27 



addressed. Predicting the impacts of offshore oil and gas activities requires an understanding of the responses 

 of marine biota to chronic, low-level concentrations of contaminants (Capuzzo 1987). This maybe accomplished 

 by comparing offshore areas impacted by chronic, low-level concentrations with observations made in 

 experimental laboratory or field studies. Although experimental studies are constrained by a certain degree of 

 artificiality (Capuzzo 1987), carefully conducted studies may contribute to our understanding of the responses 

 of marine organisms to these chronic, low-level stresses. Enclosed ecosystems or mesocosms (Grice and Reeve 

 1982) may be ideal systems for studying the effects of these contaminants because a natural community can be 

 studied in situ while a relatively precise dose can be established. Thus, cause-and-effect relationships can be 

 examined under near natural conditions without the interferences/artifacts of the laboratory (e.g. microcosms) 

 (Jones 1989). 



In keeping with the theme of long-term environmental effects, discussions should focus on those effects which 

 are likely to be long-lasting, possibly longer than two years as suggested by Boesch et al. (1987), and significantly 

 deleterious to either resources (e.g., fisheries) or ecosystem integrity. Finally, it must be kept in mind that 

 drilling and production facilities are evolving, and that future structures might be expected to have different 

 environmental interactions (personal communication, Dr. Robert Carney). 



REFERENCES 



Aurand, D.V. 1988. The future of the Department of the Interior OCS studies program. Oceans '88. 

 Proceedings of a conference sponsored by the Marine Technology Society and IEEE. IEE catalog number 

 88-CH2585-8. Baltimore, MD. Vol. I. 



Boesch, D.F., J.N. Butler, DA. Cacchione. J.R. Geraci, J.M. Neff, J.P. Ray, and J.M. Teal. 1987. An assessment 

 of the long-term effects of U.S. offshore oil and gas development activities: future research needs, pp. 1- 

 53. Jn D.F. Boesch and N.N. Rabalais, eds. Long-term Environmental Effects of Offshore Oil and Gas 

 Development. Elsevier Applied Science, New York, NY. 



Boesch, D.F. and N.N. Rabalais (eds.). 1987. Long-term environmental effects of offshore oil and gas 

 development. Elsevier Applied Science, New York, NY. 708 pp. 



Capuzzo, J.M. 1987. Biological effects of petroleum hydrocarbons: Assessments form experimental results, pp. 

 343-410. In D.F. Boesch and N.N. Rabalais, eds. Long-term Environmental Effects of Offshore Oil and Gas 

 Development. Elsevier Applied Science, New York, NY. 



Grice, G.D. and M.R. Reeve (eds.). 1982. Introduction and description of experimental ecosystems, pp. 1-10. 

 I_n Marine Mesocosms: Biological and Chemical Research on Experimental Ecosystems. Springer-Verlag, 

 NY. 



Jones, M. 1989. Effects of drilling fluids on a shallow estuarine ecosystem, I. Characterization and fate of 

 discharged, chapter 39, pp. 795-823. In F.R. Engelhardt, J.P. Ray, and A.H. Gillam, eds. Drilling Wastes. 

 Proc, International Conference on Drilling Wastes. Calgary, Canada. April 5-8, 1988. Elsevier Applied 

 Science Publishers, Ltd. London, England. 867 pp. 



National Research Council (NRC). 1985. Oil in the Sea. Inputs, Fates, and Effects. National Academy Press, 

 Washington, D.C. 601 pp. 



National Research Council (NRC). 1989. Using oil spill dispersants on the sea. National Academy Press, 

 Washington, D.C. 335 pp. 



Neff, J.M., N.N. Rabalais and D.F. Boesch. 1987. Offshore Oil and gas activities potentially causing long-term 

 environmental effects, pp. 149-173. In D.F. Boesch and N.N. Rabalais, eds. Long-term Environmental 

 Effects of Offshore Oil and Gas Development. Elsevier Applied Science, New York, NY. 



