Photo by Lara Jameson

A routine environmental survey at a gas production platform off the coast of Israel has revealed an unexpected concentration of marine life, drawing the attention of scientists and sparking a new research collaboration to understand the ecological significance of these artificial structures.

Marine consultants at CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. were conducting standard underwater monitoring when they encountered what they describe as a “striking marine phenomenon.” The legs and lower sections of the offshore platform were densely colonised by marine organisms, including the Indo-Pacific soft coral Dendronephthya – signifying a northward range expansion of approximately 350 km from the northern Red Sea.

Following this discovery, researchers from Tel Aviv University and other institutions launched a study to examine the ecological role of offshore platforms in the eastern Mediterranean. They aim to assess how such structures may function as artificial reefs—offering complex vertical habitat for a variety of marine species—and what this means for conservation and marine spatial planning in the region.

According to CSA, the site may represent a type of “marine animal forest”, a term used to describe dense, three-dimensional colonies of sessile organisms that provide essential structure in soft-bottom or open-water ecosystems.

This phenomenon also feeds into a broader global debate over “rigs-to-reefs” policies—where decommissioned oil and gas platforms are left in place to serve as artificial reefs rather than being removed. While the practice is more common in places like the Gulf of Mexico, it remains controversial in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Fieldwork and data collection are ongoing, with the research team planning to use underwater imaging, genomic sampling, and biodiversity assessments to track how this artificial reef evolves over time.