Reliable deepwater anchor performance is critical for mooring floating Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs). Anchor failure can result in MODU’s going adrift and colliding with production structures and/or dragging anchors and damaging oil and gas pipelines or subsea production systems. Drag embedment anchors (DEAs) are the most utilized anchor for mooring floating MODUs in the Gulf of Mexico. There have been a number of anchor failures in recent hurricanes (Ivan, Katrina, Rita, and Ike). During hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita, 24 MODUs experienced mooring system failures. Anchors were dragged during some of these MODU mooring failures and are suspected to have caused several instances of pipeline damage that in turn led to delays in restoring oil and gas production after the hurricanes. During hurricane Ike there were at least four failures in MODU mooring systems that caused MODUS to leave station. The goal of this project is to increase the understanding of DEA performance and improve the design and application practices so as to increase the overall reliability of their application for moored MODUs.