An immersed camera at an old broken oil well shows a considerable life of flatfish, cod and bottom animals in all its forms. A life normally not see in these components of the North Sea, where the oil rig waits for deactivating after 25 years’ of faithful service in pumping oil and also gas from the ground.
« « We likewise see many more porpoises around oil well than in the bordering sea, » states elderly scientist Jonas Teilmann from Aarhus University, who has actually been involved in the researches that have simply been published in the worldwide journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
A big team of worldwide scientists have actually just published a clinical write-up in which they encourage ecological authorities across the globe to reconsider the concept of removing oil well, wind generators as well as various other installations in the sea when they are worn out. « It’s easy to understand why the cetaceans appreciate the location. One can’t toss a fish hook without catching one of the numerous cod around the legs of the oil well, » says Jonas Teilmann.
Fabricated reefs create sanctuaries in the sea An oil rig or various other fabricated installments are normally existing for 20-30 years in the sea. With this duration, televisions,» bars, concrete blocks as well as much more develop into beneficial substratum for sticking plants and also animals. As well as this rich atmosphere attracts fish and mammals. Internationally, it has been decided that all synthetic installations in the sea must be gotten rid of when they are no longer being used. Currently practically 30 worldwide researchers state that this choice possibly ought to be reevaluated. « In, for instance, the North Sea, an old oil well will have the same function as an all-natural stone coral reef, » Jonas Teilmann describes.
And stone coral reefs are in short supply as stones have been removed and made use of for, among other things, pier building or «been damaged and also spread due to use hefty trawls. « We have observed a substantially raised biodiversity around the old facilities as well as urge the authorities to consider, in each private case, whether an exemption from the demand for elimination can be approved. When making the assessment, the environmental problems«must, obviously, be of enough top quality, » says Jonas Teilmann.
Stay clear of trawling All over the world, there are more than 7,500 oil and gas systems and also between 10,000 as well as 20,000 wind generators that need to be gotten rid of at some point. It is approximated that it will set you back approximately EUR 100 billion to remove these setups. Maybe the cash can be saved and also problems for marine aquatic improved instead.
« By leaving the rig in position, we may make sure greater biodiversity in the sea. The physical frameworks additionally make certain that the locations will not be trawled. The hefty trawls transform the seabed into an uniform desert with bad biodiversity, » states Jonas Teilmann.
The research study team behind the article as a result urges politicians and authorities throughout the «globe to introduce a temporary stop on the mandatory decommissioning of offshore framework. According to the scientists, the experienced authorities should instead make an ecological assessment of which frameworks to leave and» perform follow-up investigations of the effect of the new coral reefs.
