Offshore drilling typically refers to the act of extracting underground resources which lie underwater near the shoreline. Most commonly, the term is used to describe oil extraction off the coasts of continents, though the term can also apply to drilling in lakes and inland seas.
History
The first offshore drilling was done at the end of the 19th century in Baku at the Bibi-Eibat field.[citation needed] In 1896 oil companies began drilling from wharves built out over the Pacific Ocean at Summerland field, California.
Main offshore fields
Notable offshore fields today are found in the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Campos and Santos Basins off the coasts of Brazil, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, several fields off West Africa most notably west of Nigeria and Angola, as well as offshore fields in South East Asia.
Challenges
Manned facilities need to be kept above sea-level.
This can be accomplished with enormous constructions with their "feet" on the bottom of the sea, such as the Troll A platform which is standing on a depth of 300 meter. With its height of 472 meter, it is the largest man-made structure ever to be moved. Other platforms may be floating, only anchored to the bottom of the sea. While this cuts construction costs, extra security measures are needed, as well as mechanisms for nulling out heave due to waves. In both cases, the ocean adds several hundred meters to the fluid column in the drillstring. This increases bottom hole pressure as well as increasing the energy needed to lift sand and cuttings for oil-sand separation on the platform. The trend today is for more of the production to be done subsea, such as facilities to separate sand from oil and re-inject sand before it is pumped up to the platform, or even pumping it onshore, with no installations visible above the sea.
Sub sea installations further the goal of the petroleum industry of exploiting resources at progressively deeper waters, that have previously been inaccessible. It also circumvents many of the challenges related to sea ice, such as in the Barents sea.
Offshore manned facilities present logistics and human resources challenges.
An offshore oil platform is a small society with support functions such as cafeteria, sleeping quarters and management located offshore. In the North Sea, people are transported in by helicopter, in for a 2-week shift. This in turn means a higher salary than for other industry workers. Supplies and waste are transported by ship and need to be delicately choreographed because floor area on the platform is limited. Today, much effort goes into moving as much of the personnel as possible onshore, where management and technical experts are in touch with the platform by video conferencing. An onshore job is also more attractive for an, at least in the western world, aging petroleum industry workforce. These efforts among others, are contained in the established term Integrated Operations. The increased use of sub sea facilities, of course, goes hand in hand with the goal of moving people onshore. Subsea facilities are also more easy to expand with new separators or separate modules for different oil types. It is not limited by the fixed floor space of an offshore rig.
Miscellaneous
Health Requirements.
The first and foremost requirement for working offshore is that you be in sound physical condition. You will be required to pass a thorough physical examination.
Age.
In most cases, you must be at least 18 to work offshore for a drilling contractor. The average age for offshore workers is 27.
Experience.
The better your experience in your particular field or profession, the closer prospective employers will look you at. If you do not currently have any skill or experience that relates to the offshore industry, it does not mean you will not be offered employment..
Entry Level Jobs.
There are many entry level positions available which require no previous offshore experience, these can be quickly learned. The most important thing is honesty. Do not misrepresent yourself, your experience, or your skills. For example, do not claim to be a pipe welder if you have only had experience on plate. Or, do not claim to be a diesel mechanic if the only experience you have is doing minor tune-ups in a garage. However, that experience will stand you in good stead with extra training.
Education.
The majority of entry level rig jobs do not require a formal education as the employer is more interested in your ability to do your job well and learn quickly than in how many years you went to school. Some jobs, such as a ballast controlman, mud engineer, etc., require at least a secondary level school education. Other positions, as they get more complex, will naturally require higher levels of education.
Dependability.
One of the foremost concerns of offshore employers is dependability. Regardless of how good a hand is, he isn't much good if he isn't there! One of the quickest ways to lose your job is not to show up for crew change. When you sign on with a company, you become part of a team, and it is difficult to operate when any member of the team is not present.
Interest/Ambition.
Your interest and ambition will play a very important part in your getting and keeping a job, whether it be offshore or anywhere else.
Experience.
Offshore work is an immensely interesting field, and interest in learning your job and others, as well, sparks ambition. Once you get in and get some basic experience you can move into many different areas involved in all phases of the industry.
Benefits.
Benefits of companies involved in the oil and gas industry range from virtually nonexistent to excellent. The better companies will provide major medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, and profit sharing.
Advancement and Training.
Advancement offshore will depend primarily on the company you work for and your particular abilities. All companies want you to advance. They want you to become better trained so you can take a more responsible position. Some companies have excellent training programs to help you move up the ladder with trainee slots for most positions. Other companies have only marginally efficient training programs, or none whatsoever.
Outside courses include Sea Survival Training, First Aid, Offshore Drilling Units, Marine Firefighting, and the list goes on and on. The more courses you complete, the more credentials you have when you apply for another job. What this means is the company you are working for is financing your future. Thank them for it!
