Real-time oil platform ocean current data in the Gulf of Mexico: An IOOS industry partnership success story

The U.S. Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued a Notice-to-Lessees (NTL) requiring operators in the Gulf of Mexico to monitor and report, via an open web site, current measurements on production platforms and drilling rigs operating in water depths greater than 400m. MMS asked the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) to receive these observations and make them available via the NDBC website in much the same manner as observations from the predominantly academic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (RCOOS). Industry (represented by the Offshore Operators Committee), MMS, and NDBC partnered to refine formats, define reports, and establish a working group to address the Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) of these observations. The data are primarily from current profilers using acoustic Doppler techniques, although some operators have voluntarily provided additional meteorological parameters. NDBC reformats the observations and makes available on its website both the raw data and the decoded data with quality control flags. NDBC also distributes the observations via the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) in the World Meteorological Organization FM-64 TESAC format. This increased availability of current profile data in real-time should provide opportunities for advances in ocean analysis, forecasting, and other value-added products by all sectors of the oceanographic community for all interests in the northern Gulf of Mexico region. The updated details of this fast-developing reporting system and the initial QA/QC procedures will be presented.