Offshore Oil Production Moving to Seafloor Robotic Cities: So What Can We Do With All Those Abandoned Oil Rigs?
There are over 1.3 trillion barrels of untapped oil under the seafloors. But what is the safest way of retrieving all of that oil -- much of it at deadly crushing depths?
Brazil intends to replace its fleet of floating offshore oil rigs with 2,000 metre deep "underwater cities" of robotic oil workers, part automated and part controlled from a remote location by human operators. So far, so good. But what will be done with all the huge, obsolete floating oil rigs? Why not turn them into floating resorts and marine research centres?
The idea is not new. In fact, the (disputed) world’s smallest country is an old oil platform. In the design by Ku Yee Kee and Hor Sue-Wern, the reclaimed oil rig is layered in rings of habitation units sharing center common and recreation areas. The stacked units share an incredible view of the vast ocean. Beneath the water are circular labs for marine research. The designers looked like they were having some fun, inserting a pleasure boat launch, cantilevered pool, and a huge domed assembly room crowning the rig. _Inhabitat_via_Dvice
Notice the subsurface marine science research labs -- or are they undersea restaurants or hotel rooms? There is room for flexibility in design, depending upon the outfitters and management.
And there is no reason why serious and progressive-minded seasteaders should not substitute small modular nuclear reactors in place of unreliable and intermittent wind and solar power devices. The last thing you want is to be stuck in the middle of the ocean without enough power to make freshwater, keep the lights on, or to cook your seafood.
Always keep your eyes open for opportunities to go beyond the ordinary.
posted by al fin at 3:32 pm
4 Comments:
Tapping one of those undersea wells to run off of the gas otherwise burned off would be yet another way to harness it instead of flaring it.
I recently heard of new efforts that would eliminate all flaring but I can't recall much about it.
Some of the less suitable rigs (as far as development potential goes) might be used as sea bird sanctuaries. A few piles of rocks, some patches of soil and grasses... birds would be signing the wait list years in advance. They already make good artificial reefs and the seaweed, sponges, fish and such don't need much persuasion to colonize the place. The diving birds could make out like bandits.
I think the possible possession of nuclear reactors would mitigate against such places being recognised as independent states. Even as a supporter of both seatseding and nuclear power I find that unsettling.
I think the possible possession of nuclear reactors would mitigate against such places being recognised as independent states. Even as a supporter of both seatseding and nuclear power I find that unsettling.
You don't think seastead people would be as responsible with nuclear power as existing nation-states. If anything, they will be more responsible because they are likely to be more intelligent, more capable, and certainly have much more a "can-do" mentality. In other words, seastead people are likely to be of higher human capital than those of existing nation-states. Therefor, I trust seastead people more than I do others with nuclear power.
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