Image of the Day: Reef Rises From Retired Rig
A large metal structure that not so long ago extracted climate-inducing fossil fuels from beneath the sea has become a vibrant coral reef. Corals, sponges, snappers, and barracudas colonized the High Island 389-A oil platform off the coast of Texas, which was retired earlier this year. Dolphins, sea turtles and sharks also often visit the large platform. Scientists from the U.S. government estimate that one four-legged oil platform, like the High Island 289-A platform, can provide enough marine habitat to equal two to three acres of open ocean. According to a New York Times article, rules from the interior department require the owners of the High Island 389-A oil platform to remove the platform from the Gulf of Mexico within five years.
Credit: Black Dog Divers
