Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals

Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals

Lophelia II 2012: Media Resources

This media resources page provides members of the media with information; resources; and broadcast, print, and web-quality imagery created by NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and partners for the Lophelia II 2012 Expedition.

Press Releases

NOPP Announces Excellence in Partnering Award Winner (August 14, 2012, press release)

Selected Still Images

In addition to abundant Lophelia coral and anemones, numerous western roughy fish are seen living in the community (smaller cousins of the orange roughy, common in the deep Gulf of Mexico it only reaches six inches as opposed to 30 inches for the orange). This structure only rises about 30 feet above the bottom and does not go to the surface. Pipelines transported oil and gas to another platform several miles away.

Lophelia Community at the Zinc Subsurface Platform Image courtesy of Lophelia II 2012 Expedition, NOAA-OER/BOEM. Download larger version (jpg, 1.8 MB).

Large Lophelia colonies and numerous anemones on a portion of the subsea completion structure in block Mississippi Canyon 355 at a depth of about 1,500 ft. Red laser beams, projected from the remotely operated vehicle (ROV), represent a separation of 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). A western roughy is seen to the left of the structure. The structure was installed on the seabed in 1992, allowing a maximum possible period of 20 years for coral growth.

Large Lophelia Colonies and Anemones Image courtesy of Lophelia II 2012 Expedition, NOAA-OER/BOEM. Download larger version (jpg, 1.3 MB).

Coral community on top of a structure piling adjacent to a subsea oil and gas structure at a depth of about 1,500 feet. Red laser beams, projected from the ROV, represent a separation of 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). Lophelia coral colonies and anemones are abundant. The project team also placed a marker on top of the piling with a plastic ball of known dimensions for use as a size reference.

Coral Community Image courtesy of Lophelia II 2012 Expedition, NOAA-OER/BOEM. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).

Two Lopehlia coral colonies growing on a small metal on a portion of the subsea completion structure in block Mississippi Canyon 355 at a depth of about 1,500 feet. Red laser beams, projected from the ROV, represent a separation of 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). The red crab on top of the coral is called a squat lobster. Many others were also seen on this structure.

Lophelia Colonies and Squat Lobster Image courtesy of Lophelia II 2012 Expedition, NOAA-OER/BOEM. Download larger version (jpg, 1.4 MB).

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