New sea bed is constantly being created in the middles of the oceans - flowing out as hot lava, and rapidly cooling on contact with cold deep sea water.

BBC: The Pacific 'Ring of Fire'

Chagrined, I swam back to the boat for a spear, while the rest of the guys practiced the art of deep diving without gulping a mouthful of sea water.

BBC: Lobster diving in the Abacos

Sea water is pumped into the oil-bearing rocks deep below the seabed.

BBC: BP unveils new technology to boost oil production

That said, many of the newly identified deposits are located in the central North Sea or to the west of Scotland, and will require deep-water drilling which is expensive.

FORBES: North Sea Oil and Gas may Provide One Third of Britain's Energy by 2020.

Deep water: area where surface waves are not influenced by the sea-bottom.

UNESCO: L O S S A R Y

The news, however, suggests that Britain's Energy and Climate Change Committee will question Hayward about BP's ability to respond to an oil spill or other incident in the North Sea, as part of a government inquiry into the safety of deep water drilling in Britain.

FORBES

Sediment-carrying rivers have been diverted, sea level has risen (increasing the volume of water in the lagoon), a deep-water channel has been dredged for shipping, and turbid waters are killing the eel grass that stabilises mud flats.

ECONOMIST: Flood barriers

The flooding, which began on the night of 31 January, was caused by a combination of a high spring tide, deep atmospheric low pressure which raised sea levels and exceptionally strong northerly gales, which led to a surge of sea water over coastal defences.

BBC: Flooded street in King's Lynn