Petroleum production structures: economic resources for Louisiana sport divers

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:7038540

Roberts, K J; Thompson, M E

The era of expanding petroleum production from marine waters began 12 miles off the Louisiana coast in 1947 with a joint operation. Since then, the expansion of drilling and production operations has continued until, in 1981, approximately 3,500 structures were located in the Gulf of Mexico. Of the total number of structures, federal and state waters off Louisiana contain 3,100. Scientific articles dealing with the role of structures in marine habitat and their relationship to sport fishing in the Gulf of Mexico increased over the decade. This newly publicized beneficial aspect of structures is particularly important to the marine fishery off Louisiana. The structures (to which Dugas et al. attribute 'nearly all of the offshore sport fishery') are called as platforms in their description: These platforms are supported by a prewelded framework of steel pipe. Structures in other areas of the country also attract marine life and sport fishermen. Catch rates by sport fishermen were two to three times higher near structures off California than near natural reefs. (Turner et al. 1969). This may be the result of the 'fish-concentrating' nature of structures.

• Research Organization: Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA). Center for Wetland Resources
• OSTI ID: 7038540
• Report Number(s): PB-84-165430
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
LOUISIANA
RECREATIONAL AREAS
OFFSHORE DRILLING
SOCIAL IMPACT
DEPTH
FISHERIES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INCOME
PRODUCTION
STORAGE
SURVEYS
DIMENSIONS
DRILLING
FEDERAL REGION VI
NORTH AMERICA
POPULATIONS
USA
020600* - Petroleum- Health & Safety
530100 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- Social & Economic Studies- (-1989)