to keep the

mooring in place. Graphic by Terry L. Rankin.

“Oceans cover over 70% of earth’s surface and are

constantly moving and interacting...”
6 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

Students and teachers from

eight Kenai Peninsula Borough

high schools recently

participated with the Coastal Marine

Institute (CMI) at the University of

Alaska Fairbanks and the Cook Inlet

Regional Citizens Advisory Council

(CIRCAC) in measuring of temperature,

salinity, and circulation in the Cook Inlet,

Alaska. Minerals Management Service

(MMS) funds the CMI in partnership

with the University of Alaska.

Approximately 7,500 4x4-inch drift

cards were cut from 3/8-inch plywood,

each painted orange or pink, affixed with

a unique identification code, and contact

information for the CIRCAC and were

deployed from various locations within

the Cook Inlet. Five hundred eighty-five

identifiable cards were recovered, the

majority of which were found in

Kachemak Bay. The students then ran 

the CIRCAC numerical spill trajectory

model using the deployment areas as

point source spills. They compared 

WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

COOPERATION

STUDY

FOR OR MORE MORE INFORMA INFORMATION:

Water and Ice Dynamics in 

Cook Inlet, Alaska

Website: http://halibut.ims.uaf.edu/

~johnson/cmi/

Cook Inlet Regional 

Citizens Advisory Council

Website: http://www.circac.org/

the recovery locations of their drift cards

with the simulated groundings of 

spilled oil.

Eighteen students helped in crosssectioning plots of temperature, salinity,

density, and geostrophic velocity across

the mouth of the Kachemak Bay. They

used specialized programs to produce

surface maps, maps of drift card

deployment and recovery, and maps of

oiled beach locations predicted by the

Top: Two students in Nanwalek making the drift

cards out of plywood. Photo courtesy of Cook Inlet

Regional Citizens Advisory Council. 

Above: Kanai Peninsula, Alaska. Map courtesy of

AlaskaInsight.com.
CIRCAC numerical

model. The

graphing and

analysis of the

information help

the students to

visualize results

and implications.

The information collected through this study will

provide MMS information used in validating a numerical

spill trajectory model that could help responders track an

oil spill. Existing oil-spill models haven’t included

temperature or salinity data, and researchers hope to

continue in developing better models to predict the

trajectory of oil spills.

MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 7

Above left: A Homer Flex High School student deploying a CTD, an instrument

that measures conductivity, temperature, and depth, over the side. Above: A map

indicating the locations where the drifter cards were recovered. Both courtesy of

Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council.

The Strength of 

Tidal Currents

Tidal currents are the horizontal motion

that is a result of the rise and fall of the

water level caused by tides, a vertical

motion. The effects of tidal currents on the

movement of water in and out of bays and

harbors can be substantial. The Cook Inlet of

Alaska has remarkable tidal heights, reaching

nearly 39 feet in Upper Cook Inlet. Nova

Scotia’s Bay of Fundy in Newfoundland has the

greatest range with a maximum of 52 feet. The

resulting tidal currents in Cook Inlet average one

to two knots maximum at the entrance and five

to six knots at the head. During times of extreme

tides, maximum current speeds of eight knots

occur near the Forelands. A knot is a unit of

speed equivalent to one nautical mile (1.150779

survey miles) an hour.

The tidal currents in Cook Inlet are of

interest to MMS for oil-spill modeling,

prevention, and response. The rip currents

created by the tides concentrate fish, attracting

some brave local fishermen. Cook Inlet platform. Photo is courtesy of Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council. 

Photo by Terrance Bryant.
8 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS 

OIL-SPILL MODELING

MMS to evaluate the risk to a particular

area or resource from an oil spill.

The OSRA model examines oil-spill

risks over long periods of time, ranging

from five years to decades. It analyzes

thousands of potential oil-spill

trajectories over large areas of the

continental shelf and charts the

frequency of contact with land and

sensitive environments within a certain

number of days after the spill. The 

oil-spill analysis depends on the

meteorological, geographical, and

oceanographic conditions of the study

area (such as wind velocities and surface

ocean currents), the environmental

resources that are at risk, and the

estimated volume of oil resources that

are assumed to be recovered and

transported in the area.

Deepwater exploration requires

physical oceanographic information. The

Clarkson Deepwater Oil and Gas

Blowout model (CDOG model)

simulates the behavior of oil and gas

potentially released in deepwater areas.

Oil and natural gas in deepwater behave

much differently than those in shallow

Natural seeps account for

most of the oil in the ocean.

Above: Pie chart of the sources of oil in the ocean. Natural seeps account for 63% of the oil while oil and gas

extraction is only 1%.

will provide information and

understanding of circulations needed for

risk assessment. This research includes

the study of ocean currents and how the

currents respond to various forcing

mechanisms such as the wind.

Scientists use field data collections,

analysis, and modeling studies to

calculate the circulation for a given area.

These calculations provide the basis for

OSRA models. The OSRA model takes

into account the currents and other

forces that immediately begin to move

oil spills. This information is used by

RECENT ECENT MMS PHYSICAL HYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY CEANOGRAPHY STUDIES TUDIES:

MMS publications are available at:

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/whatsnew/publicat/publicat.html

Intermediate Depth Circulation in the Gulf of Mexico: PALACE Float Results

for the Gulf of Mexico Between April 1998 and March 2002 (MMS publication

2004-013)

Cross-Shelf Exchange Processes and the Deepwater Circulation of the Gulf of

Mexico: Dynamical Effects of Submarine Canyons and Interactions of Loop

Current Eddies with Topography, Final Report (MMS publication 2004-017)

Strong Mid-Depth Currents and a Deep Cyclonic Gyre in the Gulf of Mexico

(MMS Publication 2004-040)

T

he Outer Continental Shelf

(OCS) is one of our Nation’s

most valuable resources,

providing approximately 30

percent of the domestically

produced crude oil and 25 percent of the

domestic natural gas. But offshore energy

development, like any human enterprise,

comes with an inherent risk. The need to

balance the value of any energy resources

against the potential for environmental

damage is an important concern for the

Minerals Management Service (MMS).

As steward of the Nation’s offshore

resources, MMS must assess the potential

damage to the environment from any

accident while ensuring that the

probability of such accidents is as low as

possible. As part of that risk assessment,

MMS uses the Oil Spill Risk Analysis

(OSRA) model to project the path, likely

fate, and environmental impact of any

spilled oil. A model is used rather than

simple statistics from past oil spills,

because there have been too few spills to

make an accurate assessment.

Predicting the trajectory of a

potential accidental oil spill on the basis

of ocean movement and depths is an

important step in protecting the

ecosystems of all OCS regions. The

Pacific OCS Region supports a large

effort in physical oceanography research.

The MMS, through a cooperative

agreement with the Scripps Institution of

Oceanography, is conducting the Santa

Barbara Channel-Santa Maria Basin

Circulation study. This decade-long study
STUDY OF RESPONSIBLE FORCES

EXPLORING JET POWER IN THE GULF

9

water. Density layers, high pressures, and

low temperatures found in deepwater

may significantly reduce the buoyancy of

the oil-spill plume and keep the oil

submerged for an extended time. In

addition, there are strong currents at

water depths between 3,000 and 6,000

feet. All of this must be factored into

environmental impact assessment, 

oil-spill cleanup, contingency planning,

and source tracing.

In Alaska, ice conditions must also

be considered when determining the

movement and final disposition of

spilled oil. Research shows that rough

water and low temperatures increase the

oil’s viscosity and film thickness. In

addition, oiled ice can be transported by

currents for a considerable distance

before melting occurs and the oil is

released. The understanding of under-ice

currents is also necessary for estimating

the potential impact area from oil spills.

Current research is gathering

information used to create numerical

MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 9

model simulations and ice studies are

used by MMS for environmental documentation, by other Federal and State

agencies for evaluation of environmental

impact statements, environmental

assessments, and endangered species

reviews, and by oil industry professionals

preparing oil-spill response plans.

spill trajectory models that take into

account the unique characteristics of the

Alaska OCS Region.

These studies are helpful for simulating arctic circulation, improving oilspill trajectory modeling, and enhancing

MMS’s environmental impact evaluations. The results of OSRA and CDOG

Left: Pancake ice

forming on the sea

surface. Pancake ice is

made of plates of ice,

which are formed from

thickened plates of

organized ice crystals

called grease ice. 

The plates have upturned edges where

they have bumped into

each other.

Unusually high-speed, subsurface intensified currents, known as jets, have disrupted or

suspended exploration and production operations in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM)

in recent years because of safety concerns. To improve the ability of present equipment to

withstand vortex induced vibrations (VIV) caused by jets, especially on risers and tendons, an

understanding of the frequency, persistence, and speed characteristics of jets is vital. 

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has completed a study of the possible forces

responsible for the generation of the jets (Subsurface, High-Speed Current Jets in the Deepwater

Region of the Gulf of Mexico: Final Report, MMS Publication 2004-022). Thirteen jets were picked

from an observational database to be examined and analyze d for this study. Data for 11 of these

jets were collected using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP’s), which can yield data with

excellent vertical resolution for identifying and measuring a jet occurrence.

Observations to date indicate that the jets have speeds up to and occasionally even exceeding four miles per hour and may last

for hours or days. They give no warning and give little or no indication of their appearance on the ocean surface. Preliminary

hypotheses speculate that the possible causes for jets include the Loop Current and associated eddies, eddy-eddy and/or slopeshelf/eddy interactions, internal or inertial wave motions, and instabilities along eddy frontal boundaries. It seems unlikely that

these jets could be associated with strong, deep flow over an undulating seabed as has been observed elsewhere, since there is no

evidence to date that the density structure that can support this mechanism for generating jets exists in the Gulf of Mexico.

Although studies are ongoing, the causes of jets in the GOM remain a mystery. Drilling, safety and production designers, and

engineers are charged with designing equipment to withstand these forces, and MMS is committed to assisting with this task by

ensuring that the research continues to be “jet” powered!

Above: Satellite image of sea surface

height, with red as elevations and

blue as depressions, and the flow of

surface currents drawn. While jets are

observed at depth, the movement at

the surface may be creating them.
10 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

technologies. Because of the speed with

which new technological discoveries are

being made and the economic necessities

of finding newer and cheaper methods of

exploration, MMS and industry work

closely together during the planning stages

to make sure that the new technology is as

safe as the old one.

In November 2002, MMS announced

the approval of first permanent use of

synthetic moorings made of polyester to

anchor a platform to the seabed. The MMS

participated in nine joint industry projects

and studies on synthetic mooring with

over $765,000 in research funding directed

towards this effort. The moorings were

extensively tested to ensure that they could

withstand the action of waves and currents

in the Gulf of Mexico. With approvals

granted now for the second permanent use

of synthetic moorings, the operators are

working with MMS to ensure proper

installation and maintenance procedures

FOR OR MORE ORE INFORMA NFORMATION:

Synthetic Mooring Research

http://www.mms.gov/

tarprojectcategories/

mooringsandanchors.htm

Hurricane Research – 

MMS Hindcast Study of 

Hurricane Lili (2002) Offshore

Northern Gulf of Mexico

http://www.mms.gov/

tarprojects/467.htm

LEARNING ABOUT OCEAN DYNAMICS

MAKING DRILLING SAFE 

FOR ALL

Ocean currents and depths have an

enormous influence on the

exploration and development of

oil and gas operations in the Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS) and deepwater

areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Not only are

the structures themselves affected by

current forces and hydrostatic pressures,

but the speed, depth, and pattern of the

currents, tides, and waves can determine

the extent of damage from accidental oil

spills. But the influence is not limited to

human activities – the habitats and

behaviors of biological species are also

shaped by the currents, tides, and waves.

Even weather patterns can be affected.

Physical oceanographic studies, which

investigate ocean movements, are helping

the Minerals Management Service (MMS)

understand the dynamics of the ocean and

how each marine ecosystem interacts with

other systems and how that interaction

affects the safe, responsible development

of the area.

The Gulf of Mexico is a semi-enclosed

sea. The strong and warm Loop Current

(LC) enters from the Caribbean through

the Yucatan Strait and occasionally sheds

Loop Current Eddies before it moves out

ConocoPhillips composite riser, a new technology

that incorporates the use of state-of-the-art materials

for greater strength while reducing weight. Photo

courtesy of ConocoPhillips.

to form the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic

Ocean. The LC is a dominant feature in

the Gulf of Mexico, but the variations of

the wind forcing by cyclogenesis, tropical

storms, and the river input from the

mighty Mississippi River all provide

additional energy into the system. With

these additional factors, the dynamics of

the Gulf become extremely complicated.

In the Gulf of Mexico region, the

development of deepwater oil exploration

and extraction has increased rapidly in

recent years. During the last couple of

years, strong bottom currents have been

reported by offshore operators during their

deepwater exploratory operations. As a

result, a series of deep mooring stations

designed by MMS have been established to

study the shelf/slope/rise dynamics to fill

the information gap. One of the pilot

studies for deepwater

currents was completed last

year. The data collected

included bottom pressure,

velocity, temperature, and

salinity depth profiles from

various current meters and

other sensors.

The development of new

technologies that can safely

withstand both the

deepwater depths and

current forces has challenged

engineers to develop newer,

stronger, and lighter

Left: A satellite picture of sea surface

height with major surface features

of the Gulf of Mexico identified. 
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 11

How much is a trillion cubic feet of gas?

Natural gas is measured in cubic feet at a temperature of 60 degrees

Fahrenheit and an atmospheric pressure of 14.7 pounds per square

inch. Gas production from wells is referred to in thousands or millions

of cubic feet (Mcf and MMcf). Resources and reserves are large enough to be

calculated in trillions of cubic feet (Tcf). How much is one trillion cubic feet?

Enough to completely fill a cube with sides two miles long, two miles wide,

and two miles tall!

Recent natural gas price spikes and volatility have attracted the interest of

government policymakers and industry to consider new sources of the

prized commodity. Natural gas, the lifeblood of many American homes and

industries, accounts for 23% of all energy consumed in America. Half of all

American homes, about 56 million, are heated by natural gas. The shallow-water

deep-gas area of the Gulf of Mexico lies 15,000 feet or greater below the seafloor

in water depths up to 656 feet. Much of the deep shelf is accessible to energy

producers from existing infrastructure in the Gulf. To encourage industry and

offset the expense of new technology, the Minerals Management Service (MMS)

has provided new rules for royalty incentives.

Recently, Newfield Exploration Company announced a deep shelf discovery at

West Cameron Block 77, located about 10 miles offshore Louisiana in about 40

feet of water. The West Cameron Block 77 #1 well encountered approximately 120

feet of net gas pay in two zones between 16,800 and 17,600 feet. The well was

deepened to 19,603 feet and encountered an additional zone that appears to have possible pay over a large gross interval.

Newfield is evaluating development plans for the discovery and expects first production from the field in early 2005. Depending

on the depths of the pay sections completed in this wellbore, the field will qualify for 15-25 billion cubic feet of royalty relief

under MMS rules. To date, Newfield has drilled 12 successful deep-gas exploration wells out of 19 attempts.

LATEST DISCOVERY – GULF OF MEXICO SHELF

SHALLOW-WATER 

GAS DISCOVERY

Above: The jack-up rig Rowan Paris drilling for deep gas

at depths greater than 15,000 ft below the seafloor.

Photo courtesy of The Rowan Companies, Inc. 

impending hurricane ensures the safety of

workers, equipment, and the environment

that surrounds them. Ongoing research

ensures that the impact of hurricanes on

OCS activities is minimal in terms of

damage to equipment and the

surrounding environment.

As more is discovered about the

movements in the ocean and the effects it

has on the ecosystems around it, the need

for additional research becomes evident.

The MMS’s continuing partnerships with

researchers in industry and academia will

ensure that the decisions made about the

future of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico will

be based on the best information and

knowledge available – both now and in

the future.

Comparison Shopping

The current cost of a barrel of oil is = $45.00

Compared to the cost of a barrel of

• Bottled Water.............$ 59.22

• Coca-Cola®.................$ 116.85

• Milk............................$ 137.76

• A1® Steak Sauce ....$ 2,024.96

• Chanel No. 5® ..$1,397,760.00

are followed. Other developments such as

composite risers are being studied to

determine if the new technology will

provide the safe service needed in deep

water. Composite risers made of carbon

fibers and epoxy resin may overcome the

hydrostatic pressures that can cause steel to

collapse in deep water.

The effect of ocean movement

phenomena such as the LC and its

accompanying Warm Core Rings (WCR)

and Cold Core Rings (CCR) on storm

activity, such as hurricanes, is just

beginning to be understood. It is believed

that WCR, which are large eddies that have

a core of warm water extending to a depth

of 300 to 400 feet, intensified Hurricane

Camille in 1969. By studying WCR,

scientists may be able to predict accurately

where a hurricane will gain strength and

warn those in its path, thus saving lives.

This advance warning is especially

important to the personnel of oil and gas

platforms in the Gulf. One of the most

dangerous situations on an oil and gas

platform occurs during a hurricane.

Although platform construction standards

and production safety system requirements

have thus far minimized oil spills as a

result of hurricane damage (as in the case

of Hurricane Lili), warning of an

from “LEAP Visit to MMS - N.O. Region”
MMS OCEAN SCIENCE

Minerals Management Service

Mail Stop 5431

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard

New Orleans, LA 70123

FIRST CLASS

POSTAGE 

PAID

PERMIT NO. 1

ADDISON, IL

Securing Ocean Energy

and Economic Value

for America

NEW WAVES Late-breaking News & Information

North Star Platform in the 

Beaufort Sea, Alaska 

Photo by Kyle Monkelien, 

MMS Alaska OCS Region

Living in a Wreck – Exploring Deepsea Artificial Reefs

While scientists have established

the value of offshore platforms as

artificial reefs close to shore, the

significance of artificial structures

as habitat in deep-sea ecosystems

has yet to be fully explored. Since

most structures in deep water were

put in place recently, MMS decided

to look to shipwrecks as long-term

surrogates. 

Aboard the research vessel HOS

Dominator, the Deep Wrecks Project

Team – a partnership of MMS, the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, and academic 

and industry professionals 

working through the National

Oceanographic Partnership

Program (NOPP) – is studying the

effects of shipwrecks and the 

hard-bottom habitat they provide

for deepwater ecosystems.

The team’s exploration has 

yielded some exciting discoveries.

On August 8, 2004, the team 

made a fascinating discovery of a

“forest of coral” on the Gulfpenn, a

WWII tanker sunk in 1942. Three

vertical “wall corals” were found.

The first measured 20 feet high,

while the other two were

approximately 10 feet. 

Shipwrecks ranging in depth

from 280 feet to 6,500 feet were

studied by the interdisciplinary

team. A day-by-day account of the

mission can be viewed on the

Deep Wrecks Project website at

http://www.pastfoundation.org/

DeepWrecks/ and a full curriculum

based on the mission is available

to academic institutions.