A first estimate of blue carbon associated with oil &amp; gas industry marine infrastructure

Davies, Abigail J.; Hastings, Astley

doi:10.1039/d3va00204g

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 41 publications

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“…Focused ecological management strategies for decommissioned oil and gas structures are lacking [137,138] and it remains unclear what, if any, management measures would be enforced for platforms that are reefed or remain in situ following decommissioning. In addition, new information is always emerging and recently the relative blue carbon benefits of leaving existing systems in place, with their accumulated biomass, but which also avoids the environmental and financial cost of disposing of the material attached to the rigs has been recently described [139]. This adds to the increasing evidence base of the ecological value of oil and gas structures and raises further questions on how these sites should be managed.…”

Section: Knowledge Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms

Fortune,

Madgett,

Scarborough Bull

et al. 2024

PLOS Sustain Transform

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Offshore oil and gas platforms (OGP) have been installed worldwide and initially with limited consideration given to the nature of their positive or negative long-term interactions with the natural marine habitats. However, as OGP reach the end of their useful life, with many being decommissioned and removed, it is timely to review the growing evidence of the association of marine biota with OGP to provide a summary and synthesis for policy makers and to give insight to decisions in increasingly crowded marine spatial plans. In the last decade, there has been rapid increase in studies concerning the ecological role of OGP. This research reveals strong contextual difference between platforms in different geographical regions, but all OGP add to local biodiversity particularly where hard substrata are introduced to areas dominated by depositional (mud and sand) habitats. This includes the attraction and increased productivity of fish, sessile invertebrates, and algae while also affecting change in the benthic habitats beneath platforms. There also evidence of the OGP changing local hydrodynamics conditions with effects on phytoplankton and local scour. In terms of the biota associated with OGP, water depth is a major driver of community type across systems. This study emphasises that while knowledge of OGP communities and species has improved, there are still significant knowledge gaps that may prevent the most environmentally beneficial decisions being made around decommissioning. There are few studies following the effect of decommissioning (topping, toppling, or removal) on the ecology of the systems as they change with time (longitudinal research) for the decommissioning event. There is also a need for more studies comparing the biodiversity and functionality of OGP system to artificial and natural reefs and habitats to better understand the ecological cost-benefit of decommissioning scenarios. Finally, commercial data is often unavailable and even when available, surveys are often conducted using varied methodology that prevents comparative analysis. By imposing/agreeing standards and sharing data around the ecological cost-benefit of decommissioning strategies, improve policy guidance concerning OGP planning, and management might emerge.

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Section: Knowledge Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms

Fortune,

Madgett,

Scarborough Bull

et al. 2024

PLOS Sustain Transform

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Is OSPAR 98/3 science-based politics or politics-based science?

Paces,

Davies,

Hastings

2024

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Man-made structures in the marine environment such as offshore Oil & Gas infrastructure are known to provide a hard substrate that enables ecosystems to develop on and around them. Current decommissioning practices on the UK Continental Shelf are mandated by the OSPAR Decision 98/3 with the premise of a clean seabed at its core, meaning that it is the expectation that all infrastructure is completely removed at the end of its operation life, leaving a clear seabed behind. This study critically reviewed 49 peer-reviewed articles relating to the ecosystem and the impact to these ecosystems by current removal practices. The results clearly demonstrate that current science-based evidence shows that existing O&G platform substructures act as multipurpose artificial reefs upon which rich ecosystems have developed and that their removal degrades the overall North Sea marine environment. Furthermore, this study shows that clear-sea bed policies, such as OSPAR 98/3, do not reflect, nor understand the complex relationship and interdependencies between biology and man-made structures and do not reflect current scientific knowledge. It is concluded that based on current knowledge, it is no longer scientifically justifiable to mandate the removal of all O&G infrastructure during decommissioning and that applying the principle of a clean seabed according to the OSPAR Commission should be re-considered.

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A first estimate of blue carbon associated with oil & gas industry marine infrastructure

Abstract: Oil and gas industry manmade structures (OGIMMS) in the marine environment can support thriving and biodiverse ecosystems.

Cited by 2 publications

References 41 publications

Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms

Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms

Is OSPAR 98/3 science-based politics or politics-based science?

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