Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Bottom Sediments and Depositional Processes: A Baseline for Future Oil Spills
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-5-2019
Department
Marine Science
Abstract
The deposition/accumulation of oil on the seafloor is heavily influenced by sediment/texture/composition and sedimentary processes/accumulation rates. The objective of this chapter is to provide a baseline of Gulf of Mexico sediment types and transport/depositional processes to help guide managers where oiled sediments may be expected to be deposited and potentially accumulate on the seafloor in the event of a future oil spill. Based solely on sediments/processes/accumulation rates, regions most vulnerable to oil deposition/accumulation include the deep eastern basin, followed by the western/southwestern basin, and north and west continental margins. The least vulnerable regions include the northwest Cuban shelf and the carbonate-dominated west Florida shelf and Campeche Bank. This is intended to be used as a general, “first cut” tool and does not consider local variations in sediments/processes.
Publication Title
Scenarios and Responses to Future Deep Oil Spills
First Page
75
Last Page
95
Recommended Citation
Brooks, G. R.,
Larson, R. A.,
Schwing, P. T.,
Diercks, A. R.,
Armenteros, M.,
Diaz-Asencio, M.,
Martínez-Suárez, A.,
Sanchez-Cabeza, J.,
Ruiz-Fernandez, A. C.,
Herguera, J. C.,
Pérez-Bernal, L. H.,
Hollander, D. J.
(2019). Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Bottom Sediments and Depositional Processes: A Baseline for Future Oil Spills. Scenarios and Responses to Future Deep Oil Spills, 75-95.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/16415