The United States produces roughly 14 million barrels of crude oil from oil rigs every single day. While the majority of these barrels are produced by the country’s 573 onshore oil rigs, just 13 offshore oil rigs account for a significant share of the nation’s current oil production.
Many of these offshore platforms are located in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the most active and dangerous oil-producing regions in the world. The Gulf is home to more than 3,500 offshore oil and gas structures, though only a small number are active drilling sites. For the men and women working on these platforms, the risks are constant. Explosions, equipment failures, and other offshore accidents can lead to devastating injuries and lasting or even permanent consequences.
At Zehl & Associates, we have a proven track record of standing up for offshore workers and their families. When disaster strikes, we don’t back down. We hold negligent companies accountable and win the maximum compensation our clients deserve.
Here’s what you need to know about oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and how our undefeated oil rig accident attorneys can stand up, fight, and win for you.
What Makes Offshore Oil Rigs Different From Onshore Oil Rigs?
Offshore oil rigs are very different from their onshore counterparts. For one thing, people who work on offshore oil rigs also live there, seeing as they usually are on the job for several months. With that in mind, it can be said that offshore oil rigs are akin to tiny villages, wherein everyone works the same job.
This has its advantages, but can also be problematic when emergencies or accidents occur. If anyone suffers a workplace accident, any medical care they receive will come from an on-rig doctor or medic, unless the injury requires a medivac to a mainland hospital.
With that in mind, the staff members who man each of the various oil drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico take significant precautions to prevent their fellow employees from suffering work injuries.
Notable Gulf of Mexico Rigs
The primary reason why the Gulf of Mexico is home to several offshore oil rig locations is twofold: Not only does it provide a wealth of worthwhile oil-drilling sites, but several oil drilling companies are located in Texas, which has the largest Gulf coastline.
In particular, the following are some of the most notable rigs in the Gulf of Mexico:
Petronius Oil Platform
Owned by Chevron, Petronius is one of the largest oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and also one of the tallest free-standing structures anywhere. It weighs over 47,000 tons and stands 2,001 feet high. It extracts 60,000 barrels of oil and 3,000,000 cubic meters of natural gas every day.
Perdido Spar Platform
Operated by Shell since 2010, the Perdido Spar Platform is the second deepest oil and gas production platform in the world. (The deepest oil platform also belongs to Shell.) Compared to the Petronius, the Perdido manages to produce almost twice the daily output, processing 100,000 barrels of crude oil every day.
One of the more impressive facts about the Perdido is that it was originally built in Pori, Finland, then transported to the Gulf of Mexico by sea. For reference, that’s the equivalent of transporting two football stadiums across the Atlantic.
Atlantis Platform
Owned by BP, the appropriately named Atlantis Platform is semi-submersible, and it produces an eye-opening 200,000 barrels of oil and 180 million cubic feet of natural gas each day.
A semi-submersible platform is capable of transforming between having deep and shallow drafts. When it has a shallow draft, it effectively becomes a surface vessel, capable of traveling between locations. That is particularly useful if companies want to use a platform to drill several different oil fields, or even to simply transport other vessels.
Gulf of Mexico Oil Rigs: Why They Matter
The Gulf of Mexico is a large body of water that is adjacent to several states. While many of the oil rigs in the Gulf are connected to Texas companies, some are associated with Louisiana or Florida waters.
In any case, despite there only being a handful of them in total, these offshore rigs represent roughly one-seventh of all domestic oil production in the U.S., making their significance unquestionable.
Contact the Texas Oil Rig Accident Lawyers from Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers for Help Today, Call (888) 603-3636
If you’ve been hurt while on an Oil Rig located in the Gulf of Mexico, Zehl & Associates can help. We’ve secured Billions for victims of catastrophic offshore, oil rig, and oilfield accidents. Our award-winning team has the experience, resources, and determination to take on the largest oil and gas companies in the world, and win the maximum compensation you and your family deserve.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney and learn how we can help.
For more information, please contact our oil rig accident attorneys in Midland at Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
We proudly serve Harris County, Midland County, and throughout the state of Texas. We are located in Houston and Midland and throughout the state of Texas:
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
Open 24 hours
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Midland
306 W Wall St Suite 701, Midland, TX 79701
(432) 220-0000
Open 24 hours