Source: Offshore Technology
A survey conducted by the University of Technology Sydney in Australia has found that leaving decommissioned oil rigs on the seabed could prove beneficial to marine wildlife.
Among 38 environmental experts polled as part of the survey, 36 agreed that a ‘case-by-case’ approach should be followed for the process of removing decommissioned oil rigs in order to benefit marine life in the North Sea.
The survey noted that more than 7,500 offshore oil and gas platforms are set to reach the end of their life, with many of them stationed in the water for around 30 years.
It argued that the platforms have provided an artificial reef for local marine life and form a part of the ecosystem in which a wide range of species thrive.
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