Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Oceanographic and Chemical Data

Gulf of Mexico chemical and physical oceanographic data were collected from numerous vessels in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The dataset contains Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon and Volatile Organic Analysis from lab work, plus in situ Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and dissolved oxygen measurements. It was compiled by a multi-agency Joint Analysis Group for a final summary report published by NOAA.

Use Cases

• Analyzing concentrations of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in Gulf of Mexico waters post-spill.
• Studying the distribution and levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the spill.
• Investigating the relationship between Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and dissolved oxygen levels in affected areas.
• Assessing sub-surface oceanographic conditions and the fate of dispersed oil for environmental impact reports.

Strengths

• Data originates from a coordinated, multi-organization response effort involving federal agencies, BP, and academia.
• Findings are formally documented and referenced in the NOAA Technical Report NOS OR&R 27 (2012).
• Dataset includes both laboratory analysis results and in situ field measurements for multiple parameters.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, specific column names, and exact geographic coordinates are unavailable from the provided sources.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' date between platforms (2010-11-12 vs. 2026-03-05), casting uncertainty on data currency.

Provenance

Source

Joint Analysis Group (JAG) with membership from federal agencies, BP, and academia.

Collection Method

Compiled from laboratory analysis and in situ measurements collected from numerous vessels during coordinated sampling efforts.

Time Range

2010 (aligned with the Deepwater Horizon spill response)

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:34:46.845732

Geography

Gulf of Mexico