Geotechnical

During 2004 and 2005, Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita damaged and destroyed hundreds of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) offshore pipelines and platforms, many from mudslides both in line with and adjacent to the hurricanes' path. This two-phase project examined the mudflow/mudslide areas in the high risk mudslide regions of the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Mississippi Delta in order to better understand these events.

During Hurricane Ivan in 2004, a number of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) pipelines and platforms were believed to have been impacted by mudslides in the region of Ivan's path. This project, proposed under two phases, will provide hazard information for the design and placement of new pipelines and structures by determining the applicability of developing regionally consistent hazard maps that delineate relative susceptibility of GOM offshore regions to future submarine mudslides, including identification of past and future probable locations of underwater slope failures.

The objective of this project was the risk assessment of submarine slope failures, including the prediction of the subsequent extent of sliding once a slope failure is initiated. Submarine slides are known to often travel much larger distances than typical subaerial slides. These large potential travel distances pose some of the greatest uncertainty and, thus risk, in assessing submarine slope stability. This project was focused on slide movements where the slide mass hydroplanes by moving along a layer of water.

Project includes several efforts related to improving the understanding of ocean turbulence and how to predict its effect on offshore structures, particularly Spars; Collaborate with DeepStar on planning of a field measurement program to gather data on ocean turbulence and on use of DeepStar experimental test data to validate a CFD model of turbulent flow interactions with a Spar platform. Collaborate with design and analysis of CFD experiments to study the effect of ocean turbulence on Vortex-Induced Motions of Spar platforms.

Significant currents that affect offshore operations and facility designs exist in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. This project is part of a JIP formed to carry out an integrated study of the seafloor furrows produced by the flow and characteristics of the flow itself. The JIP measured the extent and morphology of the furrows, the sediment properties, and assess the depositional history of the sediments using age-dating and seismic stratigraphic techniques.

Project is a JIP with industry and is to develop engineering methodology and risk model for the analysis of submarine slope stability under critical loading conditions. This project is an extension of project 404, Offshore Deep Slopes (PODS) is named Phase II of the earlier project (404). Phase II of the study focused on physical and numerical modeling aspects. Additionally, results were analyzed, along with further development of a risk framework suited to the offshore environment.

The Gulf of Mexico Hydrates JIP, in collaboration with NETL/DOE, is investigating naturally occurring gas hydrates in the GOM.

The goals of the JIP include:

Workshop Goals:

The main effort was focused on the geotechnical, geological and geophysical aspects of the underwater slopes in the Gulf of Mexico and in the North Sea area. The presentations included known field cases studied in the recent years and the recommendations related to slope stability hazards and how to prevent damages to underwater structures/ pipelines.

The goal of this project, in Phase I, was to construct regional models for the sedimentary thermal history and hydrocarbon maturation in the Deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico.

Project to assess the vulnerability, operability, and safety of sub-sea production systems in the GOM during earthquakes of varying probabilistic seismic intensities. The assessment involved participation from industry and regulatory representatives to define current sub-sea systems, technologies, operation, concerns, and the potential mitigation actions during times of events (earthquakes).