The Afterlives of Oil Rigs.

OFFSHORE oil & gas industry; DRILLING platforms; ENVIRONMENTAL sciences; TERRITORIAL waters; GAS seepage; OIL spills; MARINE biodiversity; CORAL reef conservation

The article from Scientific American explores the debate surrounding the decommissioning of offshore oil platforms, particularly focusing on Platform Holly off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. The platforms have become vibrant marine ecosystems, providing habitat for numerous fish species. While some advocate for full removal of the platforms due to environmental concerns, others propose repurposing them as artificial reefs to benefit marine life. The article highlights the complex ecological, economic, and political considerations involved in deciding the fate of these structures. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Scientific American is the property of Scientific American and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)