How an Oil Drill Rig is Built

Lately, the news about oil drill rigs has been numerous. Many of us know that they exist; however, many of us don't have an understanding on how an oil drill rig works. We have broken down the various decks on an oil drill rig and we will explain how each one works.

The Helideck on an Oil Drill Rig
All oil drill rigs need to transport their crews and the most cost effective way is by helicopter. The helideck is an area on the oil drill rig with a heliport setup to receive helicopters. Most helicopters will transport six to 12 crewmembers at a time to the oil drill rig. Most oil drill rig crews will work seven-day shifts at 12 hours a day. Oil drill rig platform workers will work those 12-hour shifts for three weeks at a time. The size of the crew will depend on the size of the oil drill rig. Many deep-water oil drill rigs will have about 125 crewmembers aboard at any one time.

The Drilling Deck on an Oil Drill Rig
The pumps and the crewmembers quarters are usually located on the drilling deck. Most crewmembers do their own cooking on the oil drill rig and spend their free time either watching television or working out in the weight room. The drilling deck also supports the towering workover rig that maintains and repairs the various wells. Blowout preventers are setup to shut down any well in case of an emergency.

The Production Deck on an Oil Drill Rig
The production deck is where we will find the wellhead and surface safety valves used to close off the well in the case of a leak. Other emergency safety measures in most oil drill rigs are earthquake retrofitting, fire prevention systems and an emergency shutdown system.

The Lower Decks on an Oil Drill Rig
Many of the lower decks on most oil drill rigs will house various utilities equipment. You will also find the lower decks are setup for boat landings as an alternative to transporting crewmembers and equipment.

The Jacket on an Oil Drill Rig
The jacket is the underwater frame that serves as the foundation for the oil drill rig. Depending on the depth of the water the rig sits in, some jackets is shallow enough go to the bottom of the ocean floor. However, deep-water oil drill rigs will float nearly a mile above the ocean floor.