2014 Expedition Granted Finalist: Rig2Reef Exploration | National Geographic

I am Jackson Emily and I are not your

I am Jackson Emily and I are not your typical diving duo we dive on active oil

typical diving duo we dive on active oil

typical diving duo we dive on active oil rigs off the coast of California to

rigs off the coast of California to

rigs off the coast of California to explore the potential that these words

explore the potential that these words

explore the potential that these words have to function as artificial reefs

found in a blue ocean setting these

found in a blue ocean setting these structures offer shelter not only to

structures offer shelter not only to

structures offer shelter not only to passing sea lions and dolphins but also

passing sea lions and dolphins but also

passing sea lions and dolphins but also to many species of California fish and

to many species of California fish and

to many species of California fish and invertebrates however when the oil wells

invertebrates however when the oil wells

invertebrates however when the oil wells dry up and the rig is no longer

dry up and the rig is no longer

dry up and the rig is no longer economically viable the oil companies

economically viable the oil companies

economically viable the oil companies must decommission the structure that

must decommission the structure that

must decommission the structure that means completely removing it from the

means completely removing it from the

means completely removing it from the ocean floor and as a result of this

ocean floor and as a result of this

ocean floor and as a result of this process all of the life that calls the

process all of the life that calls the

process all of the life that calls the structure home will perish oil companies

structure home will perish oil companies

structure home will perish oil companies have a long been perceived as the enemy

have a long been perceived as the enemy

have a long been perceived as the enemy while these bustling ecosystems exists

while these bustling ecosystems exists

while these bustling ecosystems exists quietly below the surface converting

quietly below the surface converting

quietly below the surface converting these rigs to reefs provides a silver

these rigs to reefs provides a silver

these rigs to reefs provides a silver lining to the realities of offshore oil

lining to the realities of offshore oil

lining to the realities of offshore oil and gas development the fifty thousand

and gas development the fifty thousand

and gas development the fifty thousand dollars from expedition granted would

dollars from expedition granted would

dollars from expedition granted would help us to travel and scuba dive on

help us to travel and scuba dive on

help us to travel and scuba dive on these unique offshore settings around

these unique offshore settings around

these unique offshore settings around the world from the harsh and

the world from the harsh and

the world from the harsh and nutrient-rich Bering Sea to the hot and

nutrient-rich Bering Sea to the hot and

nutrient-rich Bering Sea to the hot and isolated west coast of Australia the

isolated west coast of Australia the

isolated west coast of Australia the funds would also be essential in aiding

funds would also be essential in aiding

funds would also be essential in aiding us to improve our visual equipment to

us to improve our visual equipment to

us to improve our visual equipment to help take the public underwater with us

help take the public underwater with us

help take the public underwater with us to reveal what lies beneath the surface

to reveal what lies beneath the surface

to reveal what lies beneath the surface of these imposing structures finally the

of these imposing structures finally the

of these imposing structures finally the expedition granted opportunity would

expedition granted opportunity would

expedition granted opportunity would allow us to expand our media campaign to

allow us to expand our media campaign to

allow us to expand our media campaign to bring further light to this issue

bring further light to this issue

bring further light to this issue because is the great National Geographic

because is the great National Geographic

because is the great National Geographic explorer-in-residence dr. Sylvia Earle

explorer-in-residence dr. Sylvia Earle

explorer-in-residence dr. Sylvia Earle once said with knowing comes caring and

once said with knowing comes caring and

once said with knowing comes caring and with caring there is hope for the future

with caring there is hope for the future

with caring there is hope for the future of our oceans