If you were to ponder on what effect a whacking great oil rig would have on marine life, you'd probably come to the conclusion that the effect would be bad. Pollution, drilling, and enormous metal struts banging into the sea floor would clearly decimate the populations of pretty well everything. Particularly if said oil rig had reached the end of it's life and was due to be dismantled. Oh the disruption. Well, if this is what you'd concluded, think again.
BP's North West Hutton platform stands a heady 240m above the sea level (that's as high as Canary Wharf) and has been in situ for over 2 decades. Due to be dismantled, a new discovery about oil rigs use as artificial reefs may have given it a stay of execution. Coral generally struggles to grow in the North Sea, as this particular piece o water is muddy and murky and doesn't have many rocks solid enough for the polyps to set up shop. Enter the oil rig. Its huge metal legs provide the perfect des res for coral. This was first spotted when the Brent Spar rig was decommissioned, and workers were amazed to see Lobelia pertusa coral growing on it. Further investigation showed this coral on 13 other rigs, at depths of up to 150m.
Europeans regulations currently state that rigs should be removed rather than toppled to make artificial reefs, but this discovery could change that. BP may end up removing most of the rig but leaving the legs for coral to grow on. Any way of making massive ugly oil rigs useful for anything at all sounds alright to me. More from the Daily Telegraph here.
Marine growth is generally avoided on platforms and rigs via a periodic maintenance during a platform's active life (ranging between 25-40 years on an average). Because, as much as you'd like to preserve the ecology, marine growth--by attatching itself to the legs--start to attract wave forces in the form of drag (Drag is a major contributor to Morison's equation). A huge amount of marine growth has the capacity to bring down a platform optimally designed.
During the operation, the growth is limited to a maximum allowable thickness over the legs. I guess, it's only after the platform's effective life, that marine growth like corals, shale, et al find a real home.
Posted by: Chetan | March 17, 2006 at 06:12 PM
do you dump things in the sea and if you do
STOP!your hurting the animals and people aroud you.
Posted by: deven | January 13, 2007 at 09:54 AM
why do you agree with them. what they are doing is wrong. them and thier oil rigs are hurting the animals in the oceans. i dont care if oil is providing our planet with energy to run our cell phones and computers in the process you are hurting the animal econemy. pretty soon if yall dont stop drilling oil in the ocean that the people whose job it is to study the ocean wont have a job no more. if all the fish and sea life is gone then no one could eat fish any more and then the vegitarians will have to eat only fruits and vegtibles. even thogh they are good for you that doesnt matter im sure they would enjoy eating fish. ok off the vegitarian subject while you are drilling in the ocean fish are dieng because of you. ships carry oil that is dripping into the ocean and also causing oil spills. you people who agree with oil miners you are sick and wrong
Posted by: lisa | January 13, 2007 at 10:05 AM
why do you agree with them. what they are doing is wrong. them and thier oil rigs are hurting the animals in the oceans. i dont care if oil is providing our planet with energy to run our cell phones and computers in the process you are hurting the animal econemy. pretty soon if yall dont stop drilling oil in the ocean that the people whose job it is to study the ocean wont have a job no more. if all the fish and sea life is gone then no one could eat fish any more and then the vegitarians will have to eat only fruits and vegtibles. even thogh they are good for you that doesnt matter im sure they would enjoy eating fish. ok off the vegitarian subject while you are drilling in the ocean fish are dieng because of you. ships carry oil that is dripping into the ocean and also causing oil spills. you people who agree with oil miners you are sick and wrong
Posted by: lisa | January 13, 2007 at 10:05 AM