Abstract
This article examined the security threats to offshore energy installations and measures of protection under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The relevance of offshore energy installations to the global economy has made it attractive targets for terrorism and all forms of security threats and unlawful interferences. The objective of this
article is an examination of the various security threats, measures for combating them in the various maritime zones as outlined under the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the challenges limiting the effectiveness of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This article adopts the doctrinal method of research. This article revealed that there exist a legislative and enforcement jurisdiction of coastal states in maritime zones within national jurisdiction, flag state jurisdiction in the high seas and the jurisdiction of the International Seabed Authority in the area. This article revealed that the limitations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, impedes its
enforcement and that the challenges bedeviling the protection of offshore energy installations which include the inadequacy of the legal
framework, conflicts arising from maritime delimitation disputes, incompetent personnel and funding, are of serious concern and
hindrances to the effective operation of the legal framework. This article recommended incorporation of cautionary or exclusion zones in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, amendment of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, resolution of
boundary delimitation disputes, human capacity development and adequate funding of the offshore petroleum industry as panacea to the
protection of offshore energy installations.
Key Words: Security Threats, Offshore, Offshore Energy Installations
