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STUDY TITLE: A Critical Real-Time Louisiana Coastal Ocean Observing Station

REPORT TITLE: A real-time ocean observing station off Timbalier Bay, Louisiana

OCS STUDY NUMBER: BOEM 2020-015

NUMBER OF PAGES: 113

CONTRACT NUMBER(S): M15AC00015

SPONSORING OCS REGION: Gulf of Mexico

APPLICABLE PLANNING AREA(S): Louisiana Shelf

FISCAL YEAR(S) OF PROJECT FUNDING: FY 2015: $372,999

COSTS BY FISCAL YEAR: FY 2015: $152,133; FY 2016: $116,933+33,000; FY 2017: 

$103,933; FY 2018: $46,003

CUMULATIVE PROJECT COST: $452,002

COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT: August 2019

PROJECT MANAGER(S): Chunyan Li

AFFILIATION (OF PROJECT MANAGER): Department of Oceanography and Coastal 

Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 

70803

ADDRESS: Coastal Studies Institute, 331 Howe-Russell Geo-complex, Louisiana State 

University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)*: Chunyan Li, Eurico J. D’Sa

KEY WORDS: ocean observations, real-time station, off-shore station, satellite data transfer, 

Ship Shoal area, Louisiana shelf

BRIEF ABSTRACT: Offshore real time oceanographic stations are difficult to establish, 

operate, and maintain. For one reason, the oceanographic conditions are not always favorable 

for instruments and most installation and maintenance work. For example, severe weather, biofouling especially in the subtropical ocean environment of the Gulf of Mexico, metal corrosion in 

the seawater environment, difficulty in access whether by ship or airplane, and high costs are all 

important factors. Another related reason is that it is very difficult to mount any instrument in a 

fix position in the ocean for a long-termoperation: oceans are deep, sedimentation can bury a 

bottom-mounted device over time, and the powers of winds and ocean currents make any 

installation of any equipment a daunting task. Indeed, there are very few real time stations off 

the Louisiana coast on the continental shelf. The Wave-Current-Surge Information System 

(WAVCIS) has been operating a few such stations for metocean (meteorological-oceanic) data 

over the years. These stations are based on oil and gas platforms and are bulky. They are 

based on old computers and technologies and difficult to maintain. This project uses new 

technology: it uses no onsite computer and no cooling system; it uses an omnidirectional small 

satellite antenna and so is reliable and easy to maintain. We are the first users to work with the 

company who makes this system and therefore there have been a lot of challenges. We were 

able to resolve issues; the system is functioning. It has collected 10 months of data and is still 

going. It would be beneficial if the system is duplicated, which will make the overall operation 

standardized and more cost effective.

BACKGROUND: One of the major challenges that we are facing in the northern Gulf of Mexico 

coastal area is the need for a better and reliable offshore metocean real-time data collection 

system that supports the mission of BOEM and other federal and local agencies engaged in 
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coastal management, protection, and restoration, especially along the Louisiana coast. This 

area has a suite of environmental problems that require the acquisition of real-time data for 

immediate assessment or model-based assessment and predictions that rely on this kind of 

data. The existing stations are aging and there is a need for reliable station(s) using newer 

technology.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives are to establish a new real time coastal observing station to the 

Gulf Coast Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) network; this new station is outside of the 

Terrebonne-Timbalier bays; provide data and results from our analysis to assist other projects 

for mud-capped dredge pit evolution to enhance our understanding of mud-capped dredge pit 

evolution through the development of a conceptual geomorphic evolutionary model (the model 

is to be done by the other projects).

METHODS: By using some new technology we can reduce the size of the satellite antenna: we 

use an omnidirectional antenna instead of the previous bulky satellite dish. The onsite computer 

system and cooling system are entirely eliminated. The new instrument is installed in the water 

on one side of the platform SS91. A conduit allows a cable to run up to the platform where the 

solar panel, battery, and satellite antenna are installed. The data are transmitted in real-time. 

We receive the data in real-time and archive and send the files to the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-GCOOS. 

RESULTS: The instrument has been successfully installed and tested. Real-time data for ocean 

current velocity profiles and water level started to flow in August–December 2018, then a period 

of adjustment resulted to a redeployment on the oil platform structure and restarted on March 2, 

2019; it is still operating. 

CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a new real-time observation station is technically challenging in 

several aspects, for example, 1) site selection: it needs to be at a useful site where the oceanic 

and atmospheric parameters would be useful for information about the current status and or for 

predictions in the near future; it also needs to be on a reliable and stable structure (which should 

not be scheduled for demolishing in a short time period); it needs to be easily accessible; 2) the 

coordination among different groups (the oil company, divers for installations, vessel operator, 

technician, etc.) often takes a long time especially in consideration of the changing weather 

forecast; and 3) all wires need to be explosion-proof which is a new rule (as a result we had to 

remake all the cable for our equipment). Once these hurdles are over, the system should be 

relatively easier and less costly to maintain. The data have critical usage for the environmental 

conditions under various weather in the Louisiana shelf. Right now, this is the only real-time 

station for current velocity measurement site in the region for GCOOS.

STUDY PRODUCT(S):

1. Li C, Milan B, D’Sa E, Huang W, Luo Y. 2019. A real-time ocean observing station off 

Timbalier Bay, Louisiana. New Orleans (LA): U.S. Dept. of the Interior, The Bureau of 

Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. 74 p. OCS Study BOEM 

2020-015. Contract No.: M15AC00015.

2. Nazanin C, Li, C, Xu K, Allahdadi MN, Hestir EL, Keim BD. 2019. A numerical study of 

sediment dynamics over Sandy Point dredge pit, west flank of the Mississippi River, 

during a cold front event. Cont Shelf Res. 183: 38-50.

3. Li C, Huang W, Milan B. 2019. Atmospheric cold front induced exchange flows through a 

microtidal multi-inlet bay: analysis using multiple horizontal ADCPs and FVCOM 

simulations. J Atmos Oceanic Technol. 36(3). DOI: 10.1175/JTECH-D-18-0143.1.

* The affiliation of the Principle Investigator(s) may be different than that listed for Project
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Manager(s).

Figure 1. Map of study site.