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Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium. Annual Meeting October 26-27, 2010. GOMHRC Annual Meeting. Day 2 – Wednesday October 27, 2010 Planning Session – to set research agenda for the 2012 field season Breakout sessions Reporting Oil Spill Session
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Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium Annual Meeting October 26-27, 2010
GOMHRC Annual Meeting • Day 2 – Wednesday October 27, 2010 • Planning Session – to set research agenda for the 2012 field season • Breakout sessions • Reporting • Oil Spill Session • Research results, gaps and opportunities
Research scheduled for this year • BBLA recovery and re-deployment for carbonate and cold seep characterization • Recover and re-deploy CSA and ROVARD sensor array at MC118 • IDP upgrade for optic modem system • SSD sensor array upgrade • Design and construct pressure vessel • Polarity preserving chirp on NIUST AUV • Habitat survey at MC118 • MC118 – MC798 comparative Chrip survey • SSDR on NIUST AUV
Research scheduled for this year, cont. • Heat flow data collection at MC118 • Collect and analyze giant piston cores at MC118 • Develop techniques for processing PP chirp • Speed of sound probe, with core collection • Complete multi-gas component simulator • Monitor and analyze PFA data and add one PFA • Deploy peepers and osmo-landers • MIMS re-design and deployment • Multibeam quantification of seep emissions
GOMHRC Annual Meeting • Cruise dates for 2011 • March 29 – April 5 • April 14 – 23 • June 24 – July 5 • August 23 – September 1 • October 12 – 19 • Be thinking about when you will be ready
GOMHRC Annual Meeting • Planning Session – 2 parts • Analyze what has been done • Presented yesterday, wall charts, other research • Determine what needs to be done and prioritize research needs • Research question to be answered, sensor development, ship time, other
Why Hydrates Observatories are Needed • Establish dominant processes that drive and modulate methane dynamics within and below the HSZ • Evaluate structural and sediment property controls for fluid and gas flow; how rates are affected by oceanographic, tectonic, and diagenetic processes (GHOBS workshop report, July 18-20, 2007)
Why Hydrates Observatories are Needed • How are these controls and modulations transferred and manifested at the seafloor and how the biosphere perturbs and responds to changes in the composition of the fluid • Establish the fate of hydrate methane in the water column and transfer to the atmosphere • Stimulate engineering and technology developments needed to work on the seafloor
Geochem/Microbes • Science Drivers (from GOMHRC 2009 meeting) • Feedback of chemical fluxes to microbial abundance, community structure, activity and gene expression in sediment and water column • Temporal variability and periodicity of hydrate formation and dissociation events • Oceanographic factors affecting hydrate stability • Define hydrates stability zone • Conceptual model of the complex hydrocarbon system linking microbe action to faults
Geology/Geophysics • Science Drivers (from GOMHRC 2009 meeting) • What are the structural and sedimentological controls on hydrate formation and dissociation? • What is the temporal and spatial variability in the hydrates stability zone? Can we map/predict these changes? • Are seismic activity and hydrate stability related? • What is the “seismic signature” of gas hydrates? • Can we estimate hydrate saturation/concentration? • Can we implement a solid model for hydrate accumulation at MC118?
Breakout Sessions • Define research needed • What is the science question? • Why is this needed? • How does it fill a gap? • Are new sensors or techniques needed?
Breakout Sessions • Goal of each group • Define 5-6 research concepts • Rank by importance and potential for success • Three groups: • Geology/Geophysics, • Chemistry/Microbial • Engineering/Sensors • Each group ‘elect’ a leader to present report
Moving Forward • Proposal development • RFP based on research needs will be issued • Proposals will be due by February 28, 2011 • Proposals will be peer-reviewed • Selections will be made by March 31, 2011
GOMHRC Annual Meeting • Annual meeting for 2011 • Pick a date, i.e. 2nd week of November • Location– here • Meeting format? • Virtual meeting early February, discuss RFP • Virtual meeting early April, cruise planning