EK60 Water Column Sonar Data Collected During PC1003
2010 ME70 Workshop (PC1003, EK60). The third leg of the 2010 SEAMAP Reeffish Survey,
PC 1003, was originally scheduled as an experimental multibeam sonar workshop. However,
on July 12, 2010, FSV Pisces was directed to participate in the response to the Deepwater
Horizon (DWH) oil spill by monitoring the area around the well head using Simrad EK60
echo sounders while pressure testing of the cap installed on the well was conducted.
This testing period was expected to last for 24 to 48 hours, after which the scheduled
workshop would commence. Pisces monitoring effort was later extended and continued
through July 20, precluding completion of almost all of the multibeam sonar workshop
objectives.
Pisces departed Pascagoula at about 1800 CDT on July 14 and proceeded toward DWH. Clearance to begin operations near DWH was received at 2230 on July 15 and survey operations began at 0000 on July 16 and continued until 0000 on July 20 after which Pisces returned to Pascagoula. Acoustic surveys using Simrad EK60 split beam echo sounders at 18, 38, 120, and 200 kHz and ME70 multibeam echo sounder at 70-120 kHz were conducted along transects spaced 0.1 run apart in the area around DWH. The survey was completed in rectangular areas using north-south and east-west transects at ranges from 1500 m to 2.5 run from DWH. At ranges within 1500 meters of DWH, a free-form survey was conducted to maneuver around other ship traffic and stationary platforms and cover as much of the space around the well head as possible including a large number of passes directly over the well. Data were also collected along transects running from southwest to northeast in an area northwest of DWH where earlier seismic measurements had shown fault lines below the VERTICAL LOCATION > SEA FLOOR running in generally that same direction.
During the survey, the echo sounder systems were used to observe a number of sonar targets that are assumed to be locations where methane or other gas bubbles are being released from the seabed. These are known to occur naturally in this area and most of the observations can be attributed to natural seeps. Similar observations were made intermittently directly over the DWH well head and appear to indicate gas that was escaping from the well. Other sonar targets observed are believed to be riser pipes, ROV tethers, and other equipment associated with the DWH response activity as well as sunken wreckage of the DWH platform on the VERTICAL LOCATION > SEA FLOOR.
Pisces departed Pascagoula at about 1800 CDT on July 14 and proceeded toward DWH. Clearance to begin operations near DWH was received at 2230 on July 15 and survey operations began at 0000 on July 16 and continued until 0000 on July 20 after which Pisces returned to Pascagoula. Acoustic surveys using Simrad EK60 split beam echo sounders at 18, 38, 120, and 200 kHz and ME70 multibeam echo sounder at 70-120 kHz were conducted along transects spaced 0.1 run apart in the area around DWH. The survey was completed in rectangular areas using north-south and east-west transects at ranges from 1500 m to 2.5 run from DWH. At ranges within 1500 meters of DWH, a free-form survey was conducted to maneuver around other ship traffic and stationary platforms and cover as much of the space around the well head as possible including a large number of passes directly over the well. Data were also collected along transects running from southwest to northeast in an area northwest of DWH where earlier seismic measurements had shown fault lines below the VERTICAL LOCATION > SEA FLOOR running in generally that same direction.
During the survey, the echo sounder systems were used to observe a number of sonar targets that are assumed to be locations where methane or other gas bubbles are being released from the seabed. These are known to occur naturally in this area and most of the observations can be attributed to natural seeps. Similar observations were made intermittently directly over the DWH well head and appear to indicate gas that was escaping from the well. Other sonar targets observed are believed to be riser pipes, ROV tethers, and other equipment associated with the DWH response activity as well as sunken wreckage of the DWH platform on the VERTICAL LOCATION > SEA FLOOR.
- Cite as: Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 2010. 'EK60 Water Column Sonar Data Collected During PC1003'. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5HT2MC5 [access date]
- PC1003_EK60
- doi:10.7289/V5HT2MC5
- NCEI Metadata ID:gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.wcd:PC1003_EK60
gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.wcd:PC1003_EK60
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Ordering Instructions | Contact the NCEI Water Column Sonar Data Manager to order data. |
Distributor | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov |
Dataset Point of Contact | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov |
Dataset Point of Contact | Water Column Sonar Data Manager NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (303) 497-4742 wcd.info@noaa.gov |
Time Period | 2010-07-15T03:55:29 to 2010-07-21T06:10:50 |
Spatial Reference System | urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326Vertical Datum: Unknown |
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates |
West:-88.49971
East:-88.00415
South:28.06667
North:29.90066
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Dataset Progress Status | Complete - production of the data has been completed |
Data Update Frequency | Not planned |
Purpose | To monitor the area around the Deepwater Horizon well head using Simrad EK60 and ME70 echosounders during and after pressure testing was conducted on the newly installed well cap. |
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Theme keywords | Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
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Data Center keywords | Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
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Instrument keywords | Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
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Place keywords | International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Sea Area ("Limits of Oceans and Seas"
publication S-23)
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Last Modified: 2020-06-03
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