The oil and gas industry depends a lot on large offshore platforms to extract and process petroleum and natural gas from beneath the ocean floor.
Here are the five biggest oil drilling platforms in the world, known for their impressive engineering and production abilities.
1. Berkut Oil Rig
The Berkut oil rig is the largest oil and gas platform in the world. It’s located near Sakhalin Island and weighs about 200,000 tonnes. The platform sits 35 meters below the seafloor and can extract up to 4.5 million tonnes of oil each year. Built to tap into the Arkutun-Dagi oil reserves, it was developed by a group of major oil companies from the US, Japan, India, and so on, costing around $12 billion. Berkut has space for up to 190 workers and is equipped with advanced safety and processing systems.
2. Hibernia Platform
The Hibernia platform, in the North Atlantic Ocean, is one of the heaviest offshore platforms, weighing 496,040 tonnes. It operates in water about 260 feet deep and was built to withstand iceberg collisions. Production started in 1997, with a peak capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil per day. Hibernia is expected to keep producing oil beyond 2040 and has already extracted over 1 billion barrels.
3. Perdido Platform
The Perdido platform, in the Gulf of Mexico, is remarkable for its depth, operating in water 8,000 feet deep. The structure is about 875 feet tall and can produce 100,000 barrels of oil per day. It connects to 35 underwater wells through a network of pipelines and needs a crew of 172 people for its operations. Perdido started production in 2010 and is one of the most advanced platforms in terms of technology and safety.
4. Petronius Platform
The Petronius platform, also in the Gulf of Mexico, is the tallest oil platform in the world, standing at 1,870 feet. Built between 1997 and 2000, it operates at a depth of 1,754 feet and has a daily production capacity of 60,000 barrels of oil. This platform is designed to flex with ocean forces, which helps keep it stable during bad weather.
5. Olympus Platform
The Olympus platform is a tension-leg platform located in the Gulf of Mexico, designed to extract oil from the Mars field. Completed in 2013, it weighs 132,227 tonnes and operates at a depth of 3,100 feet. Olympus can produce 100,000 barrels of oil per day and supports 192 workers. The platform has modern amenities and advanced technology to ensure efficient and safe operations.
These platforms showcase the engineering skills and technological progress in the oil and gas industry, playing a key role in meeting the world’s energy needs. Their construction and operation require huge investments and expertise, highlighting the industry's importance to the global economy.
