MMS to fund study of currents in GOM off Mexico

April 14, 2003
The US Minerals Management Service late last month deployed a current meter mooring in Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico as part of a study by the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Enseñada (CICESE), Baja California, Mexico.

The US Minerals Management Service late last month deployed a current meter mooring in Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico as part of a study by the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Enseñada (CICESE), Baja California, Mexico.

MMS is funding that $663,000 study as part of its larger $4.6 million project in US waters to evaluate deepwater currents.

"Deep currents exceeding 1 knot have been observed in the Gulf of Mexico," MMS representative Mary Boatman told OGJ.Online. "The frequency, duration, and mechanisms controlling these currents are not well understood. Information about these currents is necessary for modeling of potential discharges or spills from oil and gas activities as well as designing of structures. This mooring is part of a much larger effort and will add another piece to the puzzle of the understanding of deepwater currents."

MMS officials said these strong currents "have strong implications for riser designs." They also may affect MMS assessments of subsurface spills and other offshore oil and gas operations.

The single mooring was deployed in 3,400 m of water south of New Orleans near 25º north, 90º west in the Mexican side of the gulf. It consists of six single-point current meters and three Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers covering the entire water column.

A final report on that program is scheduled in June 2005.