Coastal and Marine Resources

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Coastal and Marine Resources
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• Main Lecture Topics
• Economically important living and
• non-living resources
• International legal framework that
• governs utilization of marine resources
• Coastal resource management
• Case studies

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Non-Living Resources

• Coastal/Marine Oil and Gas
• Production
• Gas Hydrate (Methane) Production
• Sand, Gravel, and Limestone (Reef)
• Mining
• Manganese Nodule Mining

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Oil and Gas Platform, Gulf of Mexico
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Oil and Gas Production
Petroleum, oil, and gas are hydrocarbons derived
from sedimentary rocks which were deposited in
productive regions with anoxic (low-oxygen)
bottom waters 1. Deep burial resulting in high
temperature and pressure converted the
organic remains into hydrocarbons. -
Initially get oil, but at higher temperatures
and
pressures, methane (CH4) natural gas is
generated.
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2. Pressure forces the oil and gas from the
source rock into water-filled porous and
permeable strata above. 3. Because oil and gas
are less dense than water, they migrate upwards
until their path was blocked by an impermeable
layer.
4. Oil and gas accumulate, forming a large
deposit within the pores of the rock, usually
sandstone.
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5. Only in the last 40 years has technology been
able to efficiently extract petroleum from
beneath the seas 6. Location of possible
accumulations of oil and gas can be determined
using seismic reflection and refraction methods
to determine the configuration of rock
layers. 6. Advances in drilling technology have
allowed oil companies to explore in deeper
offshore environments
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Problems with Oil and Gas Production

• Petroleum Resources are NOT unlimited--reliance
  of global economy on petroleum production is
  short-sighted
• Pollution
• 1.Frequent Oil spills from tankers and
• platforms cause harm for to marine and coastal
  ecosystems

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Gas Hydrate Production

• Gas hydrates refer to the unusual hydrocarbon
  deposits that consist of frozen water molecules
  entrapping molecules of methane (natural gas).

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• Gas hydrates occur in sediments of the polar
  regions of the ocean or on the continental slope
  between the depths of 300 -500 m where cold water
  is in contact with the sea floor.

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• Gas hydrate deposits contain incredibly large
  amounts of gas, but currently there is no
  economical method for its recovery.

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Sand, Gravel, Limestone Mining

• Sand and gravel is an important resource used
  for
• 1. Replenishing sand on beaches undergoing
  coastal erosion and to restore and/or create
  salt-marsh wetlands

2.Constructing commercial or residential
buildings
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Problems with Sand and Gravel Mining

• Serious problems for bottom-dwelling communities
  that rely on stable sediments
• Disrupts fauna and flora
• Creates plumes of mud that interfere with
  phytoplankton photosynthesis and clog the
  filter-feeding appendages of organisms

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Marine Phosphorus Mining

• Phosphorus is required for growth by all
  organisms commercial fertilizers add
  significantly to this pool
• Phosphate deposits generally form on submarine
  terraces where coastal upwelling zones generates
  high productivity.
• Organic matter decomposition releases phosphorus
  compounds which precipitate as slow-growing
  phosphate nodules (110mm/1000 years)
• World phosphate consumption 150 million tons
  per year and known supplies should last until
  2050.

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Problems with Limestone Reef Mining

• Rebuilding coral takes time because colonies of
  tiny coral animals grow slowly. Mined or dredged
  areas take a very long time to recover.

• Removes habitat of local marine species
• Weakens coastal storm defenses

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