Dive Into Your Imagination

Professional underwater photographer Matthew Addison takes us on a trip to platform "Grace," one of the larger oil rigs commissioned of the coast of Santa Barbara. Over the past 20-40 years platform Grace along with many of the other oil rigs in our channel have developed artificial reefs.

I am a photographer specializing in underwater imaging and also a scuba diving instructor. I have been teaching diving since 1990 and am a PADI master instructor and TDI instructor trainer on the Hollis PRISM rebreather. I live in Los Angeles, CA and New York.

1. What are the benefits and what are the disadvantages of the oil rigs here in our channel?

This is the ongoing debate, which has been raging since the Santa Clara and Carpenteria offshore oil field off the Santa barbara coast first began producing oil and natural gas in the late 1960's. A well blowout at the Dos Cuadras field in January 1969 caused a large spill, and a public outcry against offshore drilling. Shortly after the spill, the State of California placed a moratorium on offshore drilling on lands under state control until tighter and better controls could be put in place.
About 8.8 million barrels of oil and about 22 billion cubic-feet of natural gas were pumped from Platform Grace's wells during its previous operation, which began in 1980 and stopped 17 years later. Presently, Platform Grace has begun quietly drilling for the 2 million barrels of oil and 2 billion Cu. Ft of natural gas estimated to remain in that field. The rig was placed back in service in 2007 due to the rebound in the price of gas and oil.
The benefits to having this production is obvious to anyone who drives a car, heats their home or cooks with natural gas. However, as much as we rely upon fossil fuels in this country, environmental concerns are legitimate; arguably more so with offshore than onshore rigs due to their potential to quickly pollute huge swaths of habitat, and the difficulty of containment should a spill occur.
 

Fossil Free by 2033!

In 2004, after more than three decades of environmental leadership, CEC drastically restructured to focus on a single mission: to move Santa Barbara County and our surrounding region away from fossil fuels in one generation. Given the urgent concerns of climate change, peak oil, and dependence on foreign oil, we strongly believe that this transition should be the top environmental and economic priorities for the region and nation.Fossil fuels have played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern society; without them, we would likely still be living in an agricultural economy, with none of the benefits that we enjoy today in terms of transportation, medical advancements, sanitation, and entertainment. But a century of burning fossil fuels has taken its toll, and the time has come to find alternatives. CEC’s mission is to make today’s generation the last to rely on gasoline for fueling its cars, and coal- and natural-gas-created electricity for heating and lighting its buildings.

Hi! My name is Anthony Lombardi and I am a Captain with Island Packers. I first started my love of the water while as a competetive swimmer and have always enjoyed being around and in the water but it was tough growing up in the Midwest always thinking about the ocean. A little over 10 years ago I joined the Coast Guard, became stationed in Santa Barbara where we patrolled the pristine waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. It wasn't until after getting out of the Coast Guard that I realized what an amazing place this was for my love of the ocean and its inhabitants. That decision to join the Coast Guard put me onto the ocean for the first time and I have not been off the water since.

When did you first fall in love with the ocean?

I first fell in love with the ocean, when I was a young kid. I was only able to watch T.V. shows on PBS that were full of ocean themes. I remember watching Cousteau and all the amazing underwater images and wished that I could be there. There were many days in the winter time when I was stuck inside due to the cold weather, and I would read or watch these amazing documentaries on these marine environments. This was all there was for me to do in the Midwest. I can remember my sister adopting a whale for me for a birthday, and when I got the certificate with the whales story and the image of its tailfluke, I felt I had this relationship with this animal I had never seen. That moment was really a turning point in my drive to get near the ocean.