Resuspension, Redistribution, and Deposition of Oil-Residues to Offshore Depocenters After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The focus of this study was to determine the long-term fate oil-residues from 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill due remobilization, transport, and re-distribution residue contaminated sediments down-slope depocenters following initial deposition on seafloor. We characterized hydrocarbon residues, bulk sediment organic matter, ease resuspension, sedimentology, accumulation rates define distribution patterns in a 14,300 km 2 area southeast DwH wellhead (1,500 2,600 m water depth). Oil-residues were detected at low concentrations 62% studied sites specific layers, denoting episodic during 2010–2014 2015–2018 periods. residues exhibited spatial pattern that did not correspond with surface slick, subsurface plume or original seafloor expression. Three different regions apparent overall distinguished by nature accumulation, timing oil-residue deposition, carbon content isotopic composition foram fracturing extent. These data indicate resuspension redistribution occurred years event must be considered determining spilled deposited