A team of scientists from DTU Aqua and Department of Ecoscience at Aarhus University as well as a marine specialist from TotalEnergies, have returned from a month-long biodiversity research tour at the Danish Underground Consortium’s Skjold field. The team kicked off a scientific study to monitor how cod, other fish ,and marine mammals such as harbor porpoise, behave around our platforms. This is to understand the installations’ role as feeding and spawning grounds.
The offshore infrastructure’s role for the wildlife is important knowledge in the future development of the North Sea:
“A large part of the energy transition in Denmark will happen offshore. CO2 storage sites are being developed, new wind farms are being planned, whilst the decommissioning of oil and gas facilities is being scheduled. This underlines the importance of understanding the offshore installations’ effect on the marine environment, which is why we decided to initiate and fund this research project”, comments Charlotte N. Larsen, Programme Manager at DTU Offshore – Danish Offshore Technology Centre.
“International research shows that offshore platforms play a significant role as wildlife hot-spots, and we want to understand the mechanisms behind it better. This study is part of a larger research effort which aims to understand and protect marine biodiversity and ecosystems of the North Sea. The results of this campaign will increase scientific knowledge and fill data gaps on the effect of platforms on the North Sea biodiversity", explains Katrina Povidisa-Delefosse, Senior Environment Advisor at TotalEnergies EP Denmark.
Monitoring biodiversity
During the research offshore, the team collected samples and video material monitoring fish abundance around the Skjold field, and they also placed an array of high-tech underwater sensors which will record the presence of tagged cod and vocalizing harbor porpoise during the next year.
"We are pleased to collaborate on this important biodiversity topic with TotalEnergies. Our exciting research is expected to provide indispensable knowledge about the fish and marine mammals in the Danish North Sea. We aim to reveal whether oil and gas platforms constitute a useful habitat for fish and other parts of the marine biodiversity”, says Senior Scientist Jon C. Svendsen, DTU Aqua, and continues:
“Electronic receivers from DTU and Aarhus University have been positioned on the seabed and will detect both cod and harbor porpoise in 2023 and 2024. We expect to quantify fish spawning and whale feeding behaviors to understand the importance of the local areas. The goal is to help conserving and restoring sustainable populations of marine fish and wildlife in the North Sea.
Data to fill knowledge gaps
In June 2024, the team of scientists will come back to the Skjold field and collect the sensors. From here, it will take some time for the research team to perform the complex data analysis. Once completed, the results will be published in a scientific journal with open access to the public.
“We are still in an early stage of this study, but we are positive that the quality of the data collected will fill important scientific knowledge gaps and hopefully help TotalEnergies and other players in the energy industry to use the results when planning for the decommissioning of platforms or when establishing new installations such as offshore wind farms”, says, Professor Jonas Teilmann at Department of Ecoscience at Aarhus University in Roskilde.
