During 2004 and 2005, Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita damaged and destroyed hundreds of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) offshore pipelines and platforms, many from mudslides both in line with and adjacent to the hurricanes' path. This two-phase project examined the mudflow/mudslide areas in the high risk mudslide regions of the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Mississippi Delta in order to better understand these events.
Project Completed as follows:
Phase I (Sept. 2005 - Sept. 2006)focused on gathering mudslide data that occurred during Ivan and using that data to validate existing OTRC seafloor stability model for conditions as severe as Ivan by analyzing selected sites. Data on historical mudslides prior to Ivan was also reviewed. The final report for Phase I was completed in October 2006 and attached for review in the Reports section below.
Phase II (May 2005 to October 2007) validated numerical models to predict seafloor movements and studied the potential for mudslides from future hurricanes in areas of interest, e.g., existing and future pipeline routes and platform locations. Phase II included probabilistic analyses and calibrated models to provide estimates of mudslide potential and the likelihood for future seafloor movements. The Phase II final report was completed in October 2007 and attached for review in the Reports section below along with a mudslide susceptibility program (Excel spreadsheet).
Received Addendum (attached) to Mudslide report in February 2009.