Deep sea mining – what makes it different to offshore oil and gas applications?

Abstract

Due to an increase in industrial demand and limited availability of mineral resources on land, it is imperative to explore and exploit the resources available on the seafloor. A pragmatic approach must be adopted in assessing, exploiting and utilising these resources by completing comprehensive research and exploration prior to deep sea mining activity. If looking at existing offshore oil and gas industry, it will be same depth, similar challenges and only different in materials. Since this industry has been developed in technologies, legislation and environmental law, which will be compared with deep sea mining; what makes it different?

The main objective of thesis is to perform an assessment in all aspects of deep-sea mining and to find out what is different with offshore oil and gas applications. The research will be started study on the seabed and its resources, seabed law, background and framework of international seabed authority which is authorized for producing deep sea mining licenses, current rules and regulations for exploration and exploitation. environmental effects from mining acitivity and its management plan. One of current ongoing projects is chosen as case study and will be examined on proposed seafloor production systems as show in below figure. Comparison with offshore oil and gas applications is based on Llyod’s Register current offshore units rules and concluded what is equivalent and what is missing. Results from the comparison are produced with remarks which LR have to do in the future. Finally, conclusion is made with overall work through this study.