Reconnaissance of Macondo-1 well oil in sediment and tarballs from the northern Gulf of Mexico shoreline, Texas to Florida

Robert J. Rosenbauer; Pamela L. Campbell; Angela Lam; T.D. Lorenson; Frances D. Hostettler; Burt Thomas; Florence L. Wong

doi:10.3133/ofr20101290

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Reconnaissance of Macondo-1 well oil in sediment and tarballs from the northern Gulf of Mexico shoreline, Texas to Florida

Robert J. Rosenbauer·Pamela L. Campbell·Angela Lam·T.D. Lorenson·Frances D. Hostettler·Burt Thomas·Florence L. Wong

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Abstract

Hydrocarbons were extracted and analyzed from sediment and tarballs collected from the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) coast that is potentially impacted by Macondo-1 (M-1) well oil. The samples were analyzed for a suite of diagnostic geochemical biomarkers. Aided by multivariate statistical analysis, the M-1 well oil has been identified in sediment and tarballs collected from Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. None of the sediment hydrocarbon extracts from Texas correlated with the M-1 well oil. Oil-impacted sediments are confined to the shoreline adjacent to the cumulative oil slick of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and no impact was observed outside of this area.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 27° to 31° latitude; -96° to -82° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Robert J. Rosenbauer, Pamela L. Campbell, Angela Lam, T.D. Lorenson, Frances D. Hostettler, Burt Thomas, Florence L. Wong. 2010. Reconnaissance of Macondo-1 well oil in sediment and tarballs from the northern Gulf of Mexico shoreline, Texas to Florida. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20101290

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