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22 MTR November 2005 Subsea Clean-up Begins in Hurricanes W By Maggie L. Merrill When the subject "Seafloor Engineering" was conceived as the pri- mary editorial topic of MTR's November edition many months ago, little did we know that a trio of powerful hurricanes would wreak havoc in the Gulf of Mexico, both above and below the Gulf's waters. Though we are now more than two months removed from the first and the worst, Hurricane Katrina (pictured: NOAA Photo), we find obtaining primary sources for reports on the damage and recovery of offshore oil rigs and underwater moorings and pipelines difficult. Companies are often remiss to divulge full damage details, in fear of market or competitive repercussions. In addition, the own- ers of the rigs, operators of the survey and salvage boats and govern- ment agencies are all working overtime to return systems to full speed. Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in Washington, D.C., in early September regarding the status of offshore oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. MTR#3 (17-32).qxd 11/14/2005 12:58 PM Page 22
