Oil platforms good for fish, scientist says

AP via dailybreeze.com ^ | Mar 12, 2006 | Tim Molloy

[proud_yank]

SANTA BARBARA -- Marine biologist Milton Love drives a hybrid car, displays a banner of leftist icon Che Guevara on his laboratory wall -- and has backing from big oil.

The reason is his finding that long-maligned oil platforms off California's Central Coast may be a haven for overfished stocks of groundfish.

The research is good news to oil executives, who are looking for reasons not to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to remove the platforms once the oil stops flowing.

Environmentalists say oil companies are hiding behind fish to escape their obligation to remove the rigs.

"Just because fish are there doesn't mean the platform constitutes habitat," said Linda Krop, an attorney for the Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center. "That's like taking a picture of birds on a telephone wire and saying it's essential habitat."

The 27 platforms -- skeletal-looking structures that house dormitories, offices and massive pumps -- were installed over the past four decades and now produce 72,000 barrels of oil daily.

Environmentalists and coastal residents despise them for disrupting the ocean's natural ecology and otherwise flawless coastal views.

Federal law requires oil companies to remove the platforms when operations are complete, though no one knows whether it will be years or decades before deposits under the sea floor run out.

Oil companies already are pressing state and federal officials to keep the rigs in place, citing Love's finding that platforms provide homes for bocaccio, cowcod and other fish. Love said many fish adopt platforms because they can't reach decimated natural reefs where they once thrived.

[proud_yank]

Marine biologist Milton Love drives a hybrid car, displays a banner of leftist icon Che Guevara on his laboratory wall

Sorry buddy, but your hybrid car was not brought about by socialism.

[proud_yank]

I don't know if this is ping-worthy, but it is an interesting read.

[Fishing-guy]

They are also great for fishing too.

[lesser_satan]

Yeah, but Che rode a motorcycle and had good cheekbones, so he must have been a good guy.

[Osage Orange]

Any fisherman worth a jig....has known for years, and years...that structure ( Oil rigs, sunken ships, rocks, kelp, etc..etc..) tends to hold fish.

I could've done this study...and not lined the pockets of some Che lovin' MarxistLyingLib....

[proud_yank]

I still get a chuckle that eeeevil big oil is loving his study.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Audi bait.

[Carry_Okie]

Oil platforms good for fish, scientist says,

This has been obvious for decades.

[SauronOfMordor]

oil platform = artificial reef

[Carry_Okie]

The platforms could also be set up as refugia for birds, thus reducing the total risk of a spill from any one of them.

[FOG724]

otherwise flawless coastal views

You missed the most important part. Got to have a flawless view for all those high priced mansions who occupants donated so heavily to the environmental cause.

[Carry_Okie]

You missed the most important part. Got to have a flawless view for all those high priced mansions who occupants donated so heavily to the environmental cause.

As artificial islands they could be attractive.

[proud_yank]

Got to have a flawless view for all those high priced mansions whoLiberal occupants donated so heavily to the environmental cause.

Bingo! Much like Teddy & Effin fighting wind farms in Mass.

[proud_yank]

This has been obvious for decades.

Do you really mean to tell me that someone who hangs pictures of Che would waste taxpayer money? /s o

[FOG724]

Much like Teddy & Effin fighting wind farms in Mass.

Isn't that a crack up. Even Cronkite backed off of that one.

[gleeaikin]

I was going to suggest that the platforms be cut down to a level that would allow shipping to pass above safely. Then I read the rest of the article and saw that was exactly what was suggested. I guess they wouldn't be usable as a bird refuge.

Another thought I had about platforms came as a result of observing the Gulf hurricane problem. Would it be possible to put platforms on hydraulic legs so they could be lowered and put partially underwater in the event of a big storm? Or would they be more in danger than they are up in the air?

[Carry_Okie]

Would it be possible to put platforms on hydraulic legs so they could be lowered and put partially underwater in the event of a big storm? Or would they be more in danger than they are up in the air?

It would have to be effectively submersible to below the wave base to have much benefit. It's probably better and cheaper to continue to improve survivability in their current rigid configuration.

[Carry_Okie]

Do you really mean to tell me that someone who hangs pictures of Che would waste taxpayer money? /s o

For them, it's a lifelong state of being.

[gleeaikin]

"You missed the most important part."

The continuation of the article says that the platforms would be cut so low that ships could pass over them safely. Therefore, no ruined view, no bird refuges, no islands usable for other purposes. Just open ocean, and an artificial underwater reef.

[proud_yank]

It is pretty good, though not surprising. Odd how the press overlooks that one, isn't it?