Ageing oil and gas wells inside UK MPAs ticking timebomb for UK seas.
- New Oceana UK report exposes the hidden environmental legacy of decades of offshore oil and gas extraction, revealing a total of 1,685 active or unplugged oil and gas wells within UK marine protected areas.
- More than 31,000km of pipelines stretch across UK seas risking toxic chemicals leaching into some of the UK’s most important marine habitats.
- New YouGov polling shows 77% support government action requiring oil and gas companies to remove offshore infrastructure once it reaches the end of its life.
- Early and effective decommissioning would protect our marine wildlife and create 25,000 jobs across the UK supply chain, helping deliver a fair and prosperous transition for offshore workers and coastal communities.
Marine conservation charity Oceana UK has revealed the scale of the UK’s offshore oil and gas legacy, identifying 1,685 active or unplugged wells inside marine protected areas and warning that ageing infrastructure could pose growing risks to marine wildlife if not properly decommissioned.
The findings come as ministers prepare the Energy Independence Bill, which is expected to legislate for an end to new oil and gas licences. Oceana says the UK now has a major opportunity to tackle the environmental legacy of decades of offshore extraction while supporting a fair transition for workers and coastal communities.
Oceana’s “oceo-economic” assessment combines environmental and economic analysis of decommissioning in UK waters. It concludes that delaying decommissioning could increase pollution, damage marine habitats and allow methane leakage to continue for decades. Acting sooner will help restore ocean ecosystems, create skilled jobs and deliver lasting benefits for coastal communities.
As infrastructure ages, toxic contaminants, including mercury, lead, and radioactive material – which builds up inside pipelines – can pose severe risks to marine wildlife. These chemicals can damage the nervous system and disrupt reproduction in marine wildlife, with the potential for population decline and ecosystem-wide damage.
More than 1,700 km of pipelines run through two protected marine areas[1] that are home to a range of sea life from the protected harbour porpoise to the threatened ocean quahog clam.
Hugo Tagholm, Director of Oceana UK, said:
“UK seas are home to extraordinary wildlife. They are also criss-crossed by pipelines, potentially leaching toxic chemicals, that cover a distance equivalent to 38 round trips to the International Space Station. Without timely and effective decommissioning, this growing legacy of infrastructure risks becoming a ticking timebomb for UK seas.
Our ocean is not a rubbish dump. It is a vital part of our life support system. The Energy Independence Bill promises the end of new oil and gas and the UK now also has the chance to lead the world in how it manages the transition away from fossil fuels. Effective decommissioning, paid for by the companies that have been extracting billions of pounds of profit from our seas for decades, is a clear-sighted strategy to a fair and prosperous end to oil and gas in UK waters.”
Oceana’s findings reflect public concern about the impact of offshore oil and gas infrastructure on UK seas. Nearly two thirds of British adults are concerned about the impact of oil pollution on UK waters, while 77% support government action requiring oil and gas companies to remove offshore infrastructure once it reaches the end of its operational life, the YouGov polling commissioned by Oceana UK found.
Analysis cited in the report suggests accelerated decommissioning could support 25,000 jobs across the UK supply chain, including extending the careers of around 15,000 existing offshore workers, while generating significant economic benefits for coastal communities.
The report calls on the UK Government to maintain its commitment to end all new oil and gas, hold industry accountable for cleaning up its infrastructure and invest in the workforce and supply chains needed to deliver a world-leading decommissioning industry.
[1] The Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt Marine Protected Area and the Southern North Sea Special Area of Conservation.
Image: C Morrison from Pixabay