gulf of mexico oil leak
DESCRIPTION
Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak. Current Status, Impacts, and Everglades Foundation Involvement. Photo sequence of Deepwater Horizon from April 20-22, 2010 (images taken from Hall/Penniman report). Deepwater Horizon Leak Information. Initial estimate of 1,000 barrels (42,000 gallons) per day - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak
Current Status, Impacts, and Everglades Foundation Involvement
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Photo sequence of Deepwater Horizon from April 20-22, 2010(images taken from Hall/Penniman report)
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Deepwater Horizon Leak Information
• Initial estimate of 1,000 barrels (42,000 gallons) per day• Currently estimated at 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) per day• Some estimate much higher (25,000 – 80,000 bbl/day)• Surface strategies for mitigation/clean-up
– Heavy use of dispersants– Skimmers, booms and fire
• Subsurface control measures– Subsea Oil Recovery System (clogged with gas hydrate crystals)– Riser insertion siphon (estimated 1,000 barrels per day)– “Top kill” or “junk shot” (next)– Relief well (underway)
• Could take months to completely stop
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2-Week Simulation of Buoyant Particle Transport Via Loop Current
(source: Dr. Robert Weisberg, Univ. South Florida)
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Biological Impacts• Still to be determined
– may take years to begin full assessment– may never fully comprehend
• Direct exposure and “Bottom-up” (food web)• Dissolved oxygen: has already dropped 30% in affected areas• Fisheries
– commercial finfish and shellfish (1.3 million lbs landed in 2008)– nursery (all fishery species and many endangered or threatened)– sport fishing (> 3.2 million fishermen in 2008)
• Marine Mammals (21 species)• Sea turtles (5 species)• Birds (numerous seabirds, shore birds, wading birds, etc.)• Critical coastal everglades ecosystems (mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef).
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Billfish larvae in upper Gulf of Mexico (2005-2009)(source: Dr. Jay Rooker, Texas A&M-Galveston)
Mean Density (No. per 1000m2)
Sailfish White marlin
Blue marlin
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Satellite-derived Presence of Oil (May 13)(source: Dr. Chuanmin Hu, Univ. South Florida)
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Satellite-derived Presence of Oil (Terra, 2010-05-17 16:36 UTC, MODIS )
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May 15-20 Simulation of Particle Transport Via Loop Current (RTOFS)(source: Dr. Robert Weisberg, Univ. South Florida)
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May 15-20 Simulation of Particle Transport Via Loop Current (HYCOM)(source: Dr. Robert Weisberg, Univ. South Florida)
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Hydrocarbons below the surface?
• Evidence indicates oil plumes at depths of 4,000 ft. and 2,000 ft. below surface.
• Greatly complicates our predictive capacity (i.e., going from 2-D to 3-D).
• Might explain why surface plume has not grown dramatically over the past few weeks.
• May be a result of massive pumping of dispersants into leak area.
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What are we doing?• Will continue to follow story as it unfolds• Will continue to engage scientists that are:– actively tracking and modeling oil– studying impacts on
• Water quality• Reef, seagrass, and mangrove ecosystems• Fish, marine mammals, wading birds, etc.
• Engaging the media, resource managers, and politicians regarding spill and potential impacts
• Working with National Park Service to develop a water quality program capable of detecting low-level contamination.