Global warming risk to oil and gas projects

The CSIRO released the preliminary findings from its five-year study of what could happen to the seabed as a result of global warming between 2000 and 2050.

The report identified "high-risk areas" due to seabed movement, erosion and changes in reef growth.

In extreme climatic changes, CSIRO's research indicated that many offshore oil and gas development sites would be susceptible to increased erosion.

Project leader Cedric Griffiths said insufficient interaction between the ocean and the seabed was not well understood.

"Over 92% of Australia's identified oil and gas resources lie offshore and will be produced from facilities that are connected in some way to the seabed," Dr Griffiths said.

"The lack of knowledge of the magnitude and location of future seabed changes is not only potentially putting our offshore infrastructures, such as petroleum pipelines and platforms, at risk, but can also cause over-design."

The CSIRO tested three climate-change scenarios. Findings from the most extreme – that of highest rainfall, highest sea-level rise and maximum sediment flow, pointed to:

• many offshore and gas development sites being affected by increased seabed erosion;

• significant reef damage due to changes in the Ningaloo region's cyclone activity;

• beach and cliff erosion as a result of wind-driven waves and storms in the southern regions.