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offshore drilling

There are various types of underwater oil drilling installations; the one used depends on the location of the deposit and the depth of the water.

See offshore drilling in : french | spanish

drill ship

Ship for drilling for oil in deep water (1,000 m and more); it is more mobile but less stable than a semisubmersible or jack-up platform.

drill ship

semisubmersible platform

Movable structure that is anchored to the seabed and used at depths of 100 to 500 m; it is mounted on pontoons submerged at about 30 m to provide stability.

production platform

fixed platform

Structure that is mainly used at moderate depths (up to 400 m); it rests on the seabed on pillars buried deep in the sea floor.

pier

Structure that extends into the sea from a land-based installation; it is used for land drilling extending offshore (about 3 m deep).

emergency support vessel

Floating structure equipped with specialized equipment; it is used for rescue operations on drilling rigs.

jack-up platform

Movable structure that is used in shallow water (between 20 and 100 m); it is raised above sea level on retractable pillars resting on the ocean floor.