MRI RAPID: Development of a Submerged Oil Detector using Ultraviolet (UV) Fluorescence

这个MRI-RAPID项目是为了应对路易斯安那州墨西哥湾英国石油公司（BP）深水地平线石油钻井平台爆炸后发生的事件。 一个使用紫外荧光（SODUF）的水下石油探测器，可部署在高达6000英尺的可变深度，将在海湾及时组装，测试和部署与快速资金要求一致。该项目分为六个阶段：1）修改紫外荧光碳氢化合物探测器，以便在墨西哥湾作业的机会船上快速部署; 2）将紫外探测器集成到地理参考漂流器中; 3）改造波浪形拖体，用于墨西哥湾的深水剖面; 4）将紫外碳氢化合物探测器集成到深水波浪形拖体中; 5）修改紫外碳氢化合物探测器，以便部署在自主水下航行器（AUV）上; 6）将紫外探测器集成到AUV中。第1、2、4和6阶段将涉及在墨西哥湾漏油事件中对新组装的传感器/传感器平台进行现场规模测试，以确定仪器在定位水下油污方面的功效。目标是使用RAPID MRI机制来检测和跟踪水下油羽的解决方案，以实现SODUF的组装和现场测试。第3阶段和第5阶段将主要涉及在我们位于德克萨斯州科珀斯克里斯蒂的海岸线环境研究设施（SERF）进行的台架测试。

This MRI-RAPID project is in response to events subsequent to an explosion on the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana. A Submerged Oil Detector using UV Fluorescence (SODUF) deployable at variable depths up to 6000 ft will be assembled, tested, and deployed in the Gulf in a timely manner consistent with RAPID funding requirements. The project has six phases: 1) modify a UV fluorescence hydrocarbon detector for rapid deployment on ships of opportunity operating in the Gulf of Mexico; 2) integrate the UV detector into a geo-referenced drifter; 3) retrofit an undulating tow-body for deepwater profiling in the Gulf; 4) integrate UV hydrocarbon detector into deepwater undulating tow-body; 5) modify UV hydrocarbon detector for deployment on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV); 6) integrate UV detector into AUV. Phases 1, 2, 4, and 6 will involve field scale testing of the newly assembled sensor/sensor platform in the Gulf Oil spill to determine the efficacy of the instrument in locatingsubmerged oil. The goal is a solution to detection and tracking of submerged oil plumes using the RAPID MRI mechanism to enable the assembly and field testing of SODUF. Phases 3 and 5 will involve mostly bench testing at our Shoreline Environmental Research Facility (SERF) located in Corpus Christi, Texas.