How does the world's largest oil rig work?

Everyone from galley hand to ballast engineers work together to keep the rig running. Through their efforts, up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day are pumped up from 18,000 feet below the seafloor, processed, and sent another 82 miles to shore. Check out the video below of what life is like on Hebron, another of the world’s largest oil rigs!

How do offshore rigs work?

In the video you can see it passing under 3 bridges, just barely clearing the last one! Some offshore rigs are anchored to the bottom of the ocean while others use dynamic positioning to stay in place. Dynamic positioning uses very high tech computer algorithms to control thrusters that keep the vessel on location.

Are offshore oil rigs mobile?

Once a rig is on location, it doesn't have to stay there. If the oil in a well runs dry or the rig needs maintenance, offshore oil rigs can actually travel to different locations. Initially, offshore rigs are towed out to sea and installed, but many people don’t realize that the huge rigs they see out in the ocean are mobile.

Should offshore rigs be reduced?

Offshore rigs are expensive to run and at low prices and low demand, it makes more sense to reduce offshore output and get oil from onshore sources. In short, onshore production is more flexible. However, in the longer term oil prices will likely even back out and offshore drilling will be productive.

Are you getting your hands dirty on an offshore drilling rig?

Dirty and Exhausting – Virtually all roles on an offshore drilling rig are physically demanding. Despite the 28 day breaks, fatigue does set in. Few jobs can boast of giving as much literal meaning to the phrase “getting your hands dirty” as those of offshore drillers. You are bound to be covered in grease or mud at some point on any given day.

How are oil rigs transported?

Although people are transported via helicopter, supplies are transported via supply vessels that run to the platforms and back to shore. The oil from the rigs is usually transported to shore via an undersea pipeline. With hundreds of rigs offshore and all the air, water, and undersea travel, you can imagine that Aberdeen is a busy place!