REPORT DATE: 08-15-2018
REPORT TIME: 1725 UTC
REGION: GULF OF MEXICO
SUB REGION: N/A
AREA/BLOCK: MISSISSIPPI CANYON    20 
IMAGE DATE: 08-15-2018
IMAGE TIME: 1146 UTC
DATA SOURCE: RADARSAT2 
MODE: ScanSAR Narrow VV
RESOLUTION: 50 meter
LOCATION: 28°56'16" N/88°58'14" W
AREA: 50.23 square kilometers (Updated 05/26/2020)
CONFIDENCE: High
REMARKS: Possible oil was observed in satellite imagery. This anomaly is unconfirmed as oil. It is believed to have been an oil slick that emanated from the destroyed Taylor platform. It measured about 11 nm in length and varied in width. The slick has a large contrast to its surroundings and stood out from the natural phenomena in the vicinity that includes dark areas caused by low winds. Winds were moving from the south at approximately 7 kt according local buoy data.  

UNCERTAINTIES: We have high confidence that anomaly was oil since it was connected to the Taylor site. However, we were uncertain about the exact extent of the slick due to the presence of other dark features in the area that could have been associated with low winds and natural oil seeps, plus a convergence zone just to the north and west of the slick. 

ANALYST: VELASCO
Maps and shapefiles can be accessed at: www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/marinepollution/

ERMA: https://erma.noaa.gov/gulfofmexico/erma.html#/layers=1+46661&x=-88.9687295&y=29.002050500000003&z=11&panel=layer

For further information on oil spill response and assessment go to: https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills

If you would like to share any feedback about this report or have questions, please contact the operational analyst at (301) 683-1403 or send to oceanmap@noaa.gov. Email alerts are available only for federal and state government officials involved in response efforts. Requests to be added to the email alerts should also be sent to oceanmap@noaa.gov. Please allow up to 2 business days to process the request.