Drilling for water, oil or natural gas is a complicated and expensive business, risky and competitive. The right equipment and people essential for the success of any expedition be it in Alaska or South America, it is not easy to find.
An option for large International operators is to issue a tender and award drilling contractors to provide equipment, people and expertise to drill the wells, which can be either offshore or onshore. These contractors are costly and demand large payouts, commissions and even shares in the eventual discovery. Most of the companies listed in online directories are offshore drilling contractors, as in this field taxes are quite heavy worldwide.
Drilling equipment is available for purchase from specialized suppliers or resellers. Many purposely developed websites and online stores offer brand new machineries or auction second hand equipment.
The drilling rig is the main machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be small mobile or massive structures housing equipment used to drill water, oil or natural gas extraction wells. These machines sample sub-surface mineral deposits, test rock, soil and groundwater physical properties, and also can be used to install sub-surface fabrications, such as underground utilities, instrumentation, tunnels or wells.
Qualified staff to operate and service the rigs is usually sourced by specialized recruiters from all over the world. Such jobs are usually for a limited period of time, from six months to two years on average.
There are approximately 859 offshore rigs in the world fleet at this time including some still under construction, according to various industry sources. The majority of the rigs, around 78%, are working in the Middle East, Australia, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Eastern Coast of Canada, the Far East, the Gulf of Mexico, Latin America, the Mediterranean and the North Sea.
