Oil & Gas

01 Reconnaissance

Seismic surveys use powerful airguns that emit blasts every 10 seconds for months.
These blasts cause traumatic sound pollution, harming marine animals from zooplankton to whales.
Impacts include death, physical trauma, behavioural disruptions, and interference with migration and reproduction.
Long-term population-level damage often only becomes evident years later.

What is offshore Oil and Gas?

Offshore oil and gas targets undersea fossil fuel reserves using costly and complex infrastructure and contributes to nearly 30% of the global crude oil production. Operations are risk-prone due to severe ocean conditions and distance from land, with every stage of development posing threats to ecosystems and coastal communities.

The Four Phases of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations

02 Exploration/Test Wells

Drilling test wells releases toxic “operational waste” like heavy metals, radioactive materials, and hydrocarbons into the ocean.
Waste smothers sea life and coral reefs, whilst flaring contributes to air and water pollution.
Toxic operational waste is dumped overboard, causing ecosystem and health risks.
Marine species face lethal and sub-lethal effects, including birth defects and reproductive damage.

03 Extraction/Production

Extraction generally lasts between 20 to 50 years, requiring massive onshore and offshore infrastructure.
Toxic waste discharge, sediment plumes, and habitat destruction threaten deep-sea life.
Pipelines and roads are often built through sensitive ecosystems that lead to erosion and loss of coastal protection.
Human health impacts include cancers, reproductive damage, and endocrine disruption.

04 Decommissioning

Decommissioning is a lengthy, costly, and often neglected phase.
Operators are responsible for restoring sites, but abandoned wells are rarely inspected.
Legacy pollution and hazards may persist for decades or longer.

Oil and Gas spills, Leaks and Accidents

Accidental discharges are frequent and devastating, especially in deep water.
Oil spills persist for decades, impacting biodiversity, human health, and economies.
Methane leaks (a potent greenhouse gas) are poorly contained and contribute heavily to climate change.
Response is slow, and clean-up methods are often ineffective and harmful to marine life.

Ecological Impacts of Offshore Oil and Gas

Oil spills harm all marine life — from plankton to whales —and destroy habitats.
Toxins bioaccumulate, causing long-term ecosystem disruption and collapse of fisheries.
Effects can be lethal or sub-lethal, leading to population declines, reproductive failures, and food web shifts.
Recovery can take decades; some impacts may be irreversible.

Why You Should Care About Offshore Oil and Gas in South Africa

South Africa’s coastline is highly biodiverse, with 30% of species found nowhere else.
Thousands of livelihoods depend on a healthy ocean – from fisheries to tourism.
Climate change, already intensifying extreme weather, makes offshore drilling increasingly reckless.
Offshore oil & gas profits a few while risking irreversible harm to people, ecosystems, and climate.