A coalition of 28 marine scientists is questioning the long-standing practice of completely removing offshore oil and gas platforms once they are no longer productive. Their analysis, published last week in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, suggests that in some cases, dismantling these structures could do more environmental harm than good.
The researchers point to the 7,500 platforms slated for removal over the coming decades, many of which have become thriving habitats for marine life. According to the study, these structures support significantly increased biodiversity compared to the surrounding seabed. Removing them, the authors argue, would destroy these ecosystems and disrupt the sea floor.
The call for a blanket removal policy dates back to the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf, which mandated that all abandoned or disused installations be entirely removed. The intention was to prevent oil companies from leaving debris in the ocean. Over time, some nations adopted exceptions, but a 1995 controversy in the North-East Atlantic led to a strict ban on leaving any equipment in that region unless there was a technical justification, such as the weight of steel structures.
Jonas Teilmann, one of the study's authors, said in a news release that the physical presence of the rigs also prevents bottom trawling, a fishing method that drags heavy nets across the sea floor and can turn the seabed into a "uniform desert with poor biodiversity." By leaving the structures in place, the researchers contend, the areas remain protected from such destructive practices.
Cost and Environmental Trade-Offs
The financial implications are also significant. The study estimates that removing all 7,500 installations would cost around $210 billion. The authors argue that a more flexible approach, evaluating each platform individually, could save money and preserve marine habitats.
"We have observed a significantly increased biodiversity around the old facilities and encourage the authorities to consider, in each individual case, whether an exemption from the demand for removal can be granted," Teilmann added.
The researchers are not advocating for leaving all structures in place, but rather for a shift away from the one-size-fits-all removal policy. They urge regulators to weigh the ecological benefits of leaving some rigs in place against the potential risks, such as navigation hazards or long-term environmental impacts.
The debate comes as the offshore energy industry faces a wave of decommissioning, with many platforms reaching the end of their productive lives. The outcome of this discussion could shape ocean management policies for decades to come.
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