Islands of Steel

Islands of Steel is a 400,000-gallon exhibit that recreates the underwater ecosystem around Gulf of Mexico oil platforms, which have become some of the most productive artificial reefs in the world. Sharks, grouper, moray eels, and thousands of tropical fish inhabit the exhibit.

More than 3,000 oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico have created unintentional marine habitats. When decommissioned, many are converted to permanent artificial reefs through the Rigs-to-Reefs program, supporting marine biodiversity for decades.