OECI Projects
Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) works on a project and activity level to support ocean exploration, technology development, and expanding a diverse workforce for the blue economy. Projects and activities are primarily funded through NOAA Ocean Exploration as well as additional funding from other NOAA offices and government agencies. Overview and updates on multi-year and new projects are linked below.
Year 7
July 2025 – June 2026
New Projects
- Arctic Critical Minerals
- Uncrewed Systems Pacific Critical Minerals
- DriX Technology Advancement
- EX Tech Demo (6000m AUV on Okeanos)
- Artificial Reef Exploration — SS United States
- Deep-sea eDNA Analysis & Innovation
- Orpheus Seafloor Resource Characterization
- Low-cost DIC Sensor Advancement
- EX Network Upgrade
- Y7 Abyssal Plains (Samoa Basin Microbes)
- And more multi-year projects
OECI Expeditions
- Shakedown 2026
- Pacific Mapping
- Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands I
- Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands II
- Exploration of Wake Island’s Deep Sea
- Deep-Sea Habitats of the Hawaiian Archipelago
OECI MDBC Activities
- mROV Shakedown
- Coral Science (Recruitment & Propagation)
- Deepwater ROV — Global Explorer
- Lander Sustainment
- The Propagation Operation
- Soft Sediment Sample Processing
- Telepresence Support for MDBC
- And more multi-year activities
Year 6
July 2024 – June 2025
New Projects
- Erie Mapping
- Hudson Exploration
- mROV
- Ontario ROV
- Viral Exploration
- Aquaculture
- And more multi-year projects
OECI Expeditions
- Shakedown 2025
- Mattingan: Mariana Arc Volcanic Exploration
- Exploring the Offshore Marianas
- Maritime Archaeology of Guadalcanal: Iron Bottom Sound
- Deep-Sea Habitats of the Marshall Islands
- Seafloor Mapping Offshore Howland & Baker Islands
- Deep-Sea Habitats of the Cook Islands
OECI MDBC Activities
- medium ROV Build
- Landers
- Coral Science
- Engagement & Outreach
- Telepresence
- Voyis Integ. Support Remus600
- And more multi-year activities
Year 5
July 2023 – June 2024
New Projects
- Ocean Exploration Forum
- Pacific Islands Community Engagement
- Sentry American Samoa
- Video 2 NCEI & Aquaview Trial
- Realtime Undersea Modeling and Immersion
- Aleutians Alvin A&C
- And More Multi-Year Projects
OECI Expeditions
- American Samoa Leg 1
- American Samoa Leg 2
- Howland/Baker
- Jarvis
- Shakedown
- Palau
OECI MDBC Activities
- AUV Lars
- AUV Sentry
- Education and Outreach
- Mola Mola on Pt. Sur
- ROV Study
- Telepresence
- Remus 600
- And More Multi-Year Activities
Year 4
July 2022 – June 2023
New Projects
- Lander – Deep Autonomous Profiler
- SeaPerch
- Carbon Sequestration
- Saildrone in the Aleutians
- Machine Learning Co-Exploration
- Shipwreck Microbiomes of Keathley Canyon
- Eagle Ray and Mola Mola on Okeanos Explorer
- Hadal Profiler
- And More Multi-Year Projects
OECI Expeditions
- Shakedown
- Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll
- Mapping of Jarvis
- Tech Challenge – Multi-Vehicle Exploration
- Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
- Johnston Atoll
OECI MDBC Activities
- Mapping
- Coral Science
- Coral Technology
- Habitat
- Soft Sediment
Year 3
July 2021 – June 2022
New Projects
- Microbial Exploration of Hydrothermal Features
- Exploration via eDNA
- CloudMap
- Bridge to Ocean Exploration
- BERACOUDA
- Data Management
- Machine Learning Video
- Raman – Deploying InVADER
- And More Multi-Year Projects
OECI Expeditions
- Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll
- Luʻuaeaahikiikekumu – Ancient Seamounts of Liliʻuokalani Ridge
- MultiVehicle
- Deep Seamount Biodiversity of Johnston Atoll Legs 1 & 2
- NWHI/PMNM Legs 1 & 2
Years 1 & 2
July 2019 – June 2021
New Projects
- Deepwater DriX
- Inner Space Center Support
- Multi-Vehicle Technology Integration
- Tuskegee University OEIP Internships
- WHOI Expand Seafloor Characterization Techniques
- Orpheus
OECI Expeditions
- Benthic Communities Across Biomes
- US EEZ Mapping
- Santa Barbara Basin & West Coast EEZ Mapping
- Cascadia Margin Seep Exploration
- West Coast EEZ Mapping
- Tech Demo NUI/Mesobot
- Mapping to Hawaii
- Liliuokalani Ridge Seamounts
- S. Wentworth & Don Quixote
- Chautauqua Seamounts
