Survey of Invertebrate and Algal Communities on Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms in Southern California
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
___________________ OCS Study MMS 2005-070 Survey of Invertebrate and Algal Communities on Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms in Southern California Final Report December 2005 U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Pacific OCS Region _______________ OCS Study MMS 2005-070 Survey of Invertebrate and Algal Communities on Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms in Southern California Final Report December 2005 Prepared for: U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Pacific OCS Region 770 Paseo Camarillo Camarillo, California 93010 Telephone: (805) 389-7810 Prepared by: Continental Shelf Associates, Inc. 759 Parkway Street Jupiter, Florida 33477 Telephone: (561) 746-7946 iii DISCLAIMER This report was prepared under Contract 1435-01-98-CT-30865 between the Minerals Management Service (MMS), Pacific OCS Region, Camarillo, CA and Continental Shelf Associates, Inc., Jupiter, FL. This report has been technically reviewed by the MMS and has been approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the MMS, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. It is, however, exempt from review and compliance with MMS editorial standards. REPORT AVAILABILITY Printed copies of this report may be obtained from the Public Information Office at the following address: U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Pacific OCS Region 770 Paseo Camarillo Camarillo, California 93010 Telephone: (805) 389-7810 An Adobe Acrobat version of this report may be accessed online at: www.mms.gov/omm/pacific CITATION Suggested citation: Continental Shelf Associates, Inc. 2005. Survey of invertebrate and algal communities on offshore oil and gas platforms in southern California: Final report. Prepared for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Pacific OCS Region, Camarillo, CA. December 2005. OCS Study MMS 2005-070. 232 pp. plus appendices. ABOUT THE COVER Photographic images acquired during diver and remotely operated vehicle surveys at select California platforms. Clockwise from upper left: View of unidentified ophiuroids, Metridium senile, Pisaster ochraceus, and calcareous worm tubes at 122 m water depth, Platform Hidalgo View of Mytilus spp., Metridium senile, Balanus spp., and Ophiothrix spiculata at 4 m water depth, Platform Habitat View of Corynactis californica, Ophiothrix spiculata, and encrusters at 41 m water depth, Platform Habitat View of Metridium senile, turf, bare metal, and Galathea californiensis at 177 m water depth, Platform Harvest View of Metridium senile, Amphipholis spp., and turf at 152 m water depth, Platform Gail v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES..........................................................................................................................................xi LIST OF PHOTOS .........................................................................................................................................xv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ES-1 1.0 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................1 2.0 Materials and Methods ............................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Review of Platform Information....................................................................................... 5 2.2 Platform Selection and Inspection Videotape Review .................................................. 5 2.3 Field Surveys..................................................................................................................... 12 2.3.1 Operational Procedures...................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Platform Leg Selection ........................................................................................ 13 2.3.3 Sampling Procedures.......................................................................................... 13 2.4 Sample Analyses............................................................................................................... 15 2.4.1 Quantitative Slide and Videotape Analysis..................................................... 15 2.4.2 Voucher Collections............................................................................................ 16 2.4.3 Scraping Collections............................................................................................ 16 2.4.4 Growth Thickness Measurements..................................................................... 17 2.5 Data Analyses................................................................................................................... 17 3.0 Results.......................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1 Inspection Videotape Review......................................................................................... 19 3.2 Field Surveys..................................................................................................................... 19 3.3 Platform Characterization – Photographic Interpretation.......................................... 25 3.3.1 Platform Gail........................................................................................................ 26 3.3.2 Platform Grace..................................................................................................... 34 3.3.3 Platform Harvest................................................................................................. 40 3.3.4 Platform Hidalgo................................................................................................. 50 3.3.5 Platform Habitat.................................................................................................. 58 3.3.6 Platform Irene...................................................................................................... 61 3.4 Diablo and Nifty Rocks – Photographic Interpretation .............................................. 67 3.4.1 Physical Characteristics...................................................................................... 67 3.4.2 Community Description..................................................................................... 67 3.5 Random Point Count Analysis ....................................................................................... 74 3.6 Statistical Analysis of Photographic Data ..................................................................... 80 3.6.1 Whole Slide Analysis Photographic Data ........................................................ 80 3.6.2 PointCount’99® Photographic Data ................................................................. 86 3.6.3 Diablo and Nifty Rocks and Comparable Platform Zones............................ 89 3.7 Scraping Analysis ............................................................................................................. 92 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 3.8 Statistical Analysis of Scraping Data ............................................................................. 94 3.9 Wet Weight Determinations ......................................................................................... 101 3.10 Individual Mussel Measurements................................................................................ 104 3.11 Growth Thickness Measurements................................................................................ 104 4.0 Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 107 4.1 Overview and Historical Perspective .......................................................................... 107 4.2 Study Limitations ........................................................................................................... 109 4.3 Comparisons Between Adjacent Platform Legs......................................................... 110 4.3.1 Platform Gail...................................................................................................... 111 4.3.2 Platform Grace................................................................................................... 113 4.3.3 Platform Harvest............................................................................................... 116 4.3.4 Platform Hidalgo............................................................................................... 118 4.3.5 Summary of Comparisons for Adjacent Platform Legs ............................... 120 4.4 Comparisons Between Platforms ................................................................................. 121 4.4.1 Rank Order of Dominant Taxa ........................................................................ 121 4.4.2 Density Comparisons........................................................................................ 130 4.4.3 Percent Cover Comparisons ............................................................................ 134 4.4.4 Comparison of Percent Cover Data: PointCount’99® vs. QSA................... 136 4.4.5 Clustering