Shell South Uist SERPENT final report
Shell South Uist SERPENT final report
This report presents the results from the SERPENT project collaborative research with Shell at the South
Uist deep-water exploration oil well, drilled from the Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible rig in the Faroe-
Shetland Channel. The study was designed to investigate seabed disturbance resulting from the drilling
activities at South Uist and the effects of these activities on the benthic environment and megafaunal
organisms.
The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to take video transects of at least 100m in length from
which the extent of drill cuttings and megafaunal densities were assessed. Cuttings were clearly visible on
the seabed and were over a metre deep close to the well with a shallower layer extending to beyond 100m
to the west. Twenty-five megafaunal taxa from seven phyla were observed at South Uist and species density
and diversity were reduced close to the well.
In addition sediment samples for subsequent chemical analysis were collected at 25, 50, 75 and 100m from
the well and specimen samples of the characteristic megafauna were obtained.
National Oceanography Centre
Jones, D.O.B.
44fc07b3-5fb7-4bf5-9cec-78c78022613a
Gates, A.R.
327a3cc6-2e53-4090-9f96-219461087be9
July 2010
Jones, D.O.B.
44fc07b3-5fb7-4bf5-9cec-78c78022613a
Gates, A.R.
327a3cc6-2e53-4090-9f96-219461087be9
Jones, D.O.B. and Gates, A.R.
(2010)
Shell South Uist SERPENT final report
(National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, 80)
Southampton, UK.
National Oceanography Centre
37pp.
Record type:
Monograph
(Project Report)
Abstract
This report presents the results from the SERPENT project collaborative research with Shell at the South
Uist deep-water exploration oil well, drilled from the Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible rig in the Faroe-
Shetland Channel. The study was designed to investigate seabed disturbance resulting from the drilling
activities at South Uist and the effects of these activities on the benthic environment and megafaunal
organisms.
The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to take video transects of at least 100m in length from
which the extent of drill cuttings and megafaunal densities were assessed. Cuttings were clearly visible on
the seabed and were over a metre deep close to the well with a shallower layer extending to beyond 100m
to the west. Twenty-five megafaunal taxa from seven phyla were observed at South Uist and species density
and diversity were reduced close to the well.
In addition sediment samples for subsequent chemical analysis were collected at 25, 50, 75 and 100m from
the well and specimen samples of the characteristic megafauna were obtained.
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Published date: July 2010
Additional Information:
Deposited at the authors request
Organisations:
Marine Biogeochemistry
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 160965
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/160965
PURE UUID: 12f882c1-0882-4662-90ad-51e81b219ec2
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Date deposited: 21 Jul 2010 15:32
Last modified: 09 Apr 2024 16:31
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Contributors
Author:
D.O.B. Jones
Author:
A.R. Gates
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