DECOMMISSIONING: "Environmental Benefits of Leaving Offshore Infrastructure in the Ocean" - Fowler et al., 2018
As the operational lifespans of thousands of offshore installations around the world draw to a close, maritime infrastructure policy is confronted with a fundamental challenge: How can the dismantling of these structures be conducted in a manner that is environmentally sound, efficient, and ecologically meaningful? The article "Environmental Benefits of Leaving Offshore Infrastructure in the Ocean" by Fowler et al. (2018) introduces a paradigmatic shift in perspective on this question – fundamentally challenging the widely standardised practice of fully removing marine industrial infrastructure.
Based on a comprehensive international expert survey, the article compellingly demonstrates that many existing offshore platforms and wind turbine foundations have, over the years, evolved into species-rich and ecologically valuable habitats. These structures now perform functions ranging from supporting biodiversity and enhancing marine productivity to providing protection from bottom trawling fisheries. The authors criticise current decommissioning regulations – such as the OSPAR Decision 98/3 – for largely ignoring these ecological contributions, thereby reinforcing a politically short-sighted environmental practice.
The article calls for a differentiated, scientifically grounded case-by-case assessment in which partial removal options are taken as seriously as the temporary suspension of removal obligations in favour of long-term ecological monitoring. In doing so, the study not only provides concrete policy recommendations for political, administrative, and industrial stakeholders in the North Sea region, but also articulates global guidelines for the sustainable repurposing of marine infrastructure in the Anthropocene.