Chemical Oceanographic Analyses From the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response

August 18-22, 2010 chemical and laboratory analyses were collected aboard the Wes Bordelon research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. The data includes measurements of Semivolatile Organic Compounds, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons, and Volatile Organic Compounds from water and sediment samples. It was gathered by the multi-agency Subsurface Monitoring Unit in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Use Cases

• Analyze concentrations of Semivolatile Organic Compounds to track the dispersion and degradation of oil components in the water column.
• Model the spatial distribution of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) to assess the extent of contamination from the spill event.
• Correlate Volatile Organic Compound levels with sampling location and depth to understand subsurface plume behavior.
• Use provisional laboratory analysis results from water and sediment samples to validate or calibrate oil spill simulation models.

Strengths

• Data collected during a critical 5-day period immediately following a major environmental disaster.
• Includes multiple specific chemical compound classes relevant for oil spill assessment.
• Samples were analyzed in onshore laboratories, providing controlled measurement data.

Limitations

• Dataset size, row count, and specific column schema are unknown.
• Data is described as provisional, indicating it may not be the final, quality-controlled version.
• Temporal coverage is limited to a brief 5-day window in August 2010.

Provenance

Source

Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), consisting of multiple government and corporate agencies, via NOAA NCEI (Accession 0074863).

Collection Method

Samples collected using bottles and other physical sampling devices aboard the R/V Wes Bordelon, with subsequent onshore laboratory analysis.

Time Range

2010-08-18 to 2010-08-22

Freshness

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Geography

Gulf of Mexico