OCS Scientific Committee Deepwater Report Conclusions

Overview: The subcommittee concluded that MMS's deepwater research plan for the Gulf of Mexico is generally well designed and scheduled to provide MMS with the required environmental and socioeconomic information needed to make resource management decisions in a timely manner. The research plan is consistent with advice and guidance the subcommittee and the full SC has given to MMS over the past two years and with the recommendations that came out of the April 1997 Deepwater Workshop. Recognizing MMS's constrained research budget, the subcommittee commends MMS for its resourcefulness and hard work in ensuring that critical information needs for deepwater decisions will be met and applauds MMS's efforts to leverage funds with Gulf Coast states, other federal agencies and industry in the design and conduct of joint research projects. Increased funding would allow MMS to support additional deepwater research of importance to its information base. The subcommittee is pleased to note MMS's commitment to supporting physical oceanography modeling efforts in the Gulf of Mexico as part of its research strategy.

The subcommittee expresses its thanks to MMS for the cooperation and assistance it has received during the review process, and especially thanks the GOM regional staff for the open and substantive discussions they engaged in with the subcommittee and the background materials they provided.

FY 1998 Deepwater Research Projects: The subcommittee is pleased to see that MMS's FY 1998 deepwater research program for the Gulf of Mexico fully addressed the comments and recommendations put forth at the October 1997 review meeting. The FY 1998 studies plan was well balanced among the scientific disciplines (i.e., physical sciences, biology and socioeconomics) in which information is needed. The subcommittee also finds that MMS demonstrated diligence in getting the various studies awarded and initiated in a timely fashion.

FY 1999-2001 Deepwater Research Plans: The subcommittee finds that, in general, the research proposed for FY 1999-2001 will provide MMS with the information required to make informed decisions on existing and anticipated deepwater lease and post-lease activities over the next 5-10 years. The FY 2001 studies plan is in the early stages of development and, based on recommendations from the subcommittee and others, additional studies will be incorporated as information needs become better defined. The studies strike an adequate balance between the disciplines and are properly timed and phased to provide information as it is required by MMS. The subcommittee, in its review, came up with several recommendations which it believes will strengthen MMS's deepwater research program. Additional funding may be necessary to fully implement these recommendations without impacting MMS's ability to meet its environmental information needs in other OCS areas.

1. Initiate efforts to collect and compile existing information for that portion of the OCS bordering on the western gap; very little is know of this area of the GOM, and these data will be important when the U.S and Mexico eventually ratify a boundary treaty. When appropriate, initiate field efforts to collect additional data which are needed. A review of the existing seismic data now held by the GOM regional office would be valuable in determining the complexity of this area that has been so heavily leased.
   
   
2. Negotiate with industry to obtain from them seismic data for the upper second of the record (i.e., top 100 meters or so). These data, as well as existing MMS seismic holdings, will help MMS delineate the fine scale bathymetry of the deepwater areas which is important to operational decisions such as permitting of pipelines and understanding of possible changes in benthic biology. Develop standard formats for seismic data; these are important for archiving and environmental analysis activities.
   
   
3. Continue to work with industry to develop a coordinated physical oceanography data exchange and enhancement program. One of the first steps in this process would be for MMS to deploy as soon as possible one array of 6-10 current meters to augment existing arrays deployed by industry. In addition to providing MMS with valuable surface to near-bottom current information, the cumulative data would be of tremendous value to MMS in designing the Physical Oceanography of the Slope and Rise (POSAR) study planned for the year 2001.
   
   
4. Develop models, techniques and instrumentation/equipment for tracking the transport of subsurface spills of oil and other chemicals and develop methodology for monitoring fates and effects of these spilled materials. Existing models which should be evaluated include the Offshore Operators Committee model and EPA's CORE-MIX model. These efforts are excellent candidates for MMS-industry cooperation and could be carried out under the umbrella of the Deep Spill Task Force which is already looking at subsurface oil spill issues.
   
   
5. Very little is known about deepwater sediment transport. MMS should develop studies to address this issue.
   
   
6. The "Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Slope Habitats and Benthic Ecology" study proposed for FY 1999 is lacking in key geophysical components such as physiography, sediment type and geohazards. Collection and analysis of these data should be incorporated into the study design. Analysis and interpretation of the biological data will be incomplete and possibly misleading without the proper physical data on which to plan the sampling program. Incorporation of industry seismic data noted in item # 2 above would greatly enhance this study.
   
   
7. A general recommendation for all studies is that MMS should establish and/or clarify standardized data formats and pass them on to existing and future principal investigators as soon as possible to ensure compatibility of data sets.

Draft Deepwater Environmental Assessment (EA): As part of its review process the subcommittee read MMS's draft Deepwater EA and discussed it with the EA Coordinator and MMS staff scientists and analysts at the October 14-15, 1998 meeting in the GOM regional office. The draft EA is well done in terms of the breadth of coverage it gives to the environmental and operational issues associated with deepwater development. The subcommittee was particularly impressed by the comprehensive assessment of subsurface oil spills. The subcommittee strongly recommends two actions which will greatly enhance the information content of the report:

1. Expand the benthic ecology section to include non-chemosynthetic communities, assemblages and species.
   
   
2. Identify information needs for physical oceanography, marine meteorology and geohazards as has been done for the marine resources themselves.

The Future: The subcommittee identified several emerging issues which MMS should address through its deepwater research plans in the near to not-to-distant future.

Gas Hydrates: Naturally occurring gas hydrates are found in benthic sediment layers under pressure and temperature conditions which can be found at water depths of 300-400 meters and greater. These gas hydrates can be a natural geohazard, especially in the shallower waters where environmental conditions for their existence are marginal. Slight changes in ambient temperature or pressure or even physical disruption of the seafloor can cause large gas hydrate instabilities leading to bottom slumping and sliding. Such events have serious ramifications for pipelines and other seafloor oil and gas structures. The dynamics and processes of gas hydrate formation and dissociation are poorly known.

Deepwater Subsurface Oil Transport: Very little is known about the behavior and movement of oil spilled at water depths of 200 meter and deeper. For example, oil spilled at depth may be transported horizontally for miles by subsurface currents before reaching the surface, or may not reach the surface at all.

Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Systems: FPSOs are used in the North Sea, off Brazil and in other areas to produce oil from the world's oceans. Only one FPSO has been used in U.S. waters - Exxon's OS&T system offshore southern California. These systems have not been used on the GOM OCS to date. As the offshore industry moves into deeper and more remote areas of the GOM, FPSOs will become viable alternatives to running pipelines over 100-200 miles of seafloor. The MMS has initiated the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement on the potential impacts of FPSOs on the GOM OCS.

Gulf of Mexico Gap Areas: There are two areas in the Gulf of Mexico, one in the western Gulf and one in the eastern Gulf, which do not fall under the EEZ jurisdiction of either the United States or Mexico. The two countries are actively negotiating boundaries for the western gap area. This area is of particular importance to MMS and the offshore oil and gas industry since several existing OCS leases abut the current U.S. boundary of the gap. Thus, it is important that environmental and ecological information be collected for the western gap and adjoining areas and used to manage oil and gas activities which will take place once the boundary is agreed to by the two nations.

For more information, contact Julie Reynolds.