MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM:  ONGOING STUDIES

MMS OCS Region:

Gulf of Mexico

Title:

Climate and Simulation of Eddies, and Eddy Joint Industry Project (GM-05-x10)

Planning Area:

Gulfwide

Total Cost:  $25,000

Period of Performance:  FY  2005 - 2010

Conducting Organization:

ChevronTexaco Energy Technology Company

MMS Contact:

Dr. Alexis Lugo-Fernández

Description:

Background:  The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has participated in two industry groups since 1998, which are the Climate and Simulation of Eddies group (CASE, managed by Marathon Oil Corporation) and the Eddy Joint Industry Project group (EJIP, managed by ConocoPhillips).  These two groups are being terminated and their assets combined to form a single new group, CASE/EJIP, under new management by ChevronTexaco Energy Technology Company.

Objectives:  Numerical modeling of Gulf of Mexico deepwater circulation sponsored by CASE/EJIP will help MMS in understanding important processes when observations are limited or unavailable and will help MMS to construct a robust climatology of deepwater processes.  The MMS will benefit by continuing access to an industry database that will help us to understand deepwater currents in the Gulf of Mexico, as was the case for CASE and EJIP before these two JIPs merged.  This database has been useful to the MMS in supplementing other deepwater data available to MMS.  Even though MMS is presently in the process of gaining substantially more deepwater data, the CASE/EJIP data will continue to be useful in this supplemental role.  By incorporating these data into our studies, we enhance the statistical confidence and the generality of their results, and this will influence the design and scope of future studies in deepwater.

Methods:  Model development is nearly finished, and modeling efforts will provide results of more practical use.  As in prior years, the MMS can continue to share with its contractors all of the data and products with applicable restrictions.  We will also continue participation as voting members of the Technical Advisory Committee and CASE/EJIP will continue to stay in communication with MMS concerning the work being funded.

Products:  Membership will provide the MMS access to model runs, raw and reduced data products, and occasional reports, as did the former CASE and EJIP projects.

Importance to MMS:  Numerical modeling results and supplemental observational data will address MMS needs for deepwater physical oceanographic information.

Current Status:  A new contract will be drafted by POB to pay new cash call of $15,000.

Final Report Due:

None

Publications:

None

Affiliated WWW Sites:

None

Revised date:

February 2010

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