Offshore Oil Research Articles

Multi-objective optimization framework for deepwater riser jetting installation parameters using deep reinforcement learning

Optimizing conductor casing jetting installation in offshore oil and gas exploration is essential for underwater wellhead reliability. Traditional models often struggle with the complexities of this process, characterized by jetting drilling and soaking phases. To address this issue, a novel approach using deep reinforcement learning is introduced for comprehensive optimization of jetting parameters, enhancing deep-sea drilling efficiency. The methodology begins with an orthogonal simulated experiment to compile a robust dataset. Following preprocessing, including feature extraction and parameter scaling, a predictive model is developed to correlate installation parameters with jetting and soaking time. A composite action-value Q-learning (CAPQL) based multi-objective reinforcement learning framework is employed, establishing a Markov decision process environment for simultaneous optimization of jetting time and soaking periods. Applying this framework to selected deep-sea wells demonstrates a significant decrease in jetting drilling time (average 46.18%) and soaking time (22.57%), with the predictive model achieving a 99.32% average fit. This approach effectively navigates parameter interdependencies, ensuring optimal outcomes across diverse objectives. These findings present a groundbreaking approach for conductor casing jetting, offering greater precision and efficiency in offshore drilling operations and the potential to redefine industry standards.

Marine Radar Oil Spill Detection Method Based on YOLOv8 and SA_PSO

In the midst of a rapidly evolving economic landscape, the global demand for oil is steadily escalating. This increased demand has fueled marine extraction and maritime transportation of oil, resulting in a consequential and uneven surge in maritime oil spills. Characterized by their abrupt onset, rapid pollution dissemination, prolonged harm, and challenges in short-term containment, oil spill accidents pose significant economic and environmental threats. Consequently, it is imperative to adopt effective and reliable methods for timely detection of oil spills to minimize the damage inflicted by such incidents. Leveraging the YOLO deep learning network, this paper introduces a methodology for the automated detection of oil spill targets. The experimental data pre-processing incorporated denoise, grayscale modification, and contrast boost. Subsequently, realistic radar oil spill images were employed as extensive training samples in the YOLOv8 network model. The trained detection model demonstrated rapid and precise identification of valid oil spill regions. Ultimately, the oil films within the identified spill regions were extracted utilizing the simulated annealing particle swarm optimization (SA-PSO) algorithm. The proposed method for offshore oil spill survey presented here can offer immediate and valid data support for regular patrols and emergency reaction efforts.

Study on the screening of marine beneficial bacteria and the inhibition of sulfate-reducing bacteria corrosion in marine oil field produced water

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to provide ideas and theoretical guidance for green, environmentally friendly and efficient “bacteriostasis with bacteria” technology.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a beneficial strain of bacteria was extracted and purified from marine mud. Weight-loss test, morphological observation and electrochemical test were used to systematically study the effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)-induced corrosion inhibition on X65 steel in simulated offshore oil field production water.FindingsThe results showed that a beneficial strain was selected and identified as Vibrio alginolyticus. Under the condition of co-culture of SRB, the average corrosion rate of X65 steel was significantly reduced. In the mixed bacterial system, the surface of X65 steel samples was relatively flat, and the structure of biofilm and corrosion product film was dense. The number of corrosion pits, the average diameter and depth of corrosion pits were significantly reduced. The localized corrosion of X65 steel was significantly inhibited.Originality/valueThe complex and changing marine environment makes the corrosion problem of marine steel increasingly severe, and the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) caused by SRB is particularly serious. The research and development of environmentally friendly corrosion protection technology is a long-term and difficult problem. The use of beneficial microorganisms to control MIC is a green and efficient anticorrosion measure. Compared with terrestrial microorganisms, marine microorganisms can adapt to complex environments, and their metabolites exhibit special biological activities. The use of marine beneficial bacteria can inhibit SRB activity to achieve the corrosion inhibition effect.

[formula omitted] tracking control for de-oiling hydrocyclone systems via event-triggered reinforcement learning

De-oiling hydrocyclone system is a crucial device in offshore oil and gas production. To reduce action frequency of actuators as well as energy costs, it is desired to apply event-triggered control (ETC) technique for coordination control of de-oiling hydrocyclone systems. However, the triggering errors and slugging disturbances will greatly affect oil-water separation efficiency and need to be well treated. Towards this end, this work studies the coordination control problem of de-oiling hydrocyclone systems subject to slugging disturbances and unknown system dynamics. Robust H∞ control approach is applied to reduce disturbances sensitivity and guaranteeing satisfactory oil-water separation performance. The coordination control problem is transformed into a 2-player zero-sum game problem. A model-based solution by solving the game algebraic Riccati equation (GARE) is obtained and an event-triggered (ET) off-policy reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm is developed to implement the model-based solution. The salient feature of the proposed algorithm is that the proposed model-free H∞ control method alleviates the affects of both triggering errors and slugging disturbances, which are handled together as a generalized disturbance in the algorithm. Stability and Zeno behavior avoidance of the proposed algorithm are analyzed. Simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Cohesive failure analysis of carbon-fiber composite patch repair in perforated steel tubular elements

The use of composite materials to repair corroded steel structural components has expanded in the offshore oil and gas sector. The effective use of composites requires a meticulous process for choosing appropriate constituent elements. In this regard, numerical modeling is an efficient tool to better understand the impact of associated variables and enables the identification of failure causes and simulation of failure propagation. This study aims to assess the mechanical behavior of the adhesive layer at the steel - composite material interface in the repair of perforated tubular structures under bending, compression, and bending-compression. A numerical model is developed simplifying the examination and characterization of the cohesive failure mechanisms and modes occurring between the laminate patch repair and the perforated steel tubular element. The stress distribution and cohesive failure at the interface are then thoroughly investigated. The impacts of the inclusion of fillets at the patch repair ends to smoothen the transition between the composite material and the tube and the repair length are also evaluated. A Python subroutine is developed to identify the failure mode mechanisms to characterize the adhesive areas subjected to peel, shear, or mixed modes. Results suggest that pure shear mode is predominant in most of the repair locations across the three types of loading. For bending loads, the cohesive failure close to the cutout shows prominent shear mode. In the other loading conditions, the adhesive nearly fails in the vicinity of the cutouts (i.e., damage values are close to 1) in a predominant near pure shear failure mechanism. The use of fillets displaces the failure location for bending load, hence increasing the failure load level. Repairs were more extensive under Bending Moment load conditions compared to other load types. The mode ratio analysis and methodology presented in this work offer valuable tools for understanding the causes of failure modes.

К вопросу применимости и эффективности отдельных элементов системы управления ледовой обстановкой при реализации проектов освоения арк­тического шельфа

In order to reduce the probability of dangerous impacts from ice cover and icebergs on offshore oil and gas production facilities, as well as to protect associated marine operations it is necessary to develop and implement so-called “Ice Management Systems” (IMS). The authors analyze the technologies and tools, used in practical ice management operations in various areas of the Arctic shelf, define the list of key technologies and consider the limitations of additional technologies. They assume that in real IM practice it is possible to abandon the technology of measuring the drift of ice formations using radio beacons in favor of measurements by vessel radars (“ice radars”). Based on open sources, the authors carry out a performance analysis of ice management (IM) operations to influence icebergs and drifting ice. Analysis of numerical simulation results allows them to select the most effective scheme for the operation of icebreakers when breaking the drifting ice.

Влияние мелкозалегающего газа на проектные решения по освоению морских газоконденсатных месторождений на шельфе арк­тических и суб­арк­тических морей

The article discusses issues related to shallow gas influence on design decisions for the development of offshore oil and gas condensate fields. The authors show the presence and distribution of shallow gas accumulations in the upper part of the geological section and its influence on the quality of seismic surveys. The release of shallow gas has caused many serious accidents at offshore drilling rigs and oil and gas production platforms. The main danger of shallow gas deposits is when drilling intervals for the conductor and surface casing due to the lack of blowout equipment at the wellhead. The authors analyze the areal and depth distribution of shallow gas in the Arctic and subarctic seas, and find out that small deposits of several hundred meters in size are most common. The main methods of detecting and studying shallow gas accumulations above gas-bearing structures are high-resolution seismic exploration, drilling of engineering-geological wells and pilot holes with well logging. The researchers reveal the main features of the wave pattern indicating the gas saturation in the upper part of the section. They present the main technical solutions for the development of the Lunsky, Kirinsky and Yuzhno-Kirinsky oil and gas condensate fields located on the self of Sakhalin Island and suggest changes in design solutions during their development in view of the shallow gas presence in the upper part of the geological section. The authors substantiate the need to create Russian software systems and methods of automated design for developing offshore oil and gas fields in the Arctic, taking into account geological and geophysical uncertainty, the shallow gas presence and technical factors.

Safety evaluation of offshore oil and gas well string based on corrosion rate prediction

The combined effects of corrosion, temperature, and pressure can cause safety issues such as shortened lifespan and failure of offshore high temperature and high pressure oil and gas well strings. This paper focuses on a certain sea area and conducts experiments on CO2 corrosion of different string materials under different temperature and partial pressure conditions. Combined with the two-phase flow wellbore temperature and pressure-coupling model, a corrosion rate prediction model based on Back Propagation Neural Network optimized by Genetic Algorithm (GA-BPNN) is established for predicting corrosion rate along the wellbore depth. At the same time, based on the API 5C3 standard, considering the degradation effect of thermally induced metal string strength and the influence of environmental pressure, a safety evaluation model of offshore oil and gas well string based on corrosion rate prediction was established, and analysis of the change law of residual strength of the string and prediction of remaining life under the influence of different factors were carried out.

Response of Microbial Communities to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material-Contaminated Sediments: A Microcosm-Based Study.

There is a growing need to understand the potential ecological impacts of contaminants in offshore oil and gas infrastructure, especially if that infrastructure is to be left in situ as a decommissioning option. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is one type of contaminant found in solid deposits on internal surfaces of infrastructure that poses potential ecological harm if released into the marine environment. Microbes are important components of marine sediment ecosystems because they provide ecosystem services, yet the impacts of NORM contamination to these communities are not well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the response of benthic microbial communities to NORM-contaminated scale, collected from an offshore oil and gas system, via controlled laboratory microcosm studies. Changes to microbial communities in natural sediment and sediments spiked with NORM at radium-226 activity concentrations ranging from 9.5 to 59.8 Bq/kg (in partial equilibria with progeny) over 7 and 28 days were investigated using high-throughput sequencing of environmental DNA extracted from experimental sediments. There were no significant differences in microbial community composition between control and scale-spiked sediments over 7 and 28 days. However, we observed a greater presence of Firmicutes in the scale-mixed treatment and Chloroflexi in the scale-surface treatments after 28 days. This could suggest selection for species with contaminant tolerance or potential resilience to radiation and metal toxicity. Further research is needed to explore microbial tolerance mechanisms and their potential as indicators of effects of radionuclide-contaminated sediments. The present study demonstrated that microcosm studies can provide valuable insights about the potential impacts of contamination from oil and gas infrastructure to sediment microbial communities. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1648-1661. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Challenges and strategic solutions in commissioning and start-up of subsea production systems

The commissioning and start-up of subsea production systems represent critical phases in offshore oil and gas operations, where meticulous planning and execution are essential for success. This abstract presents an overview of the challenges encountered during these phases and proposes strategic solutions to address them effectively. Environmental factors such as deepwater operations and subsea geology pose significant challenges to commissioning and start-up activities. Technical challenges include ensuring equipment reliability and seamless integration of control systems in harsh underwater conditions. Operational challenges such as remote monitoring and intervention and personnel safety further compound the complexities of these operations. Strategic solutions to mitigate these challenges include advanced planning and simulation using digital twin technology and scenario planning. Enhanced risk management strategies, including contingency planning and early detection systems, are vital to anticipate and manage potential issues effectively. Collaborative partnerships between stakeholders, including suppliers and cross-disciplinary teams, foster innovation and enhance project resilience. Drawing from successful case studies and lessons learned, this abstract emphasizes the importance of proactive planning, risk mitigation, and collaborative approaches in ensuring the successful commissioning and start-up of subsea production systems. By implementing these strategic solutions, operators can enhance operational efficiency, minimize downtime, and improve safety outcomes, ultimately contributing to the long-term viability and sustainability of offshore energy production.

Inspection of Liner Wall Thinning and Interface Debonding in Bimetallic Lined Pipes Using Pulsed Eddy Current Testing.

Bimetallic lined pipe (BLP) has been increasingly used in offshore and subsea oil and gas structures, but how to identify the invisible inner defects such as liner wall thinning and interface debonding is a challenge for future development. A nondestructive testing (NDT) method based on pulsed eddy current testing (PECT) has been proposed to face these difficulties. The inspection of the BLP specimen (AISI1020 base tube and SS304 liner) is implemented from outside of the pipe by using a transmitter-receiver-type PECT probe consisting of two induction coils. By simplifying the BLP specimen to stratified conductive plates, the electromagnetic field interaction between the PECT probe and specimen is analytically modeled, and the probe inspection signals due to liner wall thinning and interface debonding are calculated. In order to highlight the weak response (in microvolts) from the liner, the inspection signals are subtracted by the signal, which is calculated in the case of only having a base tube, yielding differential PECT signals. The peak voltage of the differential signal is selected to characterize the liner wall thinning and interface debonding due to its distinguishable and linear variation. Experiment verification is also carried out on a double-walled specimen simulated by a combination of a Q235 casing pipe and SS304 tubes of different sizes. The experimental results basically agree with the analytical predictions. The peak value of the PECT signal has an ascending and descending variation with the increase in the remaining liner wall thickness and debonding gap, respectively, while the negative peak value shows opposite changes. The peak value exhibits a larger sensitivity than the negative peak value. The proposed method shows potential promise in practical applications for the evaluation of the inner defects in BLP lines.

Effect of Shear Loading Conditions on the Measured Strength of Ice Adhesion to Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Despite the significant interest of researchers, icing of aircraft, vehicles, ships, and equipment of offshore oil structures remains to be an urgent problem. This paper considers the factors that promote a decrease in the strength of the contact between ice and surfaces under an applied shear load. The main attention is focused on studying the influence of the rate of shear loading on the fracture of the interfacial contact between ice and superhydrophobic coatings. The strength of the adhesive contact under the conditions of controlled variations in the applied load is measured using a technique based on the detachment of ice from a surface under the influence of centrifugal force. The study is carried out for large ensembles of samples in the temperature range from −5 to −20°C, thereby making it possible to evaluate the influence of the quasi-liquid layer and the Rehbinder effect on a decrease in the shear adhesive strength. The results obtained indicate that the contact between ice and a superhydrophobic coating is fractured through a mixed viscous–brittle mechanism. In this case, a decrease in temperature or an increase in the loading rate causes a transition from the viscous to the brittle fracture. These results indicate a potential acceleration of ice shedding with an increase in the growth rate of the shear stress.

Work-Related Fatigue Among Indonesian Offshore Oil and Gas Workers.

Work-related fatigue, combined with shift work and prolonged work hours, has a significant effect, contributing to increasing accident rate by 50-100%. To assess the level of work-related fatigue over a 4-week work period among offshore rig oil and gas workers in Indonesia. This cohort study evaluated acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, and intershift recovery scores among offshore oil and gas rig workers using the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery 15 (OFER15) questionnaire. Fatigue levels were assessed weekly throughout the study duration, which was 4-week work period. Additionally, atthe fourth week, participants were asked about psychosocial factors that could bepotentially related to fatigue. Of 67 participants, the average scores of acute and chronic fatigue were 30.0 and 33.3, and the scores had significantly increased over 4 weeks (P < 0.001). The intershift recovery scores statistically significantly decreased over 4 weeks (P < 0.001), and the differences between weeks (Week 1 versus 2, Week 1 versus 3 and Week 1 versus 4) were also statistically significant (P < 0.001). Acute and chronic fatigue scores had a significant positive correlation with psychological job demands and negatively correlated with influence at work and job satisfaction. Over 4 weeks, acute fatigue augmented chronic fatigue, while acute and chronic fatigue demanded a longer recovery. Workers at the offshore rig experienced work fatigue during their on-duty periods, with the level of fatigue significantly increasing over the 4 weeks. Comprehensive fatigue management at offshore rigs is vital to mitigate work fatigue and minimize the risk of work-related accidents.

Measurement-based carbon intensity of US offshore oil and gas production

The United States (US) produces oil and gas from six offshore regions: the North Slope of Alaska, Cook Inlet in Alaska, offshore California, and three Gulf of Mexico (GOM) sub-regions: state shallow, federal shallow, and deep waters. Measurement-based assessment of direct greenhouse gas emissions from this production can provide real-world information on carbon emissions to inform decisions on current and future production. In evaluating the climate impact of production, the carbon intensity (CI, the ratio of greenhouse gases emitted compared to the energy of fuels produced) is often used, though it is rarely quantified with measurements. Here, we complete an observational evaluation of the US offshore sector and present the largest current set of measurement-based CIs. We collected airborne measurements of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides from the North Slope, Cook Inlet, and California and combined with prior GOM results. For Alaska and California, we found emissions agree with facility-level inventories, however, the inventories miss some facilities. The US offshore CI, on a 100 year GWP basis, is 5.7 g CO2e/MJ[4.5, 6.8, 95% confidence interval]. This is greater than double the CI based on the national US inventory, with the discrepancy attributed primarily to methane emissions from GOM shallow waters, with a methane dominated CI of 16[12, 22] for GOM federal shallow waters and 43[25–65] for state shallow waters. Regional intensities vary, with carbon dioxide emissions largely responsible for CI on the North Slope 11[7.5, 15], in Cook Inlet 22[13, 34], offshore California 7.2[3.2, 13], and in GOM deep waters 1.1[1.0, 1.1]. These observations indicate offshore operations outside of the GOM in the US have modest methane emissions, but the CI can still be elevated due to direct carbon dioxide emissions. Accurate assessment of different offshore basins, with differing characteristics and practices, is important for the climate considerations of expanded production.

High-energy computed tomography for inspection and monitoring of flexible riser

Flexible risers have been widely used in the offshore oil and gas industry and have many applications, such as production, gas lifting, or gas and water injection. The structure comprises several metal and polymer layers, which allow it to withstand a sizeable bending curve and high internal pressure. Therefore, guaranteeing the integrity of flexible risers throughout their useful life is extremely important. It requires developing and applying effective inspection and monitoring techniques, particularly emphasizing the tensile armor layers. This work evaluated the ability of the High-Energy Computed Tomography (CT) Technique to detect internal defects such as cracks, breaks, and fissures in the riser layers. A flexible riser sample of approximately 2 m in length and 281 mm in external diameter was scanned using a tomography system consisting of a 6 MeV Betatron and a set of 14-bit A-Si digital detectors. The images were acquired in 360° with angular steps of 2°. After acquisition, the images were reconstructed, and 3D models were built for qualitative and quantitative evaluation. Through the segmentation process, the metal layers of the flexible riser could be analyzed individually. Defects were found in the tensile armor layers, indicating ruptures and cracks and the onset of pitting. The results strongly suggest that computed tomography can be used as a non-destructive technique for inspecting flexible risers, with good efficiency in detecting defects, and that its application can be extended to field tests.

Application of information technology (IT) in Iraq's petroleum industry

The crucial role of information technology (IT) in operating and managing industrial systems is widely recognized, and Iraq's IT capabilities hold great promise for its industrial and other economic sectors. The demand for IT services has risen considerably, particularly for oil and gas companies, which face the challenge of boosting capital asset returns while ensuring safety and sustainability. They need to manage rising demands as well as competition for access to oil reserves while driving improved asset reliability, productivity, and performance. This application show how information technology is used in the petroleum industry. It specifically examines information technology applications in the upstream, midstream, and downstream important segments of the petroleum industry during the drilling process. The increased price volatility's noteworthy effect on the profitability of the energy industry is just one of the current supply chain management challenges. Better supply chain management aids in lowering operational costs, a challenge that many businesses are under demand to address right away. The study's theoretical and practical value is in exposing the characteristics and issues with the infrastructure supporting the Iraqi oil industry and in creating a control algorithm for the evolution of its Regular visual inspections of pipelines, offshore oil rigs, and other infrastructure may be carried out swiftly and safely thanks to technology. Light devices that enable temperature checks using infrared scanning are available in modern applications. Hazards like poisonous substances can be identified by other sensors from a safe distance. Enhancing oil and gas safety with artificial intelligence technologies protects the environment and ensures worker safety

Influence of graphene oxide additives on the NF separation of triazine-based H2S scavenging compounds using advanced membrane technology

This work proposes an innovative approach for the membrane separation of spent and unspent H2S scavengers (SUS) derived from the application of MEA-triazine in offshore oil and gas production. Modified nanofiltration membranes were fabricated by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) into a thin film composite (TFC) to obtain a thin film nanocomposite (TFN) with enhanced permeability. In addition, various immobilization strategies for GO were investigated. The performance of the membranes and the effect of the GO loading were evaluated in terms of permeability, fouling propensity, and rejection of key components of the SUS, i.e., MEA-triazine (unspent scavenger), dithiazine (spent scavenger), and monoethanolamine, operating on a sample of SUS wastewater obtained from an offshore oil and gas platform. Various characterization techniques, such as contact angle, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA, and AFM, were employed to evaluate the structure, composition, and hydrophilicity of the membrane. The results show a remarkable increase in permeability (from 0.22 Lm-2 h−1 bar−1 for the TFC to 5.8 Lm-2 h−1 bar−1 for the TFN membranes), due to the enhanced hydrophilicity from GO incorporation. The strong interfacial interaction between GO and PVA within the TFN membrane results in negligible nanofiller leaching. The incorporation of GO moderately increases the rejection of the unspent scavenger (63%–73%, 62%–79%, 62%–80%, and 68%–76%), while drastically increasing the rejection of the spent scavenger, which is approximately null for the TFC membrane without GO and increases up to 58% in the TFN membrane with GO. Therefore, while the proposed membranes cannot be used for the selective separation of the unspent form the spent scavenger, they can achieve substantial recovery of all the key components contained in the SUS to avoid their discharge into the sea.

Effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Corrosion Behavior of X65 Carbon Steel.

X65 pipeline steel is widely used in the field of offshore oil and gas exploitation due to its excellent performance. However, due to the complex environment in the ocean, X65 pipeline steel is faced with a great risk of microbial corrosion failure. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the corrosion mechanism of X65 pipeline steel by microorganisms. In this paper, the corrosion effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) secreting phenazine compounds on X65 pipeline steel was studied by the weight loss method, biofilm scanning electron microscopy analysis, surface corrosion morphology observation, electrochemical testing and medium pH test corrosion products. The results showed that the inoculation of P. aeruginosa accelerated the corrosion of X65 steel. After knocking out the phzM and phzS genes that regulate the synthesis of PYO, P. aeruginosa can still produce biofilms on the surface of X65 steel consistent with the morphology of wild-type P. aeruginosa, but the corrosion of X65 steel is significantly reduced. It is proved that PYO plays an important role in the corrosion process of P. aeruginosa on steel.

Managing deepsea oil spills through a systematic modeling approach

Offshore oil exploration and production in deepwater are associated with environmental risks to marine ecosystems. This research introduces DWOSM (Deep Water Oil Spill Model), a three-dimensional Lagrangian model, which is developed to simulate the transport and fate of oil spills resulting from subsea blowouts. DWOSM comprises three interconnected modules: DWOSM-DSD, which predicts the oil droplet size distribution from a blowout release; DWOSM-NearField, simulating plume dynamics and tracking oil droplets within the plume region; and DWOSM-FarField, modeling the evolution of dispersed oil beyond the near-field. Compared to other oil spill models, this integrated approach improves the transition between near and far fields using a near-field particle tracking algorithm. It also employs the thermodynamic models to enable the prediction of oil properties under varying deep water pressure and temperature. To gauge the reliability and efficacy of DWOSM, a hypothetical case situated within a North American context is employed for model testing. The DWOSM and its each module are juxtaposed with other established oil spill models. The outcomes indicate that DWOSM yields comparable results to these models by providing reasonable predictions of a deepwater blowout. The model's verification through case scenario testing and comparison underscores its potential as a decision tool for assessing and managing the potential environmental impacts of offshore petroleum activities.

Repurposing oil and gas infrastructure as artificial reefs – a global perspective

More than 7000 offshore oil and gas (O&amp;G) installations are found across 53 countries throughout the world’s oceans. During their life span, these structures provide a habitat for marine life and can support diverse assemblages. At the end of planned service life, they are decommissioned which usually involves the complete removal of infrastructure from the ocean, resulting in the loss of these marine communities. Various countries have repurposed O&amp;G platforms as artificial reefs as an alternative solution to decommissioning, such as the Rigs-to-Reefs (R2R) program developed by the United States (US). The repurposing of O&amp;G platforms may have benefits in preserving or enhancing ecological communities, as well as reducing the impacts and costs associated with removal and disposal onshore. The placement of O&amp;G platforms in the ocean as artificial reefs demands prudent planning and high-level management to ensure the anticipated benefits are delivered and potential impacts are managed. The US National Artificial Reef Program (NARP) along with the R2R program provides guidelines on various aspects of artificial reef use, including planning, site selection, design and management. Since 1980, the US has successfully converted more than 593 O&amp;G platforms to permanent artificial reefs due to the active participation and support of O&amp;G operators, government, local fishing and diving communities. Other countries are also taking initiatives to repurpose their O&amp;G infrastructure. The aim of this paper is to identify key considerations in the repurposing of O&amp;G infrastructure as artificial reefs, using the US R2R program and other geographies as examples.