Ocean Acidification

Offshore energy development is a key measure to safeguard global energy security. At present, offshore oil and gas, wind power, tidal power and other offshore energy industries are expanding rapidly worldwide. However, large-scale energy activities have become a non-negligible driver of coastal ocean acidification. Carbon emissions generated throughout the full lifecycle of energy facilities locally alter seawater chemistry. This triggers ocean acidification of varying degrees and accelerates the corrosion and degradation of surrounding coral reefs.^1,2,3 If population-averaged datasets are adopted to conduct environmental assessments of ocean acidification impacts, it will inevitably fail to identify fine-scale ecological risks to coral reefs induced by energy-related activities.^4,5 Undoubtedly, this will become one of the critical bottlenecks restricting the green and sustainable development of offshore energy.

This study targets corals from the South China Sea. We adopt large-view macro-lens infrared thermal imaging. The technique reveals inherent microscale heterogeneity in coral skeletal corrosion susceptibility. The findings provide new technical references for ecological impact assessment, layout optimization and environmental risk control of offshore energy facilities. It also helps promote coordinated development between offshore energy exploitation and marine ecological conservation.

HIGH-PURITY PRIMARY ARAGONITE SKELETON OF GONIOPORA FROM THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

The coral sample used in this study was collected from Wuzhizhou Island, Sanya, South China Sea (Figure 1A). Whole-rock X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that aragonite is the dominant mineral phase, with a content of 88.5%. This matches the typical mineral composition of pristine coral skeletons. Minor impurities including halite (2.3%), clay minerals (2.3%), dolomite (1.9%), quartz (1.2%), K-feldspar (1.1%), calcite (1.1%), plagioclase (0.9%), and gypsum (0.7%) are also detected in the sample (Figure 1B). Plane-polarized and cross-polarized light micrographs show that the images display regular skeletal frameworks and unevenly distributed pore networks, which lay a structural basis for the spatial differentiation of lattice defects (Figure 1C & D).

Figure 1.  Early detection of coral reef acidification micro-hotspots driven by offshore energy development.(A) Photograph of the intact coral sample collected from the South China Sea; (B) X-ray diffraction pattern, showing dominant primary aragonite with a content of 88.5%, and some minor impurities; (C, D) Plane-polarized and cross-polarized light micrographs; (E) Large-view macro-lens infrared thermal image, with a measured temperature range of 23.60~25.60 °C. The color changes from red for high EBT to purple for low EBT. Dark green areas correspond to the coral pore system, including large corallite cavities, dendritic connected pores and scattered micro-pores. Orange areas represent skeletal matrix with high EBT, which features weak corrosion susceptibility. Bright yellow and light green areas represent matrix with low EBT, acting as acidification micro-hotspots with strong corrosion susceptibility. Sporadic blue spots are residual bubbles formed during thin section preparation, not native skeletal structures.

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Du S., Wang Y., Zong Z. & Shen S., 2026. Early detection of coral reef acidification micro-hotspots driven by offshore energy development. The Innovation Energy 3: 100174. doi: 10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2026.100174. Article.