Obsolete Natural Gas Rigs Becoming Sea Life ‘Condos’ in Gulf of Mexico : Environment: Platforms converted into artificial reefs, havens for marine creatures in the barren waters.

Hal Osburn couldn’t help but grin as the eight ear-piercing explosive blasts sheared the massive steel legs of the obsolete natural gas production platform below the muddy floor of the Gulf of Mexico.

“You’re looking at a new fish condominium,” said Osburn, director of coastal fisheries policy for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, as he stood on a barge floating beside the platform.

Half a day later, the McDermott International Inc. barge crane pulled over the platform, letting it sink on its side into the water.

The 313-foot structure became the latest in a program that transforms old platforms in the Gulf of Mexico into artificial reefs to provide a haven for creatures in the barren waters.

Texas officials hope the platform, located about 150 miles south of Houston, will attract large schools of fish and provide a hitching post for sea creatures amid the structure’s 3,100-ton steel framework.

“This is an oasis in the desert,” Osburn said.

The nearly 4,000 crude oil and gas production platforms in the gulf have long been known for anchoring underwater habitats popular with both divers and fishermen. Platform legs are typically covered with barnacles, oysters and snails and several species of fish that flourish in the otherwise flat muddy bottom of the waters.

The idea of artificial reefs is not new. Sunken vessels have long been refuges for marine life, and Louisiana offers a similar program for offshore energy companies.

But a U.S. federal law that requires companies to remove platforms when they are finished production prompted Texas and Louisiana officials to create the “rigs to reef” programs.

The Texas program has created about dozen sites in the gulf where 17 platforms have been toppled, Osburn said. “We’re able to enhance the environment and work with industry,” he said. “It’s a winning program for all.”

Many energy companies seeking to dispose of old platforms in the gulf couldn’t agree more.

Challenger, a unit of Global Marine Inc. of Houston, said the plan offered better environmental and economic alternatives than towing the platform to land.

Challenger spent about $2 million to topple the rig, saving nearly $800,000 over bringing it to shore. But it donated half the profits, as required, to help fund the Texas reefs program. That was the largest donation to date.

“It was our hope that we could do something beneficial to the environment,” said Global Marine Chairman Russ Luigs.

The entire toppling process takes about four to five days to complete by crews that work around the clock.

After shutting down equipment aboard the High Island A-567 platform, a barge crane lifted the entire deck onto another barge.

The deck, with living quarters for 10 workers, will be refurbished and sold for use again in the gulf.

Workers then lowered 50 pounds of explosives into the eight platform legs to blast them loose about 15 feet below the mud line.

A helicopter circled overhead to confirm that large sea creatures had been cleared away from the site; a boat stood by to lure away any dolphins and sea turtles.

“Fire in the hole!” screamed a worker as Luigs detonated the explosives in a chain of blasts spaced one second apart.

After water burst out the top of the legs, workers attached cables to the platform for the toppling, welded lids on the legs and pumped water out the bottom.

Then, pulling on levers controlling the 344-foot crane, a McDermott worker pulled the platform onto its side to create a reef longer than a football field.

Workers placed a yellow buoy over the newly created reef to mark the spot for fishermen.

“The fish sure got to like this stuff,” Osburn said. “A lot of them wouldn’t exist without this program.”