The North Sea is full of discarded oil rigs. The government does want to clean them up, but the question is whether that works: there is little capacity at shipyards and shipping companies to do that job. Meanwhile, the platforms are rotting away, with environmental risks and possibly increasing clean-up costs as a result.


The North Sea is one of the busiest seas in the world. There are abandoned oil rigs that are not being cleaned up. Huge wind farms are being built along the coast and there are crucial internet cables at the bottom. Parts of the North Sea are nature reserves, with all the associated restrictions. The fishery sees its fishing areas dwindling and needs to innovate its methods.

The Dutch part of the North Sea is full of old oil and gas platforms. Around 75 must be eliminated by 2035, but that intention is based on quicksand. Research by the Norwegian broadcaster and Follow the Money shows that there is a risk of a capacity shortage at all specialized sites. And the longer the platforms are in business, the more unpredictable the costs and risks.
Who are the winners and losers of the Battle of the North Sea?

Feb 27, 2016 7 years ago, people thought that the Netherlands would make a lot of money demolishing discarded oil rigs in the coming years.The Dutch part of the North Sea is full of old oil and gas platforms. Around 75 must be eliminated by 2035, but that intention is based on quicksand. Research by the Norwegian broadcaster and Follow the Money shows that there is a risk of a capacity shortage at all specialized sites. And the longer the platforms are in business, the more unpredictable the costs and risks.

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