The oil and gas industry uses various types of offshore oil rigs to explore and exploit natural resources out at sea. Each type is designed to operate at specific water depths. While they are designed and used with safety in mind, working on offshore oil rigs is still one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
Barge Oil Rigs
Barge oil rigs are used in the shallowest waters where oil drilling occurs, typically less than 20 feet deep. Their hulls rest on the bottom of the seafloor, providing a stable position from which to operate drills.
Get Matched with a Leading Maritime Attorney in Your Area
- Find the leading maritime lawyers in your area
- Discover how to get compensation as fast as possible
- Learn your legal rights as an injured maritime worker
A submersible rig is a barge-style rig that can operate in slightly deeper waters, up to about 50 feet. This type of barge uses a floating drill unit with pontoons and columns to change its height.
Jack-Up Oil Rigs
A jack-up rig is for use in deeper waters. The rig is moved out to the offshore location, where it can be jacked up to situate the platform above the surface of the water. The platform can move up and down the legs, which are secured to the ocean floor, to adjust to changing water levels. These rigs can be used to depths of about 400 feet.
Fixed Platform Rigs
Oil rigs used in waters to a depth of about 1,700 feet are often fixed platforms. Fixed platforms are anchored to the seafloor by a steel framework. This framework supports a platform designed to be a permanent structure and contains living quarters and the drill rig. This type of rig allows for directional drilling within a certain radius from the platform.
Compliant Towers
This is a type of fixed platform. Compliant towers are narrower and more flexible than other types. They can withstand the forces of water moving at depth and allow oil rigs to operate to depths of nearly 3,000 feet.
Semi-Submersible Oil Rig Platforms
Fixing a platform to the seafloor is not feasible in water depths greater than 3,000 feet. At these deeper locations, oil rigs float. A semi-submersible platform is designed for use in depths up to 12,000 feet. A platform sits above the surface of the water. Most of the bulk of the rig is below the water to stabilize the structure.
Some semi-submersible drop anchors to the seafloor. Others remain in place by sitting on top of a long cylinder that hangs into the water to a depth of 700 feet or more. A tension-leg platform has long, flexible legs attached to the seafloor, allowing side-to-side movement.
Drill Ships
Drill ships provide another option for drilling in very deep waters and are often used in remote locations. The drilling equipment is on the vessel and accesses the ocean through a moon pool, an opening in the middle of the ship. If the depth allows, anchors can be dropped to stabilize the ship. Drill ships can also use computer-controlled dynamic positioning to stay in place.
Offshore Oil Rigs and Safety
Offshore oil rigs vary in form and type, but all serve the purpose of exploiting oil and gas resources under the seabed. Working on any of these rigs can be very dangerous. Even with well-maintained equipment, adequate worker training, and appropriate safety measures, any small mistake can lead to a terrible accident.
Examples of offshore drilling accidents that can harm or kill workers include:
- Equipment failures
- Fires and explosions
- Toxic material leaks and spills
- Transportation accidents to and from rigs
- Dangerous weather and rough waters
Offshore workers can be injured when struck by equipment. They may suffer burns and exposure to fire and toxic materials. Explosions are often deadly. Accidents can lead to falls into the water, where workers suffer hypothermia or drown. Also common are fatalities in accidents transporting workers to and from oil rigs.
Contact an Offshore Maritime Lawyer
You have rights if you work on any type of offshore rig and are hurt on the job. You may be able to sue for damages if you can show negligence caused your injuries. You may also be covered by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a law that provides workers’ compensation for offshore workers.
The best way to get compensation for injuries is to talk to an experienced maritime lawyer. They can review your case and determine which laws apply and how you can best seek compensation. A maritime lawyer can also help you recover damages if you lose a loved one to an accident on an offshore rig.