WG4 Environmental Report
This report summarizes the key findings from a study designed to identify and assess the environmental and legal implications of OFG extraction. Through a stakeholder survey and literature review, it seeks to inform best practices and promote cross sector collaboration to guide future research and responsible OFG utilization. The authors recognize the limited knowledge on this topic and present this work as a first attempt to map the potential environmental impacts. The report primarily examines the environmental aspects of OFG utilization through two complementary approaches: (1) a survey in which key stakeholders provided insights into the potential impacts of OFG extraction, and (2) a literature review focusing on environmental impacts from offshore resource exploration that may be applicable to OFG.
WG3 Technical Report on Feasibility of OFG utilisation
OFF-SOURCE hosted a workshop on September 25th, 2023, at the Valletta Campus of the University of Malta. This pioneering event brought together 27 experts from 17 countries, including professionals from the oil and gas industry, groundwater researchers, hydrogeologists, and water treatment engineers. The workshop focused on the feasibility of utilizing OFG as a sustainable freshwater resource. This report presents a comprehensive summary of the workshop’s key discussions and includes a preliminary economic analysis to evaluate cost-effective infrastructure solutions for OFG utilization, addressing both scientific and economic considerations involved in harnessing this resource.