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Issue link: http://sea-technology.epubxp.com/i/394075
www.sea-technology.com October 2014 / st 49 including cold seeps, brine pools, deep coral communities, undersea canyons and shipwrecks. A team composed of scientists, ROV pilots and engineers led the dives from on board NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer (EX), communicating and collaborating in real time with dozens of scientists and students using telepresence to participate from around the country. During two telepresence-enabled ROV cruises, the NOAA team conducted fve archaeology dives with the participation of 22 scientists, including biologists, geolo- gists, oceanographers and archaeologists from government, industry and academia, as well as numerous students. The open-participation model and data provided to the general public during these cruises offered industry archaeologists an opportunity to cooperate with one another in a way not previously possible. D eepwater oil and gas ar- chaeology currently lacks a mechanism to better under- stand the geochemical, geo- archaeological and biologi- cal processes acting on wreck sites. A plentitude of deepwa- ter sites are being discovered, but too little time, funding and research are provided to allow archaeologists to broaden the scope of their work. Industry archaeologists may collabo- rate internally during data re- view, but proprietary agree- ments typically prevent them from collaborating externally. All inundated archaeological sites are a product of their geo- logical, oceanographic, bio- logical and anthropomorphic environments. How does the compartmentalization and lack of collaboration necessary in the proprietary oil and gas in- dustry impact archaeologists' understanding of deepwater archaeological sites? Is there a better model that utilizes telepresence and collaborative research to allow deepwa- ter archaeologists, regulators, deep-ocean scientists and the general public to test new methods, theories and ex- ploration? Since 2010, NOAA's Okeanos Explorer Program has conducted interdisciplinary, telepresence-enabled ocean exploration cruises. Beginning in 2012, the broader scien- tifc community started participating ,when live-video feeds became available on standard Internet and teleconferences allowed direct communication with scientists on board the ship. The 2012 Gulf of Mexico Expedition conducted in part- nership with BOEM, BSEE and others focused on explor- ing the diversity and distribution of deep seafoor habitats, Collaborative Archaeology With NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Insights for the Oil and Gas Industry By Kimberly L. Faulk • Kelley P. Elliott A telepresence-enabled platform, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer uses satellite technology to transmit data and video in real time from the ship and ROVs working at depth to shore. Scientists onshore can join operations in real time. (Image Credit: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program)