REPORT DATE: 03-19-2020
REPORT TIME: 0845 UTC
REGION: GULF OF MEXICO
SUB REGION: N/A
AREA/BLOCK: N/A
IMAGE DATE: 03-19-2020
IMAGE TIME: 0001 UTC
DATA SOURCE: SENTINEL1A 
MODE: Interferometric Wide (IW) VV
RESOLUTION: 20 meter
LOCATION: 29°33'41" N/89°08'34" W
AREA: 1.39 square kilometers
CONFIDENCE: Medium-High
REMARKS: Possible oil was observed in satellite imagery. This anomaly is unconfirmed as oil. The anomaly was located in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 30 nmi ENE of Empire, LA. It measured approximately 5.0 nmi in length and up to 0.2 nmi in width and appeared to emanate northward from an oil facility. The anomaly appeared dark and distinct against its background.  Winds at the time of the image were around 15 kts from the SE.

UNCERTAINTIES: The anomaly's proximity to land allows for the possibility that it was biogenic in nature.  Thus, confidence that this was oil is reduced to medium-high.

ANALYST: CLARK

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

ERMA: https://erma.noaa.gov/gulfofmexico/erma.html#/layers=1+44326&x=-89.13794881495902&y=29.592958179452488&z=11&panel=layer


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.

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

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