[RWebb]

an article in a forthcoming edition of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, shows that the oil piplines that run across the FLOOR of the Gulf are at risk of severe damage & leaks from hurricanes. The analysis is based on data from Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Ivan passed over a network of sensors on the ocean floor.

There are 31,000 miles of pipelines along the seafloor of the Gulf and they could crack or rupture unless they are buried or their supporting foundations are built to withstand hurricane-induced currents. Impacts on the ocean environment could be severe and long lasting.


The storm track over the sensor net allowed measurement of hurricane-induced stresses. The authors found that hurricanes cause underwater currents strong enough to dig up the seabed to 300 feet below the surface. This can cause underwater mudslides and damage pipes and other equipment that rest on the bottom.


Ivan caused ~~ 168 pipeline damage reports, but only small amounts of oil were spilled.

Hurricane damage to pipelines is fairly common. There have been more than 1,000 reports of damage to Gulf oil pipelines over the past 20 years. Together, Katrina and Rita caused 124 spills, with a total volume of roughly 17,700 barrels of total petroleum products.


The destructive currents persisted surprisingly long after Hurricane Ivan passed over. Stresses on the seafloor lasted nearly a week, AFTER the hurricane was over.

Hurricane season starts today, so Bon Appetit!