Magnitude of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak

Crone, T. J.; Tolstoy, M.

doi:10.1126/science.1195840

Cited by 455 publications

(271 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…This has provided estimates of the plume volume flux which have been of practical use, for example in the case of the Deepwater Horizon oil leak (Crone & Tolstoy, 2010). However, the optical plume velocimetry data from Crone et al (2008) did present some bias in the predictions of volume flux and did not provide estimates of the buoyancy flux.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Fluxes and Behaviour of Plumes Inferred from Measurements of Coherent Structures within Images of the Bulk Flow

2016

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This paper describes how measurements of the movement of identifiable features at the edge of a turbulent plume can be interpreted to determine the properties of the mean flow and consequently, using plume theory, can be used to make estimates of the fluxes of volume (mass), momentum and buoyancy in a plume. This means that video recordings of smoke rising from a chimney or buoyant material from a source on the sea bed can be used to make accurate estimates of the source conditions for the plume. At best we can estimate the volume flux and buoyancy flux to within about 5% and 15% of the actual values, respectively. Although this is restricted to the case of a plume rising in a stationary and unstratified environment, we show that the results may be of practical use in other more complex situations. In addition, we demonstrate that large scale (turbulent) coherent structures at the plume edge form on a scale approximately 40% of the local (mean) plume half-width and travel at almost 60% of the average local (mean) velocity in the plume.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Fluxes and Behaviour of Plumes Inferred from Measurements of Coherent Structures within Images of the Bulk Flow

2016

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“…The dispersant was applied at 339 an effective dispersant-to-oil ratio of 0.05%, based on published volume estimates for the spill [22], but ratios were likely ~10X higher in the plume itself, based on volume estimates for the 341 southwestern plume [12]. Regardless, these concentrations and dispersant-to-oil ratios are lower 342 than those tested in published toxicology assays [2,18,23].…”

Section: (See Supplementary 286mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fate of Dispersants Associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Kujawinski

Soule

Valentine

et al. 2011

Environ. Sci. Technol.

806

453

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21Response actions to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill included the injection of ~771,000 gallons 22 (2,900,000 L) of chemical dispersant into the flow of oil near the seafloor. Prior to this incident, 23 no deepwater applications of dispersant had been conducted and thus no data exists on the 24 environmental fate of dispersants in deepwater. We used ultrahigh resolution mass 25 spectrometry and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) to 26 identify and quantify one key ingredient of the dispersant, the anionic surfactant DOSS (dioctyl 27 sodium sulfosuccinate), in the Gulf of Mexico deepwater during active flow and again after 28 flow had ceased. Here we show that DOSS was sequestered in deepwater hydrocarbon plumes 29 at 1000-1200m water depth and did not intermingle with surface dispersant applications. 30Further, its concentration distribution was consistent with conservative transport and dilution 31 at depth and it persisted up to 300 km from the well, 64 days after deepwater dispersant 32 applications ceased. We conclude that DOSS was selectively associated with the oil and gas 33 phases in the deepwater plume, yet underwent negligible, or slow, rates of biodegradation in 34 the affected waters. These results provide important constraints on accurate modeling of the 35 deepwater plume and critical geochemical contexts for future toxicological studies. 36 37 38

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“…oil spill | damage assessment | heart development | embryology T he Deepwater Horizon disaster resulted in the release of more than 4 million barrels (636 million L) of oil into the offshore waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico between April 10 and July 14, 2010 (1). Although subsurface application of dispersant near the wellhead resulted in retention of a considerable portion of oil in the bathypelagic zone (2), oil also traveled to the upper surface waters where it formed a large and dynamic patchwork of slicks (e.g., covering an estimated 17,725 km 2 during May 2010) (3).…”

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confidence: 99%

Deepwater Horizon crude oil impacts the developing hearts of large predatory pelagic fish

Incardona

Gardner

Linbo

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

376

238

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The Deepwater Horizon disaster released more than 636 million L of crude oil into the northern Gulf of Mexico. The spill oiled upper surface water spawning habitats for many commercially and ecologically important pelagic fish species. Consequently, the developing spawn (embryos and larvae) of tunas, swordfish, and other large predators were potentially exposed to crude oil-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Fish embryos are generally very sensitive to PAH-induced cardiotoxicity, and adverse changes in heart physiology and morphology can cause both acute and delayed mortality. Cardiac function is particularly important for fast-swimming pelagic predators with high aerobic demand. Offspring for these species develop rapidly at relatively high temperatures, and their vulnerability to crude oil toxicity is unknown. We assessed the impacts of field-collected Deepwater Horizon (MC252) oil samples on embryos of three pelagic fish: bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, and an amberjack. We show that environmentally realistic exposures (1-15 μg/L total PAH) cause specific dosedependent defects in cardiac function in all three species, with circulatory disruption culminating in pericardial edema and other secondary malformations. Each species displayed an irregular atrial arrhythmia following oil exposure, indicating a highly conserved response to oil toxicity. A considerable portion of Gulf water samples collected during the spill had PAH concentrations exceeding toxicity thresholds observed here, indicating the potential for losses of pelagic fish larvae. Vulnerability assessments in other ocean habitats, including the Arctic, should focus on the developing heart of resident fish species as an exceptionally sensitive and consistent indicator of crude oil impacts.oil spill | damage assessment | heart development | embryology

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Magnitude of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak

Cited by 455 publications

References 2 publications

The Fluxes and Behaviour of Plumes Inferred from Measurements of Coherent Structures within Images of the Bulk Flow

The Fluxes and Behaviour of Plumes Inferred from Measurements of Coherent Structures within Images of the Bulk Flow

Fate of Dispersants Associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Deepwater Horizon crude oil impacts the developing hearts of large predatory pelagic fish

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