Deepwater Engineering Geology and Production Structure Siting, Northern Gulf of Mexico

The engineering geology of the continental slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico is probably among the most complex of any offshore area in the world. This complexity is due largely to past and ongoing salt movement and to landsliding and other depositional processes during Quaternary sea-level lowstands. Conditions which can adversely affect siting and design of production structures include: steep slopes and rugged, sometimes rocky, topography; active faults; shallow overpressured zones; both modern and ancient landslides; gas hydrates; seafloor erosion; and variable materials ranging from weak soils to rock. Engineering assessment of deepwater sites may require collection and comprehensive integration of a wide variety of geophysical, geological, and geotechnical data.