Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 September 2009
Historical Overview of Offshore Structure Developments
Early History
One of the primary necessities in the progress of civilization has been energy. Industrial advances were first stoked by coal and then by oil and gas. Today, oil and gas are essential commodities in world trade. Exploration that initially started ashore has now moved well into offshore areas, initially in shallower waters and now into deeper waters because of the increasingly reduced possibilities of new fields in shallower waters.
The quest for offshore oil began, perhaps in California, in the late 1800s and early 1900s (Graff 1981). In the beginning, the techniques and facilities used for production of oil on land were applied to an offshore field by extending the field out over the water by jetty to distances of up to 150m off the coast. By the early 1930s, oil drilling was being undertaken by derrick systems located in waters more than a mile (1.6km) offshore, although the water depth at the drill sites was still limited to less than 5m. These derrick systems were constructed using timber. Barges transported supplies and produced oil, canals were dredged, and boats pulled the barges.
As the well sites moved farther away from shore and the water depths increased, it soon became evident that there were many challenges to overcome if efficient and safe offshore operations were to be possible.
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