Offshore Drilling
Offshore drilling is important because there is a lot of oil and natural gas under the shallow waters near the shore. Most people take it to mean drilling off the coasts in oceans. But there is also such drilling in lakes and seas.
Offshore drilling was first attempted in the late 1800’s offshore near a city called Baku in Azerbaijan. Around that time Russia, who controlled the country, auctioned off oil rights to make money. By 1900 the area had produced nearly 50% of the world’s oil reserves. Instability after WW1 and the communist revolution halted most oil production in the early part of the 20th century.
Today many coastal areas host offshore drilling. New fields have been identified off the east and west coasts of the United States.
The US Congress banned offshore drilling off the US coasts in the early 1980’s. Congress often discusses removing or at least relaxing those bans. But the bans don’t apply outside the USA. Foreign powers have begun looking at these coastal areas for oil. China is one of them.
Offshore drilling has its problems. The first is maintaining a rig in a stable position above water level. They often stand on huge legs. They have to be moved on occasion which complicates matters. Other rigs are towed into place and float over the area where they drill. They cost less but are hazardous to maintain. Danger comes from their constant movement with the currents.
Another issue with offshore drilling is that the depth of water adds pressure to the fluid column in the drill. It also takes more energy to lift away the sand. Many times the sand extraction takes place on the floor of the ocean.
Human concerns are also important with offshore drilling. People spend a lot of time at the rigs. The rig is essentially a town. Most people stay on the rig for two weeks at a time. Offshore workers earn a lot of money in return for those extended shifts.
Don’t expect offshore drilling to end in the near future.
http://drillingnow.com/