Ecological studies of marine fouling organisms on oil platform in the Bohai Sea

Abstract

Accumulation of fouling organisms on the support legs of an oil platform seriously alters the hydrodynamic loading, which can cause heavy losses if it collapses during storms. This investigation was aimed to identify, and collect foulers, and obtain basic biological data to meet the needs of the design engineer responsible for the safety of the oil platform.The cooperative investigation was carried out by the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica in cooperation with the Bohai Engineering and Design Company. All samples were collected by divers.75 species  of marine fouling organisms were obtained from biofouling investigation on five fixed oil platforms during the period from July to August 1989. The dominant species were Mytilus edulis, Sargatia rosea, Ostrea denselamellosa, Hiatela orientalis, Membranipora grandicella, Hydroides ezoensis, Balanus uliginosus etc. The fouling organisms aerial weight, thickness, and specific gravity were 88.25-46147.75 g/m2, 1-32 cm, and 1.000-1.485 respectively. Our data clearly show that the feature and extent of marine fouling organisms vary with time, site, water depth and the distance of the oil platform from the coast.