Making Oceans Off-Limits to Offshore Oil and Gas

The report details the environmental and social harms of offshore oil and gas, from seismic exploration and production to transportation and decommissioning, asserting that these activities exacerbate the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

• Offshore oil and gas production currently accounts for more than 30 percent of global oil and gas production, with 40 percent of all maritime trade now consisting of the shipment of fossil fuels and their products.
• The production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has increased the use of oceans as conduits for energy trade, creating a particularly emissions-intensive process due to the energy required for liquefaction, compression, shipping, and regasification.
• Offshore operations have climate footprints that are largely underreported; satellite technology indicates that methane leaks and flaring at platforms and coastal facilities significantly exceed official accounts.
• The life cycle of offshore projects poses specific risks at each stage: seismic air guns during exploration harm marine life; production risks include well blowouts and spills; transportation involves routine toxic discharges; and decommissioning is often neglected, leaving abandoned wells to leak gases and toxins.
• Offshore infrastructure often creates exclusion zones that restrict local communities' access to fish stocks, leading to food insecurity and loss of livelihood.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Making Oceans Off-Limits to Offshore Oil and Gas. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Making-Oceans-Off-Limits-to-Offshore-Oil-and-Gas.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Making Oceans Off-Limits to Offshore Oil and Gas. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Making-Oceans-Off-Limits-to-Offshore-Oil-and-Gas.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Making Oceans Off-Limits to Offshore Oil and Gas |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Making-Oceans-Off-Limits-to-Offshore-Oil-and-Gas.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndmaking, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Making Oceans Off-Limits to Offshore Oil and Gas}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Making-Oceans-Off-Limits-to-Offshore-Oil-and-Gas.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }