| Autor: |
Nicole Paces, Abigail J. Davies, Astley Hastings |
| Jazyk: |
angličtina |
| Rok vydání: |
2024 |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 11 (2024) |
| Druh dokumentu: |
article |
| ISSN: |
2296-7745 |
| DOI: |
10.3389/fmars.2024.1264892 |
| Popis: |
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. |
| Databáze: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |
| Externí odkaz: |
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