Roughly 30% of the world’s oil comes from offshore fields, but how exactly does it reach the surface? Offshore drilling taps reserves buried beneath the seabed out on vast platforms that often feel like self-contained towns. Some platforms even extend through more than 4,000 feet of water before reaching the ocean floor.
To understand how companies get oil from deep under the ocean, here’s the entire process step by step:
Finding Oil Beneath the Ocean
Offshore oil exploration begins with seismic surveys that send sound waves through the seabed. The returning echoes map rock formations where oil may be trapped.
When survey data highlights a promising site, teams mark the spot (typically with GPS coordinates and buoys) to guide drilling operations.
Before any drilling can start, the operator must secure a lease or drilling rights from the appropriate authorities, clearing the way for the rig’s deployment and reservoir testing.
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Setting up the Offshore Drilling Rig
Once an undersea oil deposit is verified, the focus usually shifts to installing the appropriate drilling platform. The type of rigs depends on both the distance from shore and the water depth.
In shallower seas — typically a few hundred feet deep or less — companies usually use fixed platforms that stand on sturdy legs or towers secured to the seabed. The risk with this step is that, without strict safety protocols, workers can suffer oil rig injuries.
Drilling the Well Into the Seafloor
Once the rig is in place, the drilling team moves on to the next step, which involves boring a hole straight through the ocean and into the rock beneath. They start by lowering a marine riser — a heavy steel pipe — down from the platform to the seabed. This riser acts like a sealed conduit, keeping seawater out of the borehole and guiding the drill bit.
At the ocean floor, the riser attaches to the wellhead, a robust steel fitting that anchors the system and maintains pressure control. From that point, drill pipes and bits penetrate layer after layer of rock. Mud pumps circulate drilling fluid to cool the bit, carry cuttings to the surface, and stabilize the borehole walls.
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Well Completion and Extracting the Oil
After a long period of drilling, if all goes well, the drill finally hits the oil-bearing reservoir rock deep under the ocean floor. At this point, the well must be prepared to allow oil to flow in a controlled way.
The drilling apparatus is removed, and a final string of casing called the production casing is placed into the well. The production casing runs all the way down into the oil reservoir, and it has a solid, sealed cap at the bottom.
With the reservoir still isolated behind the sealed casing, engineers then perform a procedure to “perforate” the well. They lower a tool that sets off small explosive charges to punch holes through the production casing (and the surrounding cement) at the level of the oil reservoir.
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Transporting the Oil To Shore
The final step is getting the produced oil (and gas) from the offshore platform to onshore facilities where it can be refined and distributed. Most offshore production sites are far from land, so undersea pipelines are a primary transportation method.
Platforms are typically linked by a network of pipelines on the seabed. In fact, as soon as oil is produced, it usually gets sent through a pipeline system running along the ocean floor all the way to the coast.
Why Offshore Drilling Still Matters
Offshore drilling is a costly, intricate process — but one that remains vital for meeting global energy demands, delivering oil from the ocean floor into cars, homes, and businesses.
The operation carries significant risks: offshore accidents can cause widespread environmental damage and personal injuries. To manage those dangers, operators usually adhere to strict safety protocols and invest heavily in monitoring systems and emergency response plans.
If you’ve been injured during the offshore drilling process, Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers can help when you reach out for a free consultation.
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About the Author Brian White
Brian White earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston and is licensed to practice in Texas. He is a Board-Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer.
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