Monitoring Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Sediments of the Nearshore Beaufort Sea During Construction and Development of the Northstar Production Island, 1999 through 2006

Abstract

Abstract In 1999 the Minerals Management Service (MMS) initiated studies to characterize the pre-construction environment near the Northstar and Liberty oil prospects, and to monitor hydrocarbons over time as part of a long-term program to assess potential spatial and temporal changes related to oil development and production near the Northstar and Liberty sites. The initial program, Arctic Nearshore Impact Monitoring in the Development Area (ANIMIDA), was designed to monitor changes specifically related to gravel island and oil pipeline construction activities. The follow-on project, the continuation of ANIMIDA (cANIMIDA) program, continued monitoring sediment chemistry. The objectives of these programs were: 1) to determine the background levels of chemicals of concern (i.e., anthropogenic-related organic parameters) associated with oil exploration, development, and production activities, 2) to examine temporal and spatial changes in chemical concentrations and composition, and 3) to determine if any ob...