Why we should leave old oil rigs in the sea – and why we don’t

Tom Baxter* (Corresponding Author)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to specialist publicationArticle

Abstract

Decommissioning the UK’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure will cost the taxpayer £24 billion, according to estimates from HMRC. So why can’t we leave man-made structures in the sea and thereby save the cost of removal and recycling? That would be a big win for the public purse. However, to do that, we would have to test the pillars of sustainability: the economy, environment and society.
Original languageEnglish
Specialist publicationThe Conversation
PublisherThe Conversation UK
Publication statusPublished - 5 Oct 2020

Keywords

  • Petroleum
  • Oil and gas
  • North Sea
  • Offshore decommissioning
  • Artificial reefs
  • Offshore oil

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