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Environmental Studies Program Direction: Accelerated
Deepwater Activities
Objective: To expand our scientific
knowledge and understanding of the biological and physical processes in deepwater
environments and of the social and economic impacts resulting from accelerated OCS
activities.
The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is currently experiencing a dramatic increase in exploration and
plans for development of oil and natural gas in OCS water depths in excess of 300 meters.
Factors contributing to this renewed interest and exploration in the GOM include:
 | passage of the OCS Deepwater Royalty Relief Act of 1995,
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| recent technological advances (particularly in 3-D seismic capability), and
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| significant decreases in anticipated costs for exploration and development activities.
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 Between 1992 and 1997, leases in water depths greater than 800
meters have increased dramatically, comprising more than 50 percent of the total leases
awarded in the Central GOM and an astonishing 75 percent in the Western GOM. Since MMS is
committed to environmental protection and safety, it has a real need to know more about
the geologic and environmental characteristics of this frontier area to better understand
the challenges facing us.
Accelerated activities alone present problems that must be considered — increased
production through pipelines, demands on port cities and highways, vessel traffic, and
risks from operational discharges and spills. More information on industry activities will
need to be collected to postulate potential impacts from these increases. Also, many
deepwater environmental issues cannot be considered to be merely an extension of
continental shelf issues, but will be new issues that must be addressed.
To focus discussions with stakeholders on some of these key environmental issues, MMS
sponsored the “Deepwater Environmental Issues Workshop” in April 1997.
Workshop participants (consisting of experts from academia, industry and government)
developed a broad set of scientific information needs within the physical, biological,
chemical, geological, and socioeconomic sciences. Workshop deliberations considered past
and ongoing studies, and recommendations from this workshop were used to plan needed
studies.
To date, a limited number of studies have been conducted in the Gulf’s deep
waters—the strong bottom currents and intermittent subsurface currents are poorly
understood. Also, chemosynthetic community studies have been conducted along the OCS in
about 400 meters of water, as well as some general physical oceanographic upper current
sampling. However, no studies have been designed to look at OCS activities specifically in
the Gulf’s deep waters to assess the differences that exist between deepwater
activities and shelf activities from an operational viewpoint, as well as the ecosystem
specifics.
Use of synthetic drilling muds and large volumes of industrial chemicals to improve
deepwater drilling operations may create operational discharges not previously considered.
Much needs to be done to fully understand the potential impacts that could affect
deep-ocean habitats.
Meeting the Need: To remedy the lack of information
available in these deepwater areas, several study efforts should be undertaken.
| Studies of ocean bottom currents will need to address potential operational and
oil-spill effects specific to deep water, as well as studies of deepwater benthic,
demersal, and water column habitats.
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| Additional information will be needed on the physical and chemical characteristics of
discharged materials, particularly if industry proposes alternatives to materials commonly
used on the continental shelf. Additional modeling and field studies will be needed to
properly describe the fates and effects of these materials.
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| New studies of currents on the GOM continental slope need to be undertaken. These
studies are needed to provide information for oil-spill risk analysis and design of
interdisciplinary ecosystem studies. Because of logistical considerations and the large
areas under consideration, study costs will be very high.
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| Social services, transportation, new labor pools, and port activities need to be
assessed and monitored at local and regional levels to mitigate potential social and
economic impacts of deepwater activities. |
Research Needs Identified in the MMS Deepwater Environmental
Impacts Workshop, April 1997
| Socioeconomic Issues — Research
effects of activities on ports and coastal support facilities.
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| Ecological Issues — Research deep
benthic ecology, fauna, biomass diversity, chemosynthetics.
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| Physical Oceanography — Following
data synthesis and modeling studies, plan intense observational program and measure
circulation on the Louisiana/Texas slope.
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| Geohazards — Research slope
instabilities, gas hydrates and sediments, and improved bathymetry.
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| Fisheries — Research data on
deepwater commercial fishing areas, prime feeding grounds for key species, and population
densities and biodiversity. |
The scope of information needs goes well beyond the mandates of the ESP. The oil and gas
industry will need additional information on geology and geohazards. Industry will also
require physical oceanographic measurements to support the design and placement of
facilities, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be very much involved
in dialogue with industry on the use of synthetic drilling fluids.
For more information, contact Elizabeth
Burkhard.
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