Geology topics

Research about North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1982

Update 1, April 1982: Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activities in the North Atlantic and their onshore impacts: A summary report, July 1981

In July 1981, the Office of Outer Continental Shelf Information (OCSI) issued the initial North Atlantic Summary Report for the North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region. It provided State and local governments with current information about OCS oil and gas resources and related offshore and onshore activities in the North Atlantic Region, from New Jersey to Maine. The report was intended to assist in the planning for the onshore impacts of OCS activities in the North Atlantic States. Updates to summary reports are published approximately every 6 months in order to provide supplemental information to the summary reports. Revisions to summary reports are published only when a new OCS lease sale is held or when a commercial discovery is announced in that OCS region.

North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf↗

USGS1981

An oilspill risk analysis for the North Atlantic (proposed sale 52) Outer Continental Shelf lease area

An oilspill risk analysis was conducted to determine the relative environmental hazards of developing oil in different regions of the North Atlantic (Proposed Sale 52) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease area. The probability of spill occurrences, likely movement of oil slicks, and locations of resources vulnerable to spilled oil were analyzed. The times between spill occurrence and contact with various resources were also estimated. The combined results yielded estimates of the overall risks associated with development of the proposed lease area. Assuming that oil exists in the lease area (a 40-percent chance) and depending upon the routes chosen to transport oil from OCS platforms to the shore, the leasing of the tracts proposed for OCS Sale 52 will result in an expected 10.2 oilspills (of 1,000 barrels or larger). The estimated probability that land will be contacted by one or more oilspills (of 1,000 barrels or larger) that have been at sea less than 30 days is 0.71. If existing transportation of oil in the area is considered, this probability increases greatly, to more than 0.99.

North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf↗

USGS1979

Texture, clay mineralogy, trace metals, and age of cored sediments from the North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf

The concentration of 9 trace metals in sediment cores collected from the Continental Shelf off the northeastern United States are generally uniform with sediment depth and are low compared to average crustal abundances. No evidence for the accumulation of anthropogenic metals was found in these samples. The sediment texture on Georges Bank is predominantly sand at essentially all sediment depths and at all locations. A larger concentration of silts and clays was found at some locations west of Great South Channel. The major clay mineral group in these sediments is illite with moderate amounts of chlorite and small amounts of kaolinite. 14 C ages on total organic matter in sediments have given the first evidence that the area of fine—grained sediment south of Martha's Vineyard is a modern deposit. This area may be the only sink for fine sediments and sediment—related contaminants on the Continental Shelf exclusive of the Gulf of Maine. 14 C ages on total organic matter in glacial till recovered south of Nantucket Island tentatively suggest the presence of Late Wisconsin ice at this location. Confirmation requires analysis of detrital coal in these samples.

North Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf↗