# Offshore Drilling for Oil: How Does It Work Exactly? | Attorney Brian White **Table of Contents***[*Expand*]* 1. Finding Oil Beneath the Ocean 2. Setting up the Offshore Drilling Rig 3. Drilling the Well Into the Seafloor 4. Well Completion and Extracting the Oil 5. Transporting the Oil To Shore 6. Why Offshore Drilling Still Matters 7. Contact a Houston Personal Injury Lawyer to Help You With Your Claim ![Offshore Drilling for Oil: How Does It Work Exactly?](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/offshore-drilling-for-oil-how-does-it-work-exactly-300x200.jpg) Roughly [30% of the world’s oil](https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=28492) 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](https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/offshore-drilling.htm) 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](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/how-do-offshore-oil-rigs-work/) 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. For a legal consultation call [(713) 500-5000](tel:+17135005000) ## 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](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/texas/oil-rig-accident-lawyer/).  ## 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. [Click to contact](/contact-us/) us today ## 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.  Complete a [Case Evaluation Form](/contact-us/) Now ## 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](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/types-of-offshore-accidents-and-injuries/) can cause widespread environmental damage and [personal injuries](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/). 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](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/rights-after-being-injured-offshore-in-houston/) drilling process, Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers can help when you reach out for a free consultation. ## Contact a Houston Personal Injury Lawyer to Help You With Your Claim Our offices Houston — Greenway/Upper Kirby 3120 Southwest Freeway, Suite 350 Houston, TX 77098 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 364-1466](tel:+17133641466) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%203120%20Southwest%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20350%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077098) Houston — East Freeway 11811 East Freeway, Suite 630-06 Houston, TX 77029 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 609-1893](tel:+17136091893) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011811%20East%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20630-06%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077029) Houston — South Loop 2600 South Loop West, Suite 293 Houston, TX 77054 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 281-4904](tel:+17132814904) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%202600%20South%20Loop%20West%2C%20Suite%20293%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077054) Houston — Katy Freeway 11511 Katy Fwy, Suite 515 Houston, TX 77079 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 909-7537](tel:+17139097537) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011511%20Katy%20Fwy%2C%20Suite%20515%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077079) Houston — Clear Lake 1300 Bay Area Blvd, Suite B268 Houston, TX 77058 By appointment only Call [(936) 508-2854](tel:+19365082854) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201300%20Bay%20Area%20Blvd%2C%20Suite%20B268%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077058) The Woodlands 1776 Woodstead Ct, Ste. 203 The Woodlands, TX 77380 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201776%20Woodstead%20Ct%2C%20Ste.%20203%2C%20The%20Woodlands%2C%20TX%2077380) Champion Forest (Cypress) 4606 FM 1960 Rd W, Ste. 444 Houston, TX 77069 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%204606%20FM%201960%20Rd%20W%2C%20Ste.%20444%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077069) --- ### About the Author Brian White ![About the Author Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/brian-white-houston-personal-injury-lawyer-300x300.jpg) [Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/our-attorneys/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](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/resources/brian-white-is-board-certified-in-personal-injury-trial-law/) Personal Injury Trial Lawyer. Dedicated to giving back, he actively supports local charities and [community initiatives](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/community-involvement/). [Client testimonials](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/testimonials/) highlight Brian’s compassion, open communication, and dedication to achieving the best outcomes for those he represents. 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Workers who don’t mind the physical nature of the job are drawn to the good pay [![4 of the Largest Offshore Oil Rig Disasters in History](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/4-of-the-Largest-Offshore-Oil-Rig-Disasters-in-History-300x199.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/4-of-the-largest-offshore-oil-rig-disasters-in-history/) [4 of the Largest Offshore Oil Rig Disasters in History](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/4-of-the-largest-offshore-oil-rig-disasters-in-history/) Any industrial accident carries a high risk of being tragic, and oil rig disasters are among the most frightening [![5 Reasons Oilfield Work Is So Dangerous](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/5-Reasons-Oilfield-Work-Is-So-Dangerous-300x200.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/5-reasons-oilfield-work-is-so-dangerous/) [5 Reasons Oilfield Work Is So Dangerous](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/5-reasons-oilfield-work-is-so-dangerous/) Texas leads the nation in the productivity of its oil and gas industry. It operates nearly half of the oil rigs in the [![Jones Act & Maritime Injuries at Sea](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Jones-Act-Maritime-Injuries-at-Sea-300x200.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/jones-act-maritime-injuries-at-sea/) [Jones Act Maritime Injuries at Sea](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/jones-act-maritime-injuries-at-sea/) Individuals whose jobs require them to work on navigable waterways and platforms or structures out in the ocean face --- Source: https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/offshore-drilling-for-oil-how-does-it-work-exactly/