Offshore oil and gas structures are abundant in nearshore and offshore marine environments within Australia, yet our understanding of their ecological implications is poor. From implementation to decommissioning, the establishment of biological communities on and around oil and gas structures raises questions as to how these structures influence the connectivity and persistence of commercially and ecologically important species. In this study, we use biophysical modelling, network analysis and metapopulation models to provide insights into the ecological implications of oil and gas structures (platform jackets and wellheads) to surrounding coral reef metapopulation dynamics. Our results suggest that across species, O&G structures contribute very little to surrounding reef population dynamics, demonstrating larval movement mainly occurs from reefs to artificial structures. Furthermore, O&G structures likely act as important local stepping-stones, enhancing ecological connectivity among reefs and may have implications to species range-expansion. Addressing concerns of oil and gas structures on connectivity can lead to better decision-making regarding decommissioning of structures and alignment with area-specific conservation priorities.