TDI-Brooks Participated in the Integrated Assessment of Oil and Gas Release into the Marine Environment at the Former Taylor Energy MC20 Site. This report is the result of an expedited Interagency Agreement (E18PG0016) between the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service’s (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and the Department of the Interior’s (DOI), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).
Chemical Analysis of Gas Samples Collected from the MC20 Leak in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
REPORT – Final MC20 Report 6-17-19
YOUTUBE VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nykmZbQ03SY
NOAA’s NCCOS along with its partners at Florida State University (FSU), Florida International University (FIU), and TDI-Brooks International, and with funding from BSEE, conducted a series of integrated surveys from 1 to 7 September 2018 at the former Taylor Energy MC20 site in the northern Gulf of Mexico. These surveys included surface and subsurface acoustic measurements, mid-water column oil, gas, and water collections, surface water sample collections, mid-water column video bubble collections, surface methane collections, and marine sediment collections. Ancillary physical water column data was also collected including ocean current profiles and conductivity, temperature, and depth.
ABSTRACT
An oil sheen and gas bubbles have been observed to be continuously released from the seabed in MC20 several kilometers off shore of Louisiana. Gas, oil, sediment, and water samples were collected by scientists
and technical staff through a collaborative effort by NOAA, BSEE, and TDI-Brooks International aboard the R/V Brooks McCall in early September 2018. The hydrocarbons were extracted and then analyzed via gas
chromatography and isotope ratios mass spectrometry at B&B Laboratories in College Station, Texas. The concentrations and carbon isotopic ratios of the light hydrocarbon gases were determined to discern that the gas originates from a thermogenic release.
Since 1996, TDI-Brooks International has conducted offshore Surface Geochemical Exploration (SGE) studies all over the world and employs two main proxies to determine the origin of marine gases collected – quantities and proportionality of the C1-C5 alkane gases, and their carbon isotopic ratios.
For more information on the report contact:
Andrew Mason
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Monitoring and Assessment Branch
andrew.mason@noaa.gov
For more information on TDI-Brooks’ SGE studies contact Dr. Jim Brooks (drjmbrooks@aol.com)
