ROFFS™ - schaudt.us OCEANOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
FOR THE TURKEY TO THE GULF OF MEXICO RIG TRANSIT
USING IMAGERY AND DATA FROM THE PAST 24 HOURS

We have shown unfavorable currents circled in red, favorable currents shown in green.

We are able to observe the ocean conditions west of the rig today using a combination of high resolution infrared and chlorophyll imagery from the past 24 hours. As the rig (current location near 76°30’W  & 18°48’N) continues westward along the suggested transit route from between Cuba and Hispaniola (Mona Passage) towards the Yucatán, the majority of the currents along the initial transit route appear to be unfavorable flowing in an eastward direction due to the combination of the counterclockwise rotation of an eddy centerd north of the transit route near 84°45’W & 21°30’N, and a larger clockwise rotating eddy feature centered south of the transit route near 84°30’W & 20°00’N. We suggest a more northern transit route change. It appears that by remaining closer to Cuba, the westward flowing currents between 80°00’W and 83°00’W  would be more beneficial to the movement of the transit towards the Yucatán Channel than along the initial route. As you pass through the Yucatán Channel, we continue to believe a change in the transit route angle towards the final destination (90°15’W & 25°32’N) would keep the rig within the favorable Loop Current currents and avoid unfavorable currents along the initial route from near 87°30’W & 23°00’N to 88°30’W & 24°00’N formed by another counter clockwise rotating eddy feature centered near 87°45’W & 24°00’N.

The suggested transit route change waypoints are from 78°00’W & 19°25’N to 79°30’W & 20°00’N to 85°10’W & 21°40’N to 87°40’W & 24°15’N to 90°15’W & 25°32’N.