Retired offshore oil platforms might have a second life as renewable energy hubs and helping the environment.

The Gulf Offshore Research Institute (Gori) are looking to repurpose retired offshore oil and gas platforms into hubs for renewable energy, sustainable seafood production, critical mineral harvesting, data streaming, and marine habitat conservation.

Gori, a not-for-profit corporation engaged in the research of offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico (or Gulf of America if you are so inclined) has advanced to the finalist stage of the $50m Gulf Futures Challenge and will compete for one of two $20m awards to scale its offshore demonstration projects.

The proposal turns existing offshore structures into engines for the blue economy harnessing wind and wave energy from devices near the platforms to power the onboard electricity demand as well as convert power to fuel. The US has ambitions of 30GW of offshore wind power by 2030. The Gulf of Mexico’s extensive pipeline network could also be used to transport a carbon neutral eco-diesel or hydrogen to shore for transportation and other uses.

The Gulf of Mexico currently has about 1,300 offshore platforms and by US law these platforms must be removed or reefed at the end of their producing life unless they are approved for alternative uses. Oil and gas operators have one year to plug wells and act.

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