Oil Companies Should Clean Up Their Own Leftovers

Imagine it‚ late January, and your neighbor has finally put his Christmas tree out on the curb.  Next, some birds and a squirrel decide to move into it.  Seeing this, your neighbor decides it‚ okay to leave it there, despite the fact that it‚ rotting on your grass.  “Why should I get rid of it?” he says.  “It can be their new habitat.”

Some companies are now following similar logic with old, out-of-use offshore oil and gas platforms. Normally, when oil or gas companies shut down drill sites, they must remove their platforms within one year of the platform‚ retirement.  But some states in the Gulf region have “rig-to-reefs” programs that allow platforms to be abandoned by either removing their above-water parts or by partially sinking them to the ocean floor.  This frees companies of all responsibility for future damage or liability regarding the new “reef”.

In fact, recently there was a study funded by the government and CARE, an organization funded by the fuel company, Chevron, that confirmed that the safe removal of rigs is completely possible, though too expensive for fuel companies to want to do it. How much? It can cost up to $5 million to remove an oil platform, but only costs about $800,000 to convert the platform into an “artificial reef.”

One of the big problems with this situation is that fish caught near these artificial reefs have been shown to contain higher levels of toxins than fish living in natural ocean environments.  Mercury and ciguatoxin, both noxious to humans, can be found around these platforms and affect the fish that make these sites their home. Since the fish congregate around the rigs, many small-scale and recreational fishermen favor these spots, which means these toxins can end up on our dinner tables.

Further, as the rate of tropical storms intensifies, why leave the industrial junk out there where it might cause more trouble down the road? Metal structures the size of hotels being dragged through the sea are clearly potential dangers to humans and marine life alike, especially when they end up like this.

Another potential issue with not removing decommissioned rigs is that they could be transitioned to other uses, in particular open-ocean fish farms. Contrary to some proponents claims, open water fish farming is not a sustainable alternative to wild fishing. Rather, using old platforms for ocean fish farming may worsen the state of the environment, the quality of the seafood we consume, and jeopardize the livelihoods of coastal communities across the nation. 

Concentrated amounts of fish food, wastes, diseases, and any chemicals or antibiotics used in farms could pollute the environment and other surrounding wildlife as, the cages are fully open to the ocean. With the coming of farms to platforms, likely fishermen will be excluded from these areas, formerly favorite fishing spots. Additionally, U.S. ocean fish farms are likely to outcompete and ultimately replace traditional fishing, causing widespread job losses. As the number of fishermen dwindles, support businesses, like marine supply stores and dock facilities, will also suffer, risking more job loss and hurting economies of coastal communities.

Fish farms can actually deplete wild fish populations.  Smaller fish are caught to feed the larger, farmed ones, leaving less food in the wild for already stressed and depleted larger predatory fish and birds and marine mammals. Or, the farmed fish are fed cheaper feeds that aren’t naturally found in the ocean, like soy, consequences from which are not yet known. Other chemicals fish farms employ include anti-fungals, pesticides, and toxic paint, and these can contaminate the fish and the marine environment.  Sometimes the cages are damaged and fish escape, causing hoards of farmed fish to alter the natural balance of the ecosystem.

If artificial reefs are to go into the oceans at all, shouldn’t they at least be designed sustainably and with consideration for marine and human health and safety?

We know “one man‚ trash is another man‚ treasure” and all, but the oceans are our global Commons, and we shouldn’t have to put up with corporations leaving their trash in them for the benefit of eking out some extra profit.  Instead, energy companies should be called on to fulfill their responsibilities and safely remove retired rigs with utmost care to not harm local marine life.  California, keep your policies on rigs the way they are unless you’ve got the energy to deal with the problems they’ll create.

-Becca Londner