I. LITERATURE REVIEW OF OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DRILLING
22
May 19, 2007) and another one which fixes the conditions of approval of the studies of impact
on the environment for the activities falling under the field of hydrocarbons (Executive decree
No. 08-312 of 5 Chaoual 1429 corresponding to October 5, 2008).
I.3 Characteristics of offshore hydrocarbon drilling
I.3.1 Types and structure of offshore platforms
Offshore oil and/or gas exploitation is carried out using platforms of various types depending on
the distance from the coast and the depth of the water column. Platforms mainly support the
equipment needed for the drilling or oil extraction stage but may also have facilities to house the
operating personnel. Some platforms are the size of a football field (5,000 m²) and there are over
15,000 platforms worldwide. The Gulf of Mexico alone has almost 4,000 active oil platforms
(Thomas P.A. 2017).
The platforms differ depending on whether they are used as offshore drilling units (exploratory
section) or as production units (operational section). The need to innovate in terms of the
platform is due to the technical advances made to exploit oil deposits located under increasing
depths of water.
Thus it can be distinguished according to whether the platform is intended for the exploration or
exploitation of oil in waters of a depth of less than 1500 meters or in waters of a greater depth.
The structure of the platforms has changed a great deal over the years in order to discover and
exploit oil deeper and deeper under the water, the first platforms were fixed to the seabed but
other floating and mobile platforms soon appeared.
- Fixed oil platforms:
These platforms are machines built to rest on the seabed: Fixed metal platforms and base
platforms weight have dimensions that are sometimes disproportionate; to such an extent that
they are built in several elements on sites adapted to land, elements which are then transported
separately by floating barges or docks drilling site to be assembled.
These platforms drilling in shallow water but under conditions sometimes extremely this is why
it is necessary to create so-called flexible platforms.
- Weight base platforms:
They are also called gravitary platforms; these platforms have the particularity of ensuring their
stability thanks to their own weight and are therefore resistant to the effect of swells as well as to
difficult climatic conditions.
22
May 19, 2007) and another one which fixes the conditions of approval of the studies of impact
on the environment for the activities falling under the field of hydrocarbons (Executive decree
No. 08-312 of 5 Chaoual 1429 corresponding to October 5, 2008).
I.3 Characteristics of offshore hydrocarbon drilling
I.3.1 Types and structure of offshore platforms
Offshore oil and/or gas exploitation is carried out using platforms of various types depending on
the distance from the coast and the depth of the water column. Platforms mainly support the
equipment needed for the drilling or oil extraction stage but may also have facilities to house the
operating personnel. Some platforms are the size of a football field (5,000 m²) and there are over
15,000 platforms worldwide. The Gulf of Mexico alone has almost 4,000 active oil platforms
(Thomas P.A. 2017).
The platforms differ depending on whether they are used as offshore drilling units (exploratory
section) or as production units (operational section). The need to innovate in terms of the
platform is due to the technical advances made to exploit oil deposits located under increasing
depths of water.
Thus it can be distinguished according to whether the platform is intended for the exploration or
exploitation of oil in waters of a depth of less than 1500 meters or in waters of a greater depth.
The structure of the platforms has changed a great deal over the years in order to discover and
exploit oil deeper and deeper under the water, the first platforms were fixed to the seabed but
other floating and mobile platforms soon appeared.
- Fixed oil platforms:
These platforms are machines built to rest on the seabed: Fixed metal platforms and base
platforms weight have dimensions that are sometimes disproportionate; to such an extent that
they are built in several elements on sites adapted to land, elements which are then transported
separately by floating barges or docks drilling site to be assembled.
These platforms drilling in shallow water but under conditions sometimes extremely this is why
it is necessary to create so-called flexible platforms.
- Weight base platforms:
They are also called gravitary platforms; these platforms have the particularity of ensuring their
stability thanks to their own weight and are therefore resistant to the effect of swells as well as to
difficult climatic conditions.